Baldo is first ever French winner

CYCLING AN POST RÁS:ALTHOUGH IT didn't achieve its primary goal of repeating its overall win of last year, the An Post Grant Thornton Seán Kelly team ended the An Post Rás in a successful way yesterday. The Irish-sponsored squad clocked up first and second place on the final stage to Skerries, with 2011 champion Gediminas Bagdonas and talented 21-year-old Sam Bennett leading the main bunch home.

The strong gallop secured the green points jersey for Bagdonas, wresting it off the shoulders of the stage one winner Marcin Bialoblocki (Node4 Giordana). Overnight race leader Nicolas Baldo (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) finished safely in the peloton, winning the overall classification.

“Taking a second stage win is amazing. I finished first, and Sam was second,” said the Lithuanian Bagdonas. “The team did things perfectly today, with Seán Downey making it into the breakaway and enabling us to wait for the sprint.”

Manger Kurt Bogaerts said afterwards that he was hoping Bennett would be strong enough to take the stage. “The plan was that Bagdonas would lead out the sprint and go for the green jersey, and if Sam was strong enough to come past, he could have the win.”

However, Bennett said that he was over-confident and started his sprint too close to the line. “I ran out of road.”

The Carrick-on-Suir rider was injured in a bizarre accident afterwards, when a cork popped out of a champagne bottle brought to celebrate the team’s performance, and hit him in the eye. Fortunately he wasn’t badly hurt, although he received a scare.

Bogaerts had been frustrated with the team on Saturday evening as he said the riders were complacent in building up to the bunch sprint in Cootehill. They left it to other teams to chase and, as a result, and unbeknownst to Bennett, Lasse Norman Hansen (Denmark Blue Water) and Kai Exner (Germany Bike Aid) hit the line first and second. Bennett won the bunch sprint for third, celebrated, then realised the error. It’s one he’ll be unlikely to make again.

Bogaerts’ talk, given on Saturday evening, fired up the team, according to Downey. He was clear for much of yesterday’s 139.3km stage with six other riders, including Irish county rider Robin Kelly (Carlow Dan Morrissey Speedy Spokes). These were eventually brought back on the final lap of a 13.8km finishing circuit, having held a maximum lead of almost two minutes.

Baldo’s overall victory came after he seized yellow on Thursday’s mountain stage over the feared Gap of Mamore. He and his team defended from that point, having already held the lead with stage two winner Pirmin Lang.

He ended the race 13 seconds clear of compatriot Thomas Rostollan, becoming the first ever French winner.

Connor McConvey was best Irishman in seventh, just 24 seconds back, while defending champion Bagdonas was two places and nine seconds further back.

In the other classifications, David Clarke took the One4All Bikes4Work mountains prize, Richard Handley was best under 23 rider and Art McManusa and Adam Armstrong were best in the category two and Fitz Cycles county rider classifications.

Atlas Jakroo was best International team, while Dublin West Eurocycles took the county team award.

STAGE SEVEN (Donegal to Cootehill)

1, Lasse Norman Hansen (Denmark Blue Water Cycling) 161 kilometres in 4 hours 13 mins 21 secs; 2, K Exner (Germany Bike Aid Cycling Team) at 7 secs; 3, S Bennett (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly) at 12 secs; 4, G. Bagdonas (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly); 5, R. Eefting (Netherlands Koga Cycling); 6, M. Bialoblocki (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing); 7, R. Krotky (Czech Republic AC Sparta Praha); 8, R. Lang (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp); 9, P.Hawkins (Britain Team IG - Sigma Sport); 10, P. Lang (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo); 11, T Gunman (New Zealand National Team); 12, R Nyborg Broge (Denmark Blue Water Cycling); 13, C. Varley (Isle Of Man Bikeline P/B Micro).

STAGE EIGHT (Cootehill to Skerries)

1, Gediminas Bagdonas (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly) 139.3 kilometres in 3 hours 15 mins 56 secs; 2, S. Bennett (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly); 3, M. Bialoblocki (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing); 4, R. Eefting (Netherlands Koga Cycling); 5, R. Sarreboubee (France AVC Aix En Provence); 6, R. Nyborg Broge (Denmark Blue Water Cycling); 7, E. Moriarty (Meath East Spin 11); 8, P. Lang (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo); 9, P. Hawkins (Britain Team IG - Sigma Sport); 10, D. Clifford (Meath Dunboyne DID Electrical); 11, K. Forbord (Norway Oneco-Mesterhus); 12, C. Karwowski (New Zealand National Team); 13, D. Bichlmann (Germany Bike Aid Cycling Team).

FINAL GENERAL CLASSIFICATION

1, Nicolas Baldo (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) 26 hours 55 mins 57 secs; 2, T Rostollan (France AVC Aix En Provence) at 13 secs; 3, M Hunal (Czech Republic AC Sparta Praha) at 17 secs; 4, P Lang (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) at 18 secs; 5, R Handley (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp) same time; 6, M Bialoblocki (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing) at 21 secs; 7, C McConvey (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly) at 24 secs; 8, J Fumeaux (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) at 29 secs; 9, G Bagdonas (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly) at 33 secs; 10, R Sarreboubee (France AVC Aix En Provence) at 37 secs; 11, D McCann (Taiwan RTS Racing) at 39 secs; 12, W Sybrandy (Britain Team IG-Sigma Sport) same time; 13, P Hawkins (Britain Team IG - Sigma Sport) at 44 secs; 14, A Armstrong (Dublin West Eurocycles) at 52 secs; 15, B Kuiper (Netherlands Koga Cycling) same time.

Sprints: 1, Gediminas Bagdonas (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly) 87.

Mountains classification: 1, David

Clarke (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing) 75pts.

Under-23: 1, Richard Handley (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp) 26 hours 56 mins 15 secs.

CI Category 2: 1, Art MacManusa (Dublin South UCD) 27 hours 18 mins 58 secs.

County rider: 1, Adam Armstrong (Dublin West Eurocycles) 26 hours 56 mins 49 secs.

International team: 1, Switzerland Atlas Jakroo, 80 hours 48 mins 35 secs.

County team: 1, Dublin West Eurocycles, 81 hours 19 mins 38 secs.