All change as Graf takes pole position

CYCLING:The expected shake-up. In featuring the gruelling Mamore Gap plus five other categorised climbs, yesterday's fifth stage of the FBD Insurance Rás promised to be one of the most decisive of the race. And so it proved, with a new race leader and a far clearer idea of the overall contenders emerging along the tough 131 kilometres to Buncrana.

The biggest winners were the Germany Thuringer Energie team, who took the stage victory with Nico Graf and the yellow jersey helped by the efforts of Tony Martin. Previous race leader Jesse Anthony finished back in 10th and drops to third overall, having lacked the legs to go with Martin and Chris Newton (Britain Recycling.co.uk) when they put the hammer down on the cruel slopes of Mamore.

Irishmen Brian Kenneally (Meath MyHome.ie/BDBC) and Paul Griffin (Ireland Subway Eat Fresh) also slipped back, dropping from second and third overall to 10th and 16th respectively.

National under-23 champion Páidí O'Brien showed he was a real contender when he finished second to Graf in Buncrana and jumped from 11th to second. He is just 17 seconds back with three stages remaining, and is certainly in contention for the final victory.

Graf, O'Brien and Ricardo Van der Velde (Netherlands) spent most of the day in a break with Jason Hegert (Australia FRF Couriers) and Yannick Tiedt (Germany Stevens Von Hacht) and fended off the chase behind to take the first three places on the stage.

O'Brien initially thought he was first overall before race judges worked out that fifth-placed Martin was actually top of the general classification. However, the Corkman could see an advantage to his second place overall.

"It is not too disappointing to miss out on the yellow jersey because there are still three long days ahead," he said. "While it would have been nice to have the jersey, I can still go on the attack tomorrow because I don't have to defend the lead. We will see how things finish up on Sunday."

Newton and Martin came out of the chase group to place fourth and fifth, with Irishmen David McCann (Ireland Subway Eat Fresh) and Stephen Gallagher (Ireland Murphy and Gunn) taking sixth and seventh, nine seconds ahead of a disappointed Anthony.

The race continues today with a short but potentially decisive 96 kilometre leg to Derry.

... Stage 5 (131km Dungloe to Buncrana): 1, N Graf (Germany Thuringer) in 3 hours 12 mins 17 secs (40.88 km/h); 2, P O'Brien (Ireland Murphy and Gunn) at 1 sec; 3, R Van der Velde (Netherlands) 4 secs; 4, C Newton (Britain Stena Line) 42 secs; 5, T Martin (Germany Thuringer) same time; 6, D McCann (Ireland Subway) 1 min 13 secs; 7, S Gallagher (Ireland Murphy and Gunn) same time; 8, G Bak (Ireland Murphy and Gunn) 1 min 21 secs; 9, P Gretsch (Germany Thuringer) same time.

General classification: 1, T Martin (Germany Thuringer) 17 hours 37 mins 20 secs; 2 P O'Brien (Ireland Murphy and Gunn) at 17 secs; 3, J Anthony (US Kodak) 36 secs; 4, P McDonald (Australia FRF) 40 secs; 5, C Newton (Britain Stena Line) 1 min 2 secs; 6, D Rollin (US Kodak) 1 min 4 secs; 7, M Cassidy (Ireland Murphy and Gunn) 1 min 5 secs; 8, D McCann (Ireland Subway) 1 min 35 secs; 9, S Gallagher (Ireland Murphy and Gunn) same time.