Wetterhall survives a real scare

CYCLING:AS ANTICIPATED, yesterday's climbing finish at Seskin Hill shook up the general classification of the FBD Insurance Rás, boosting the hopes of several riders who were clear in a long-distance break while hampering the prospects of others.

Overnight race leader Alexander Wetterhall (Sweden Team Sprocket) had a real scare, losing a chunk of time, but managed to hold onto the yellow jersey by a slender margin. He had started the day one minute 46 seconds clear of six rivals, but ended it just eight seconds ahead of one of those, Josef Kugler (Austria Arbo KTM-Gebruder Weis).

Essentially, wherever the riders started it, the final climb was a free for all. The break, the bunch, the groups scattered behind all shattered on the steep slopes, with the riders concerned coming home in ones and twos, dribs and drabs.

First to the top was the British rider Jon Tiernan-Locke (Rapah Condor Sharp), who started the climb in a small group, but shed his breakaway companions before the top. He reached the line nine seconds clear of compatriot Peter Williams (Motorpoint Marshalls Pasta), with Kugler a further five seconds back in third.

“There was seven of us together coming to the hill,” he said. “I neutralised a few attacks and then I got on the front. I thought it might be too early but it was so steep I thought I’d just go for it, don’t look back until I’d dropped them.”

Mark Cassidy (Belgium An Post Grant Thornton M Donnelly Seán Kelly) came in for fourth on the stage, being best-placed Irish rider. He was 19 seconds back, netting his best finish this year, yet said he didn’t feel great.

“I would have liked to have got the win today but I knew coming in that the legs weren’t that great. I tried to stay with the guy who won it but I just didn’t have the legs – it was disappointing.”

Cassidy was one of two An Post riders who made it into a 20-man breakaway group 95-odd kilometres into the stage. Also present were Kugler, and Cassidy’s fellow Irishmen Stephen Gallagher (Britain Sigmasport Specialized), Neil Delahaye (Ireland Subway National Team), Stephen Surdival (Mayo Castlebar Western Edge) and Timothy O’Regan (Meath Engraveit.ie/Jade.ie).

This group built a maximum lead of almost four minutes before strong chasing behind started to bring the gap back down.

This prompted a shake-up approximately 12 kilometres from the finish, where nine riders surged forward. Tiernan Locke then made his big bid on the last climb, racing to success.

Overnight race leader Wetterhall gave it everything on the hill and finished as one of the first riders from the bunch, taking 20th.

He was one minute 52 seconds back and, after the calculations were made, was told he had fended off Kugler’s charge by just eight seconds.

McConvey remains best of the Irish riders in sixth place. He is one minute 45 seconds behind Wetterhall, and is likely to give it everything in the three remaining stages.

Today’s 127 kilometres to Gorey is potentially one of the most decisive.

The fact that it’s just 127 kilometres in length will promote flat-out racing, while seven categorised climbs will assail the legs and further thin out a dwindling list of possible winners.

RAS Stage Five

Tipperary Town to Seskin Hill, Carrick-on-Suir: 1, Jon Tiernan-Locke (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp) 3 hours 35 mins 47 secs; 2, P. Williams (Motorpoint Marshalls Pasta) at 9 secs; 3, J. Kugler (Austria Arbö KTM-Gebrüder Weis) at 14 secs; 4, M. Cassidy (Belgium An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly) at 19 secs; 5, P. Ghyllebert (Belgium An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly) same time; 6, M. Ryan (New Zealand) at 25 secs; 7, J. Degenkolb (Germany Thuringer Energie) at 37 secs; 8, T. Horton (Sweden — Team Sprocket Pro) at 44 secs; 9, D. Pell (Australia Drapac Porsche) at 52 secs; 10, B. Burgel (Germany Thuringer Energie) at 1 min 24 secs; 11, P. McDonald(Australia Drapac Porsche) at 1 min 34 secs; 12, J. Anderson(Sweden — Team Sprocket Pro) same time; 13, B. Greenwood (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp) at 1 min 40 secs; 14, I. Bibby(Motorpoint Marshalls Pasta) at 1 min 44 secs; 15, S. Surdival(Mayo Castlebar Western Edge ) at 1 min 45 secs.

General classification: 1, Alexander Wetterhall (Sweden — Team Sprocket Pro) 14 hours 45 mins 30 secs; 2, J. Kugler (Austria Arbö KTM-Gebrüder Weis) at 8 secs; 3, P. Williams (Motorpoint Marshalls Pasta) at 59 secs; 4, J. Anderson (Sweden — Team Sprocket Pro) at 1 min 28 secs; 5, D. Pell (Australia Drapac Porsche) at 1 min 34 secs; 6, C. McConvey (Belgium An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly) at 1 min 45 secs; 7, J. Tiernan-Locke (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp) same time; 8, J. Lewis (Australia Drapac Porsche) at 1 min 46 secs; 9, R. Partridge (Wales) at 1 min 49 secs; 10, P. Ghyllebert(Belgium An Post Sean Kelly) at 2 mins 4 secs; 11, D. Craven (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp) at 2 mins 22 secs; 12, S. Shaw (Australia Drapac Porsche) at 2 mins 35 secs Points competition: 1, Peter Williams(Motorpoint Marshalls Pasta) 33 pts; 2, P. Ghyllebert (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly) 29; 3, J. Degenkolb (Germany Thuringer Energie) 27; 4, D. Craven (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp) 23; 5, J. Kugler (Austria Arbö KTM-Gebrüder Weis) 23. King of the Mountains: 1, David O’Loughlin (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly) 20; 2, J. Tiernan-Locke (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp) 17; 3, S. Richardson (Britain Sigmasport Specialised) 16; 4, D. Craven (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp) 15; 5, A. Wetterhall (Sweden — Team Sprocket Pro) 15.

Under-23: 1, Connor McConvey (Belgium An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly) 14 hours 47 mins 15 secs; 2, Joseph Lewis (Australia Drapac Porsche) at 1 secs; 3, John Degenkolb (Germany Thuringer Energie) at 1 min 24.