Michael O’Reilly continued up Mamore despite a fall – spot the left leg bandage (Photo: Toby Watson)
While the riders of the An Post Ras are quite rightly the stars of the show, a whole army of team managers, mechanics, race organisers and helpers works to keep the show on the road every day. In this piece, manager of the Carlow Dan Morrissey-Speedy Spokes team Philip Finnegan, gives is the low down on an action-filled stage.
Countdown 5-4-3-2-1 and racing is on as we set the speedo on the team car to zero and another day begins. A stage in the An Post Ras can literally throw anything at you. Crashes, punctures, and feeding the lads are all part of the day.
Westport to Bundoran on Wednesday; we knew it is going to be hard as we had driven the first 10kms earlier that morning with some of the riders just to get a feel of the day ahead. It’s important that riders are near the front as there is a long drag and crosswind at the start.
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In the neutralised section, we hear a message from race radio - rider 95 needs a bike. It's Timmy Barry, and Ken Farrar our mechanic takes the spare bike and runs. A rider has ridden into Timmy and has torn his rear derailleur hanger from his bike. The spare bike is not as good but it will have to do for now as racing has started.
We set off again behind the field. Our van with a new frame left Westport over 25 minutes ago so we make a call and get our van to pull in some 30kms up the road.
Ken is a top mechanic and works for Unitedhealthcare and Garmin pro teams and feels he can mend Tim's bike on the move in the back of the car.
In the bunch, there's a big split due to crosswinds and four of our riders have made the front split. We stop with the van some 30kms into the stage and take the spare frame and the damaged bike into the car. Ken gets to work as I sing the tune from the A Team and bike is repaired. We stop again to put bike back on the roof and at 55kms, Tim comes back for bottles for the team and can't believe his bike is fixed and we make a quick change.
The stage is really fast. Robin Kelly is on the attack again with Martyn Irvine chasing three leaders. They are caught but it is great to hear that one of the lads is having a go again.
'Dan Morrissey Speedy Spokes rider 92 feeding' is the message as we make our way up to the back of the Commissaires car and give four bottles to Sean Lacey.
All calm again for a few minutes. Later in the stage Sean crashes and we stop but he's up and running quickly and back in the bunch.
The stage finishes and we park up and go looking for our riders. Aaron Buggle is first county rider today so it's up to the podium for him, which gives the team and our sponsors a great lift.
Now to find the B&B, go and buy some water for the guys. It'll be the same again tomorrow with something else thrown in for good measure.
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Never a dull moment on the Ras.
Philip
Postscript: On the road into Cootehill today on stage 7, the Dan Morrissey-Speedy Spokes team car struck a rock on the road and broke a wheel. They were forced to let the race go ahead and wait for AA Roadwatch. So there really never is a dull moment in the Ras.
Timmy Barry nears the top of Glengesh Pass (Photo: Stephen McCarthy – Sportsfile)
Buggle on the podium getting his county rider award (Photo: Stephen McCarthy – Sportsfile)
Waterford sprint Robin Kelly has been up the road a lot in this Ras for Dan Morrissey-Speedy spokes (Photo: Mark Quigley)
Sean Lacey battles up the Gap of Mamore (Photo: Toby Watson)
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