Cigala Wins Stage 3 of Tour of Ulster
The Tour of Ulster started today in Banbridge with 71.7 miles to cover over 7 laps of a 10 mile circuit. There were lots of attacks, but it at the start of the 3rd lap before anybody stayed away. A group of 10 riders got away, they were Gareth McKee (Banbridge CC), David Montgomery (Bicycle Design Centre), Cian Delaney (Cycling Leinster), Liam Holohan (Rhino Velo Race Team), William Harper (St Piran), Cameron Jeffers (St Piran), Stephen Murray (Strata3-VeloRevolution), Simon Ryan (Strata3-VeloRevolution), Craig Rea (Team Viner Caremark Pactimo) & Jordan Levasseur (VC Toucy) and they built up a lead of 35 seconds.
8 riders then caught the 10 leaders, they were John Buller (Banbridge CC), Mark Dowling (Cycling Leinster), Conn McDunphy (Lucan County Dublin), Conor McCann (Newry Wheelers), Oliver Hayward (Rhino Velo Race Team), Philip Lavery (Strata3-VeloRevolution), Ronan McLaughlin (Team Viner Caremark Pactimo) & Siim Kiskonen (VC Toucy), but the race came back together.
On the 4th lap, 12 riders then moved clear. They were Gareth McKee (Banbridge CC), David Montgomery (Bicycle Design Centre), Christopher Reilly (Cycling Leinster), Cian Delaney (Cycling Leinster), Lindsay Watson (Powerhouse Sport), Oliver Hayward (Rhino Velo Race Team), William Harper (St Piran), Cameron Jeffers (St Piran), Oli Maxwell (St Piran), Michael Fitzgerald (Strata3-VeloRevolution), Jordan Levasseur (VC Toucy) & Wilfried Canales (VC Toucy) and 6 riders in pursuit, they were Roger Aiken (Banbridge CC), Eoin O’Connell (Blarney CC), Cathal Purcell (Panduit Carrick Wheelers CC), Jody Wright (Phoenix CC), Matthew Garthwaite (Rhino Velo Race Team) & Darnell Moore (Team Caldwell Cycles).
The front groups merged to form a 20 man lead group. They were Gareth McKee (Banbridge CC), Roger Aiken (Banbridge CC), David Montgomery (Bicycle Design Centre), Eoin O’Connell (Blarney CC), Christopher Reilly (Cycling Leinster), Cian Delaney (Cycling Leinster), Conn McDunphy (Lucan County Dublin), Cathal Purcell (Panduit Carrick Wheelers CC), Jody Wright (Phoenix CC), Lindsay Watson (Powerhouse Sport), Matthew Garthwaite (Rhino Velo Race Team), Oliver Hayward (Rhino Velo Race Team), William Harper (St Piran), Cameron Jeffers (St Piran), Oli Maxwell (St Piran), Michael Fitzgerald (Strata3-VeloRevolution), Darnell Moore (Team Caldwell Cycles), Cian Sutcliffe (Team Gerard-DHL), Jordan Levasseur (VC Toucy) & Wilfried Canales (VC Toucy). 4 chasers made contact with the lead group, they were Antoine Le Corre (UCD Cycling Club), John Buller (Banbridge CC), Mark Dowling (Cycling Leinster) & Gareth O’Neill (Newry Wheelers)
The main field then stalled and the lead increased to 1 minute 35 seconds for the 24 leaders.
The lead group was whittled down to 9 riders Gareth McKee (Banbridge CC), John Buller (Banbridge CC), Eoin O’Connell (Blarney CC), Mark Dowling (Cycling Leinster), Conn McDunphy (Lucan County Dublin), Oliver Hayward (Rhino Velo Race Team), William Harper (St Piran), Darnell Moore (Team Caldwell Cycles) & Jordan Levasseur (VC Toucy). They were finally caught with 2km to go, and Matteo Cigala (Team Viner Caremark Pactimo) winning the bunch sprint.
Joe Evans (St Piran) retained his overall lead to win the 2018 race.
7th of May, 2018; Matteo Cigala, Team Viner Caremark Pactimo, right, celebrates as he wins Stage 3 of the Victus Tour of Ulster. Banbridge, Co. Down. Picture credit: Stephen McMahon / Tour of Ulster
7th of May, 2018; Neil O’Brien, Victus Energy, with race winner Joe Evans, Saint Piran, on the awards podium at the finish of Stage 3 of the Victus Tour of Ulster. Banbridge, Co. Down. Picture credit: Stephen McMahon / Tour of Ulster
McLaughlin Wins Stage 2 of Tour of Ulster
The Tour of Ulster started today in the Banbridge with 97.7 miles to cover. By the time the race reached 18 miles covered 17 riders had a 45 second lead group. The group consisted of Antoine Le Corre (UCD Cycling Club), John Buller (Banbridge CC), Mark Dowling (Cycling Leinster), Conor Kissane (Killarney Cycling Club), Ben Joughin (Newry Wheelers), Mark McKinley (Newry Wheelers), Jody Wright (Phoenix CC), Donal Shearer (Phoenix CC), Lindsay Watson (Powerhouse Sport), Cian Keogh (Powerhouse Sport), Philip Lavery (Strata3-VeloRevolution), James Davenport (Strata3-VeloRevolution), Angus Fyffe (Team Caldwell Cycles ), Sean Moore (Team Gerard-DHL), Conor Hennebry (Team Viner Caremark Pactimo), Ronan McLaughlin (Team Viner Caremark Pactimo) & Jordan Levasseur (VC Toucy).
When the race reached the 5th KOH at Spelga Dam 3 riders attacked from the lead group. They were Joe Evans (St Piran), Ronan McLaughlin (Team Viner Caremark Pactimo) & Jordan Levasseur (VC Toucy). At this point race leader Conn McDunphy (Lucan County Dublin) attacked out of the main field in pursuit of the leaders. He closed the gap to 33 seconds, but never got any closer than this, and would eventually loss over 4 minutes.
After Spelga Dam a group of 6 riders moved clear. They were Mark Dowling (Cycling Leinster), Joe Evans (St Piran), Oli Maxwell (St Piran), Ronan McLaughlin (Team Viner Caremark Pactimo), Jordan Levasseur (VC Toucy) & Scott Auld (VC Toucy).
Mark Dowling (Cycling Leinster) then attacked on the final KOH and built up a lead of over 1 minute 30 seconds, before finally being caught with approx. 7 miles to go by 8 chasers. They were Liam Holohan (Rhino Velo Race Team), Oliver Hayward (Rhino Velo Race Team), Joe Evans (St Piran), Oli Maxwell (St Piran), Conor Hennebry (Team Viner Caremark Pactimo), Ronan McLaughlin (Team Viner Caremark Pactimo), Wilfried Canales (VC Toucy) & Scott Auld (VC Toucy). At this point the race leader was over 4 minutes down.
3 riders then attacked from the lead group. They are Liam Holohan (Rhino Velo Race Team), Joe Evans (St Piran) & Ronan McLaughlin (Team Viner Caremark Pactimo). They increased their lead to over 1 minute and stayed away until the finish, with Ronan McLaughlin (Team Viner Caremark Pactimo) winning in a photo finish from Liam Holohan (Rhino Velo Race Team).
The new race leader is Joe Evans (St Piran).
The leader of the King of the Hills competition after day 2 is Lindsay Watson (Powerhouse Sport).
The stage tomorrow starts at Belmont Hotel, Banbridge (09.45 am) and finishing at Newry Road, Banbridge (12.30pm), and this 71.7 mile stage is another tough stage with 6 climbs on route.
McDunphy Wins Stage 1 of Tour of Ulster
The Tour of Ulster started this year in Banbridge, a group of 26 riders moved clear within the first few miles and by the time the race reached 8 miles covered the gap was 1 minute to the main field. The race averaged 30mph for the first hour. The 26 leaders were Antoine Le Corre (UCD Cycling Club), John Buller (Banbridge CC), Kevin McKinney (Banbridge CC), Mark Shannon (Burren CC), Charles Prendergast (Burren CC), Conn McDunphy (Lucan County Dublin), Ben Joughin (Newry Wheelers), Lindsay Watson (Powerhouse Sport), Lee Masters (Powerhouse Sport), Joe Evans (St Piran), William Harper (St Piran), Cameron Jeffers (St Piran), Oli Maxwell (St Piran), Philip Lavery (Strata3-VeloRevolution), James Davenport (Strata3-VeloRevolution), Stephen Murray (Strata3-VeloRevolution), Dillon Corkery (Team Gerard-DHL), Cian Sutcliffe (Team Gerard-DHL), Toni Ballester Llobera (Team Sportactive Racing), Matteo Cigala (Team Viner Caremark Pactimo), Conor Hennebry (Team Viner Caremark Pactimo), Craig Rea (Team Viner Caremark Pactimo), Jordan Levasseur (VC Toucy), Wilfried Canales (VC Toucy), Jake Gray (VC Toucy) & Scott Auld (VC Toucy).
By the time the race reached Antrim, with 30 miles covered, the 26 leaders had over 2 minutes lead, but the race behind had split into numerous groups.
At the second KOH of the day at Randalstown with 40 miles covered. The lead group was almost 4 minutes over the next group with the main field at 6 minutes.
With 60 miles of racing covered a group of 17 riders formed behind the leaders and were over 2 minutes 30 seconds behind and consisted of Gareth McKee (Banbridge CC), Roger Aiken (Banbridge CC), Paul Kennedy (Blarney CC), Jarleth Hassett (Burren CC), Darragh McCarter (Donegal Bay CC), Des Woods (Newry Wheelers), Conor McCann (Newry Wheelers), Greg Swinand (PanetX Carnac), Donal Shearer (Phoenix CC), Liam Holohan (Rhino Velo Race Team), Matthew Garthwaite (Rhino Velo Race Team), Kirk Vickers (Rhino Velo Race Team), Oliver Hayward (Rhino Velo Race Team), Jake Alderman (St Piran), Darnell Moore (Team Caldwell Cycles ), Ronan McLaughlin (Team Viner Caremark Pactimo) & Siim Kiskonen (VC Toucy). Another group of 20 riders at over 3 minutes 30 seconds and the main field at over 7 minutes.
William Harper (St Piran) attacked out of the lead group and built up a lead of 45 seconds before being caught.
There were various attacks from the main group, until McDunphy finally got away and stayed away until the finish.
The leader of the King of the Hills competition after day 1 is Cameron Jeffers (St Piran).
The stage tomorrow starts at Belmont Hotel, Banbridge (09.45 am) and finishing at Newry Road, Banbridge (1.30pm), and with the race going through the Mournes this 97.7 mile stage is another tough stage with 7 climbs on route.
