Stage 8
12.05: Good morning and welcome to live coverage of the final stage of the An Post Rás. Its once again a beautiful day, with bright sun and warm temperatures motivating the riders as they tackle the homeward run from Cootehill to Skerries.
Crowds at that finish town are always huge, and the organises are holding a street party beforehand in order to boost the atmosphere even further. If youve time, we recommend you head there as its a really great finale to the race.
Congratulations to all the finish towns this week, as there was also a very good atmosphere at each of those.
12.12: Tim Barry (Carlow Dan Morrissey Speedy Spokes) has had mechanical issues and the dropping of the flag has been delayed until he is back in the bunch
12.20: The first breakaway attempt of the day has been launched. Sean Downey (An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly) has attacked with Christian Jensen (Denmark Blue Water) and Michael Vingerling (Netherlands Koga Cycling).
12.22: We think they have been closed down.
12.23: Yep, that’s the case; now Lars Vierbergen (Netherlands Koga) has a gap of six seconds.
12.24: That too didnt last long; its all together again.
12.31: Downey and Christopher Stephenson (Britain UK Youth Cycling) have attacked and have a slight lead.
12.32: They are now ten seconds clear, but the bunch is chasing and closing the gap down.
12.34:Lars Vierbergen (Netherlands Koga) and Christopher Jennings (Rapha Condor Sharp) have jumped across to the leaders.
12.36: They are pulling further ahead, with the four leaders now 22 seconds ahead.
12.39: And it continues to grow; they have a thirty second lead at this point.
Sondre Hurum (Norway Oneco Mesterhus) has attacked and is trying to get across to the quartet up front.
Taylor Gunman (New Zealand) and Robin Kelly (Carlow Dan Morrissey Speedy Spokes) have caught Hurum. This trio are 28 seconds back after 23 kilometres of racing; the bunch is at 40 seconds.
12.43: It’s now 28 seconds and 45 seconds respectively for the chasers and the bunch.
12.49: After 27 kilometres, the chasers are 26 seconds back. The peloton is slipping further behind. Well try to get a time gap for the latter as soon as possible.
12.55: The chasers are getting across; the four leaders are waiting for them as the gap has almost closed. Its just ten seconds, but theyll be there very soon. Thatll make it a good seven man lead group.
The peloton is now one minute 30 seconds back.
12.56: No Irishman has won a stage thus far, so today is the last change. An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly manager Kurt Bogaerts felt that yesterday was a missed opportunity for the team and Sam Bennett, who won the bunch sprint.
Bennett had thought that he was sprinting for the win, not realising that two riders were ahead. Bogaerts was frustrated because the team didnt seize control and drive the pace in the finale. Had it done so, Bennett may have taken the stage win.
You can see a very frank interview with Bogaerts on the Irishcycling.com homepage.
12/58: Now all together out front at 33 kilometres; seven leaders.
The Czech riders are right at the front of the chase.
13.03: Heading into the town of Nobber (km 38.6), the location of an An Post Post Office sprint, the gap to the bunch is one minute 40 seconds back.
Kelly took the prime there, so strong ride by the county rider.
13.11: The break is one minute 50 seconds ahead; looking good for this move to be out there for some time. Will it make it until the end? It needs to gain more time, so well see
13.22: After 50 kilometres of racing, the gap is one minute 45 seconds. Todays 139 kilometre stage has five category three climbs; Slane (65.6km), Pluckhimin (km 84), Cross of the Cage (km 103.3) and two ascents of the Black Hills (km 116.5 and km 130.3).
13.27: Vierbergen started the day 17th overall, just one minute 19 seconds behind race leader Nicolas Baldo (Swizerland Atlas Jakroo). Hes race leader on the road. His presence will likely prevent this break from gaining a big advantage, but the others will hope it gets enough to stay clear until the end.
13.38: The break is rolling through well, with all the riders doing their turn as they head into Slane. They have covered 62 kilometres, and the first climb is in just over three clicks.
13.41: As the break rides on that climb, the latest time check to the peloton is one minute 45 seconds.
The break remains together on the climb, which is long and gradual.
KOM cat 3 at Slane (km 65.6):
1, Sondre Hurum (Norway Oneco Mesterhus) 5 pts
2, Lars Vierbergen (Netherlands Koga) 4
3, Christopher Jennings (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp) 3
4, Sean Downey (Belgium An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly) 1
The bunch split slightly on the climb, but has come back together. The latest time gap was one and a half minutes.
The Czech Republic AC Sparta Praha team continues to contribute to the chasing. Its done a lot this week, when youd imagine it would give more of the responsibility to the team of the yellow jersey. The latter is also chasing, of course, but has benefited from the willingness of others to work this seek.
14.01: The gap continues to hover at one minute 30 seconds. They have covered 80 kilometres thus far, and are about to start the climb of Pluckhimin.
KOM cat 3 at Pluckhimin (km 84):
1, Sondre Hurum (Norway Oneco Mesterhus) 5 pts
2, Lars Vierbergen (Netherlands Koga) 4
3, Christopher Stephenson (Britain UK Youth Cycling) 3
4, Sean Downey (Belgium An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly) 1
14.11: The gap is one minute 29 seconds.
14.27: The break continues to hold a gap of roughly one and a half minutes. It is one minute 22 now, 95 kilometres into the stage.
The riders are all cooperating well together, but the peloton is keeping tabs on things. Theres no sign of a big GC showdown behind; would be good to see something on the finishing circuit, as the gaps are still quite small overall.
Heres how the GC looked this morning:
1, Nicolas Baldo (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) 23 hours 40 mins 1 sec
2, Thomas Rostollan (France AVC Aix En Provence) at 13 secs
3, Martin Hunal (Czech Republic AC Sparta Praha) at 17 secs
4, Pirmin Lang (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) at 18 secs
5, Richard Handley (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp) same time
6, Marcin Bialoblocki (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing) at 21 secs
7, Connor McConvey (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly) at 24 secs
8, Jonathan Fumeaux (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) at 29 secs
9, Gediminas Bagdonas (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly) at 33 secs
10, Remi Sarreboubee (France AVC Aix En Provence) at 37 secs
11, David McCann (Taiwan RTS Racing) at 39 secs
12, Wouter Sybrandy (Britain Team IG - Sigma Sport) same time
13, Peter Hawkins (Britain Team IG - Sigma Sport) at 44 secs
14, Adam Armstrong (Dublin West Eurocycles) at 52 secs
15, Bouke Kuiper (Netherlands Koga Cycling) same time
As you can see, a successful break could reshuffle things considerably.
14.36: The gap is falling its now one minute five seconds. We were behind the break but have got outta there and moved forward.
14.39: Stephenson attacked, but the break got back up to him.
Kelly has been dropped. He rode well in the break, but things are getting quicker. Gunman has also been dropped, so there are five leaders left. The action happened on the climb.
KOM Cat 3 at Cross of the Cage (km 103.3)
1, Lars Vierbergen (Netherlands Koga) 5 pts
2, Sean Downey (An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly) 4
3, Christopher Jennings (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp) 3
5, Sondre Hurum (Norway Oneco Mesterhus) 1
14.43: Gunman has got back up to the break, so there are six leaders at this point. The gap has gone back up to one minute 16 seconds.
14.50: We have gone on to Skerries, where the riders will soon cross the finish line for the first of three times. Their gap is one minute
The riders will cover two laps of the 13.8 kilometre circuit.
Theres some great crowds and a very good atmosphere here in Skerries
14.52: Going over the finish line for the first time, and to huge cheers, the break has an advantage of approximately a minute.
The break will push as hard as it can over this remaining 27.6 kilometres. Itll take a big effort to stay clear, particularly if the GC riders start attacking behind.
14.55: The gap is really dropping; 32 seconds now.
14.57: Stephenson tried to get clear again, but the move was covered. 23 seconds
14.58: Gunman is about to be picked up by the main field. The others race onwards. Hurum was also dropped, and has been caught.
Theres four leaders still away: Lars Vierbergen (Netherlands Koga), Sean Downey (An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly), Christopher Jennings (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp) and Christopher Stephenson (Britain UK Youth Cycling).
The gap is now 21 seconds at the top of the climb, 116.5 kilometres after the start and 22.8 kilometres from the end.
15.03: They hold a twenty second gap as they race back towards Skerries
15.07: Weve uploaded some pre-start footage from today; youll see it on the Irishcycling.com homepage.
Meanwhile the gap is 21 seconds
the four leaders are doing a great job trying to stay away. The gap at the second passage of the finish line will be interesting
15.09: Its down to fifteen seconds
.its looking difficult for them now
15.12: Going over the finish line for the second of three times, the gap was down to about five seconds. The break is pretty much done
.they have just 100 metres now.
15.14: They have been caught its all together now. Will the An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly team get the stage win it missed out on yesterday?
15.20: It’s all together still...Richard Handley (Rapha Condor Sharp) got a small gap on the climb, but was brought back. Baldo’s team are driving it on the front to keep things together...
15.23: Final few kilometres...it’s still all together, and a big bunch sprint seems almost assured...
15.28: The bunch hurtles onwards...we are at the finish awaiting the riders. There hasn’t been an Irish stage winner yet, for the first time...will there be one today?
15.29: Here we go...
Big bunch gallop....
15.30: Bagdonas vs Bennett...side by side, giving it everything...
It’s Bagdonas...last year’s winner beats the young Irish talent to take his second stage win in this year’s race. He’ll also seal his green points jersey with that, while Baldo takes the overall win...
So that ends the 2012 An Post Ras - first every French winner in Nicolas Baldo, and a very good race. The three days in Donegal worked well, aided by the best weather in many years...
Stand by for some provisional results...
15.37: We’ve some quick video footage of the finish on the Irishcycling.com homepage now. Quite rough and ready, but there’ll be better footage later...
Okay, here’s the provisional results for today:
An Post Ras stage 8 results: Cootehill to Skerries:
1, Gediminas Bagdonas(Belgium An Post Sean Kelly) 3 hours 15 mins 56 secs
2, Sam Bennett(Belgium An Post Sean Kelly)
3, Marcin Bialoblocki(Britain Node4 Giordana Racing)
4, Roy Eefting(Netherlands Koga Cycling)
5, Remi Sarreboubee(France AVC Aix En Provence)
6, Rolf Nyborg Broge(Denmark Blue Water Cycling)
7, Eugene Moriarty(Meath East Spin 11)
8, Pirmin Lang(Switzerland Atlas Jakroo)
9, Peter Hawkins(Britain Team IG - Sigma Sport)
10, Daniel Clifford(Meath Dunboyne DID Electrical) all same time
Final general classification:
1, Nicolas Baldo(Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) 26 hours 55 mins 57 secs
2, Thomas Rostollan(France AVC Aix En Provence) at 13 secs
3, Martin Hunal(Czech Republic AC Sparta Praha) at 17 secs
4, Pirmin Lang(Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) at 18 secs
5, Richard Handley(Britain Rapha Condor Sharp) same
6, Marcin Bialoblocki(Britain Node4 Giordana Racing) at 21 secs
7, Connor McConvey(Belgium An Post Sean Kelly) at 24 secs
8, Jonathan Fumeaux(Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) at 29 secs
9, Gediminas Bagdonas(Belgium An Post Sean Kelly) at 33 secs
10, Remi Sarreboubee(France AVC Aix En Provence) at 37 secs
Post Office sprints:
1, Bagdonas, 87
2, Bialoblocki, 85
3, Sarreboubee, 56
4, Lang, 53
5, Eefting, 47
One4All Bikes4Work Mountains classification:
1, Clarke, 75
2, Hunal, 61
3, Rostollan, 48
4, Hurum, 43
5 McConvey, 31
Irish Sports Council Under 23:
1, Handley, 26 hours 56 mins 15 secs
2, Hansen, at 4 mins 18 secs
3, Bulling, at 5 mins 8 secs
Great edition of the race, even if the GC remained stable in the final two days. There was a very good atmosphere on the race, and fortunately not too many crashes.
Will get moving on video interviews, with more to come on Irishcycling.com later today. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed this sixtieth edition of the Rás! Congratulations to Dermot Dignam and his team for putting on a really superb event...