Philip Cassidy of the Ireland team yesterday took over the yellow jersey in the FBD Milk Ras at Cootehill and looks set for victory tomorrow. With just today's stage to Drogheda and the Dublin city centre finale tomorrow, Cassidy is two minutes and 11 seconds ahead of Dermot Finnegan of Meath with Richard Hobby (Lincoln) best of the visitors in third place at 2:24.
Cassidy missed out on taking the lead by 19 seconds on Thursday but, as he predicted, he blasted away from the start again yesterday and only the strongest were able to go with him. "It was just like a training spin, I was under no pressure," he said afterwards.
If Cassidy, who won the event in 1983, holds onto the lead to the finish, he will beat the time gap record held by Kildareman Paddy Flanagan, who first won in 1960 and had his third triumph in 1975.
Cassidy was at the head of the bunch throughout yesterday's stage of 99 miles from Killybegs and at the finish he was fourth, two seconds behind Estonian Alges Massikmets, Jeff Wright (Cheshire) and Hobby. With 11 miles to go, these four left a group of 10 others and they maintained a narrow 10 second advantage into Cootehill. Erki Putsep (Estonia), who was unwell, had a rough time in the yellow jersey and came in five minutes behind Cassidy and dropped to fifth overall, 4:44 in arrears.
When the 117 survivors settled down after the opening flurry of activity at the front, Cassidy went clear with Mark Lovatt (Cheshire) and Raido Kodanipork (Estonia), and they were later joined by Massikmets, Wright, Kenneally and Amr El Nady (Egypt).
As they raced on through Donegal, Laghey, over the Black Gap and into Northern Ireland at Pettigo, the lead increased to over two minutes with Putsep struggling to hold his place in the pack. Kenneally lost touch on the big climb of the day, at Carnemore (76 miles), and another six, including Finnegan and Hobby, joined the leaders after the descent.
It was strange for the Estonians to have two men in the leading group with Putsep losing out behind. They did not contribute to the work at the front and when Cassidy, Wright and Hobby went clear approaching the finish, Massikmets, who was tucked in behind, hit the front to take the stage.
Today's stage is not easy as the 102 miles to Drogheda includes climbs at Keady (33 miles) and Newtownhamilton (37 miles).
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/YVIRIOZQ35EWRPZXR27KGMO6YU.png)