Rás brought to dramatic halt as jeep crashes in

CYCLING:RIGHT UNTIL about 30 kilometres to go, yesterday's stage of the FBD Insurance Rás looked set to bring about a change in the yellow jersey, with a large number of riders almost certain to stay clear until the finish in Carrick-on-Shannon. That was until a dramatic collision involving a jeep and several riders halted the race.

A long-running breakaway move had left race leader Dan Craven (Rapha Condor Sharp) stranded in the bunch and, with a gap of approximately two minutes heading into the final 45 minutes of racing, it looked like Sunday’s runner-up Mark McNally was heading for yellow.

Then, a jeep pulled out on to the race route and several riders at the front of the peloton hit it head on, being catapulted up into the air. Three competitors from the Spanish Burgos 2016-Castilla y Leon team, plus an Italian rider with the Japan-Nippo squad were badly hurt and were taken to hospital after the incident on the descent after Bellavalley Gap.

One of the Spaniards broke a leg and had the top of his finger wrenched off by the impact, although it is expected that this can be reattached. Another had bad lacerations from the windscreen, while the Italian also suffered a fractured leg.

Craven revealed after the finish he was far, far closer to the incident than he would have liked.

“Six guys went down, and I was actually in seventh position. I was the first guy who didn’t fall,” he said, pointing to light abrasions on his leg caused by a glancing blow.

“Some riders went over the top of the jeep. That’s why the race had to be stopped, as you have to make sure the riders are okay – and alive – in a situation like that.”

Reports yesterday suggested the vehicle in question may have pulled out of a lane or driveway after the police escort went by, but before the riders in the bunch passed. That is yet to be confirmed, but McNally seemed to think it was the case.

“I think we actually saw the jeep, it was coming down a side road when we went past,” he said.

The race was stopped for nearly an hour while the riders were being treated, and then it was decided to neutralise the remaining 30 kilometres.

McNally initially seemed annoyed at the finish, unhappy at missing out on taking the yellow jersey, but upon reflection he agreed it was the best thing to do.

The stage got off to an active start with many attempting to escape the peloton. The key move went after 75 kilometres and saw 2008 FBD Rás champion Stephen Gallagher (Britain Sigmasport Specialised) plus several other Irish riders combining with strong international riders to build a gap.

They were later joined by several others, including McNally, and the break had swelled to 23 riders by the time it reached Bellavalley Gap.

Irishman Stephen O’Sullivan took the prime there and with a lead of two minutes, it looked almost certain the break would stay clear, until the dramatic crash.

The race will resume today with a 171 kilometre leg to Oughterard.