McCann profits as Cassidy crashes

CYCLING RÁSWHEN MARK CASSIDY took over as race leader on the third stage of this FBD Insurance Rás, he and his An Post M Donnelly Grant Thornton Seán Kelly team hoped it was the continuation of a strong campaign. Stephen Gallagher had already spent a day in the golden tunic and while he then lost out on Tuesday, missing a crucial move, his team-mate Cassidy succeeded him at the top of the general classification.

It was the 23-year-old's first yellow jersey but, given it came exactly 25 years after his father, Philip, took his first yellow en route to winning the 1983 race, he would have dreamt of riding strongly in defence of that lead.

Unfortunately it was not to be. Instead, it was another Irishman who ended the day in glory, the 2004 Rás winner, David McCann, attacking from a break and soloing to a superb stage victory in Tralee.

McCann had finished second to Chris Newton one day earlier and ended yesterday's stage level on time with the Englishman. A higher points total saw him take over the yellow jersey, however, as he became the fourth race leader in as many days.

Cassidy's dreams unravelled approximately 55 kilometres into yesterday's 156-kilometre stage from Corofin, the young rider hitting a rock while racing through Limerick and crashing to the ground. He lay there for several minutes, then finally - and painfully - remounted, chasing a bunch that had sportingly slowed in respect to the yellow jersey.

But though he got back into the peloton, a badly bruised arm forced Cassidy out of the race.

McCann and 11 others then forged ahead approximately 120 kilometres into the wet stage from Corofin to Tralee, with his Ireland team-mate Roger Aiken, the previous race leader Stephen Gallagher and stage two and three winners Dean Downing and Chris Newton among the notable names.

Newton was unlucky to puncture inside the final three kilometres while McCann made his successful attack.

"I am really pleased," said McCann shortly after receiving the yellow jersey. "It is great to get a stage win. I had good legs coming into the race.

"I was disappointed to lose yesterday but I knew my day would come if I kept working at it.

"Yellow is a bonus because I wasn't even thinking of the jersey, I was just going for the stage win. I knew the form was coming around and so my chance would come."

In contrast, Newton felt that he would have been able to control McCann had he not punctured. In that case, he would have ended the day in yellow.

"I punctured in the last three kilometres. I would have been marking David otherwise . . . I was feeling fine until I flatted," he said ruefully.