Youngsters bow to Cassidy

CYCLING/Ras: As good as his word. Minutes after taking a close second on Monday's leg of the FBD Milk Rás, 40-year-old Phil Cassidy vowed to try again to land a stage win before the week was out. In the end it took just 24 hours for the Meath Lee Strand Cycleways rider to deliver, sprinting up the steep finishing straight in Killorglin yesterday to a huge cheer and bridging a 15-year gap to his last stage success in the race.

Yesterday's 97-mile race marked a stunning day for the home riders; Team Ireland Stena Line rider Ciarán Power finished tight on Cassidy's wheel and snatched the yellow jersey from Chris Newton, who finished a distant five minutes behind.

Power now leads overall by three minutes and 48 seconds from David O'Loughlin (Mayo Connacht Gold), fourth across the line yesterday, while 21-year-old Denis Lynch was third on the stage and is second to Cassidy in the mountains classification.

Despite driving rain and a buffeting sidewind Cassidy launched a trademark attack at the drop of the flag in Nenagh and Tim Barry (Team Ireland Stena Line) and O'Loughlin responded immediately. The speeding trio rode flat out to establish a gap. Power, Lynch and Cassidy's team-mate Ray Clarke then sped clear of the bunch to join the leaders, with Anthony Malarczyk (Wales) the only foreign rider making the split.

As the other visitors were left scratching their heads in puzzlement, the leading seven put the boot to the floor and opened a minute's lead on a small group of chasers. Newton was left stranded back in the bunch over two minutes in arrears, and for the first time this week his Great Britain team looked fragile.

While the 28-year-old slipped into a group which joined the chasers, the disorganised pursuit made little impression.

The gap continued to grow following a regrouping behind and by the third category climb of Barnagh Gap the yellow jersey was five minutes and 45 seconds back. Power led smoothly up the climb, with Cassidy, Lynch and O'Loughlin close behind, and while Clarke, Malarczyk and Barry slid back into a small group of chasers the leading group showed little sign of weakening.

Cue alarm bells back in the bunch. Newton and three of his team-mates were seven minutes behind by the 68-mile mark, and in desperation they ordered British rider Tim Buckle to sit up out of the chasing group and go back to give assistance. In response Power and Cassidy turned the screw yet further, accelerating once more and shedding O'Loughlin and Lynch as they raced on towards the packed streets of Killorglin.

With Newton still over five minutes back, professional cyclist Power took the yellow jersey for the first time since winning the FBD Milk Rás in 1998. For Cassidy, the fruits of his efforts were a stunning stage win - his third - and the King of the Mountains jersey, once again showing up the younger riders in the field.

"It is great to win a stage in the race," said the double Rás champion. "I was second yesterday but this was always the day for me to try to do it as our sponsors Lee Strand are from the area. Before the stage I wrote "Phil Cassidy - first stage three" on the chamois of my shorts - that's how determined I was."

"With the strong sidewinds we had today, everyone was going to suffer," said Power. "It was a day for the strong men and when I saw Cassidy go, I knew it was a serious move and one which could pay off."

"I think we are strong enough to win the race," said Irish team manager Declan Byrne. "There are tough stages ahead but we will rise to the task."