Irish riders benefit as race is thrown wide open again

CYCLING/Rás: An Australian may have won but several Irish contenders ended yesterday's third stage of the FBD Insurance Rás in An Daingean feeling a whole lot better about their chances than they did 24 hours earlier.

The reason for their satisfaction was a rapid and somewhat surprising about turn in the fortunes of the first four riders overall, who had gained over three minutes the day before but dramatically lost that time on yesterday's wind-lashed 173-kilometre stage.

Joshua Marden (Australia FRF Couriers) proved quickest in the 28-man sprint which decided the honours, the 23-year-old-beating Lukasz Modzelewski and others in the uphill sprint to the line. Mehall Fitzgerald (Meath MyHome.ie/Cycleways) was best of the Irish in third, while Paul Healion (Ireland Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group, 5th), Simon Kelly (Ireland Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group, 8th) and Tommy Evans (Dublin Usher Insulations, 10th) also finished in the top 10.

American team pursuit champion Mike Friedman (USA TIAA-CREF) came home fourth and due to the time he gained on Monday, he took over at the top of the general classification. He ended the day 22 seconds ahead of last year's Rás winner Chris Newton (Britain Recycling.co.uk), a further second ahead of team-mate Danny Pate, and 30 seconds up on best Irish rider Tommy Evans.

"I am delighted to get yellow, it is actually a very long time since I held the overall lead in a race," he stated. "The last time was when I was a junior (under-18) rider. I have been focusing on the track for the past two seasons but I am becoming increasingly interested in road racing."

His team-mate Danny Pate had started the day in yellow but he, Martin Prazdnovsky (Norway Sparebanken Vest), Wayne Randle (Britain Doncaster Stena Line) and Rob Sharman (Britain Recycling.co.uk) all finished in a small group three minutes and 30 seconds back. They were caught out when a large group of riders attacked from the main field with approximately 50 kilometres remaining, catching lone leader Ray Clarke and nine others who had been clear with the Éireann Dan Morrissey rider.

From there to the finish it was about gaining as much time as possible, Newton and his Recycling.co.uk team, Ireland Grant Thornton leader David O'Loughlin and others joining forces to open up the biggest possible lead on the chasers by the finish.

Fitzgerald was disappointed he didn't get the stage win he was aiming for. "I followed Newton into the corner and I was about sixth at that point. Gaps opened up there as guys let wheels go and the rider who won the stage got a good head start on me. By the time I got going, it was too late. I will definitely try again this week."

So too the overall contenders, as the race is suddenly wide open again. The first 13 are all within one minute and 10 seconds of each other, so there is everything to go for. Expect more aggressive racing on today's 150-kilometre mountainous stage to Listowel.

Stage 3 (Cobh to An Daingean): 1, Joshua Marden (Australia FRF Couriers) 172.5 kilometres in 4 hours 42 mins 49 secs; 2, L Modzelweski (Poland Legia Bazylisek); 3, M Fitzgerald (Meath MyHome ie Cycleways com); 4, M Friedman (USA TIAA-CREF); 5, P Healion (Ireland Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group); 6, C Newton (Britain Recycling.co.uk); 7, P Herzig (Australia FRF Couriers); 8, S Kelly (Ireland Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group); 9, M Hegreberg (Norway Sparebanken Vest); 10, T Evans (Dublin IRC Usher Insulations); 11, D O'Loughlin (Ireland Grant Thornton); 12, F Brzezinski (Germany Stevens) 13, P McDonald (Australia FRF Couriers); 14, R Clarke (Éireann Dan Morrissey); 15, P O'Brien (Ireland Grant Thornton) all same time.

General classification: 1, Mike Friedman (USA TIAA-CREF) 12 hours 5 mins 50 secs; 2, C Newton (Britain Recycling.co.uk) at 22 secs; 3, D Pate (USA TIAA-CREF) at 23 secs; 4, T Evans (Dublin IRC Usher Insulations) at 30 secs; 5, M Hegreberg (Norway Sparebanken Vest) same time; 6, S Kelly (Ireland Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group) at 38 secs; 7, D O'Loughlin (Ireland Grant Thornton); 8, K House (Britain Recycling.co.uk); ; 9, B Kenneally (Meath MyHome.ie/Cycleways) all same time; 10, M Prazdnovsky (Norway Sparebanken Vest) at 50 secs; 11, P Herzig (Australia FRF Couriers) at 54 secs; 12, W Randle (Britain Doncaster Stena Line) at 57 secs; 13, R Sharman (Britain Recycling.co.uk) at 1 min 4 secs; 14, R Partridge (Britain Recycling.co.uk) at 3 mins 57 secs; 15, P O'Brien (Ireland Grant Thornton) at 4 mins 3 secs.