Prendergast took two stages and overall victory in Co Mayo (Photo: Mark Quigley)
By Brian Canty
Charlie Prendergast (Cunga Bikes) made it two stage wins from three as well as claiming the overall classification at the Tour of Connacht today, Sunday, in County Mayo.
The eventual winner had the yellow going into this morning's time trial after taking the opening road stage yesterday.
However, a mechanical during that 13 kilometre test against the clock saw him well out of the yellow jersey and apparently all but ruled out for the overall win facing into this afternoon’s concluding road stage.
"I just thought it was gone and there was no way I thought I'd win it," he told stickybottle.
But that's exactly what he did.
In this afternoon's third stage, a difficult run of some 60 miles on roads he knows well, he fended off the challenge of heavyweights Ryan Sherlock (Cycleways CC) and Robin Kelly (Waterford Racing).
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"I just knew I had to attack but as I say, I never thought the overall was something I could challenge for given how the time trial went this morning."
Prendergast was aggressive from the drop of the flag this afternoon. And with a small field it was always going to be difficult to get away, particularly as Sherlock looked so strong after taking custody of the yellow jersey with victory in this morning’s time-trial to put him in poll position for overall honours.
Sherlock, one of the strongest riders in the country this season, chased everything that moved in the early part of this afternoon’s road race but paid for his efforts and eventually Prendergast escaped with Kelly, Bernard Twomey and David Brennan (both Castlebar CC), his brother Jason Prendergast (Cunga) as well as the Galway Bay duo of Liam Frawley and Derek Joyce.
They worked very well together and succeeded in putting over three minutes at one stage into the small peloton.
However, the older Prendergast was unsure how much he needed to win by, not having studied the time deficits on GC closely pre-stage such was his belief that he would not be in the shake-up.
With 15km to go, he attacked that front group and managed to get a gap - one that he kept to the finish line. Amazingly, he ended up winning overall by a mere three seconds from Robin Kelly, who was second on today’s stage some 1:36 behind Prendergast.
When pressed about what mechanical he encountered earlier in the time trial Prendergast was almost embarrassed to admit he couldn't get the chain to go into the big ring.
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"Whenever I tried putting it up into the big ring it just kept slipping off the outside so I had to get of twice to fix it. I think I lost over two minutes by the end of that and thought I had no chance of winning but I suppose it helped me in one way because I was more fresh for the afternoon stage."
Prendergast hadn't initially planned to go to the Suir Valley Three Day next weekend as he hoped he would be part of the Irish U23 set-up. But now he has readjusted his goals and he'll go there with a stage win in mind.
He set himself up for overall victory yesterday by beating breakaway companion Fiachra O'Muire (DID Dunboyne) in a two-up sprint for the line.
He broke clear of the peloton early with O'Mhuire and David Brennan (Castlebar CC) before Brennan was subsequently dropped.
Prendergast then went into this morning’s 9km TT in the yellow jersey on the same time as O’Muire, but with 55 seconds to spare over Robin Kelly and Ryan Sherlock; both of whom left the bunch on yesterday’s road stage in pursuit of the leaders.
However, following his problems in that TT Prendergast lost 3:01 to stage winner Sherlock, with the latter carrying the yellow jersey into this afternoon’s road stage.
The Cycleways man led by 27 seconds from O’Muire, with Kelly in third at 33 seconds. Prendergast was fifth, 2:06 down but managed to get that back with a very strong and aggressive ride on the closing stage.
Stage 1 Result (96.5km road stage yesterday, Saturday)
1 Prendergast,Charles Cunga CC 2h22'37"
2 O'Muire,Fiachra Dunboyne 2h22'37"
3 Kelly,Robin Waterford RC @55"
4 Sherlock,Ryan Cycleways @ s/t
5 Brennan,David Castlebar CC @01'05"
6 Frawley,Liam Galway Bay @03'44"
7 Joyce,Derek Galway Bay @06'39"
8 Prendergast,Jason Cunga CC @06'40"
9 Corcoran,Liam Castlebar CC @06'48"
10 Harrington,Donal Western Lakes CC @07'00"
11 Clarke,Ciaran Castlebar CC @ s/t
12 Behan,Darragh Galway Bay @07'06"
13 Forde,Nigel Galway Bay @07'07"
14 Troy,Chris Castlebar CC @09'28"
15 Felle,Richard WORC @ s/t
16 Keogh,Paul Botecchia Racing Club @ s/t
17 Conway,Paraic Covey Wheelers @ s/t
18 Griffin,Barry Comeragh @ s/t
19 Gilvarry,Michael Western Lakes CC @ s/t
20 Hack,Gerhard Western Lakes CC @ s/t
21 Dunne,Frank Slaney CC @ s/t
22 Flanagan,Michael Western Lakes CC @ s/t
23 Twomey,Bernard Castlebar CC @ s/t
24 Flaherty,John J Western Lakes CC @ s/t
25 Jacobsen,Alan Galway Bay @9'29"
26 Clifford,Eoghan Galway Bay @9'36"
27 O'Donnell,Brian West Coast Wheelers @16'21"
28 Heneghan,Kieran Western Lakes CC @30'41"
29 Walsh,Thomas Castlebar CC @40'41"
Stage 2 – 9km TT (today, Sunday)
1 Sherlock,Ryan Cycleways 11'21.15"
2 Troy,Chris Castlebar CC @28.88"
3 Kelly,Robin Waterford RC @33.46"
4 Brennan,David Castlebar CC @46.00"
5 Keogh,Paul Botecchia Racing Club @49.12"
6 Dunne,Frank Slaney CC @01'03.92"
7 Harrington,Donal Western Lakes CC @01'08.21"
8 Joyce,Derek Galway Bay @01'11.86"
9 Twomey,Bernard Castlebar CC @01'27.08"
10 Clarke,Ciaran Castlebar CC @01'41.55"
11 Gilvarry,Michael Western Lakes CC @01'42.42"
12 Prendergast,Jason Cunga CC @01'48.88"
13 Frawley,Liam Galway Bay @01'50.35"
14 Heneghan,Kieran Western Lakes CC @02'14.01"
15 Griffin,Barry Comeragh @02'14.36"
16 Conway,Paraic Covey Wheelers @02'17.14"
17 Felle,Richard South Dublin CC @02'24.75"
18 Corcoran,Liam Castlebar CC @02'25.97"
19 Flanagan,Michael Western Lakes CC @02'27.95"
20 Clifford,Eoghan Galway Bay @02'29.88"
21 Jacobsen,Alan Galway Bay @02'35.58"
22 Prendergast,Charles Cunga CC @03'01.54"
23 Walsh,Thomas Castlebar CC @03'03.18"
24 Flaherty,John J Western Lakes CC @03'15.00"
25 Hack,Gerhard Western Lakes CC @04'10.48"
26 O'Muire,Fiachra Dunboyne @01'22.55"
General Classification After Stage 2
1 Sherlock,Ryan A1 Cycleways 2h34'53"
2 O'Muire,Fiachra A1 Dunboyne @27"
3 Kelly,Robin A1 Waterford RC @33"
4 Brennan,David A1 Castlebar CC @56"
5 Prendergast,Charles A1 Cunga CC @02'06"
6 Frawley,Liam A2 Galway Bay @04'39"
7 Joyce,Derek A1 Galway Bay @06'56"
8 Harrington,Donal A3 Western Lakes CC @07'13"
9 Prendergast,Jason J Cunga CC @07'34"
10 Clarke,Ciaran A1 Castlebar CC @07'46"
11 Corcoran,Liam J Castlebar CC @08'19"
12 Troy,Chris A2 Castlebar CC @09'02"
13 Keogh,Paul A3 Botecchia Racing Club @09'22"
14 Dunne,Frank A1 Slaney CC @09'37"
15 Twomey,Bernard A1 Castlebar CC @10'00"
16 Gilvarry,Michael A3 Western Lakes CC @10'15"
17 Griffin,Barry A2 Comeragh @10'47"
18 Conway,Paraic A3 Covey Wheelers @10'50"
19 Felle,Richard A2 South Dublin CC @10'57"
20 Flanagan,Michael A2 Western Lakes CC @11'01"
21 Jacobsen,Alan A3 Galway Bay @11'09"
22 Clifford,Eoghan A1 Galway Bay @11'11"
23 Flaherty,John J A1 Western Lakes CC @11'48"
24 Hack,Gerhard A3 Western Lakes CC @12'43"
25 Heneghan,Kieran A3 Western Lakes CC @32'00"
26 Walsh,Thomas J Castlebar CC @42'49"
Stage 3 (Today, Sunday)
1) Charles Prendergast (Cunga Bikes)
2) Robin Kelly (Waterford Racing CC) @1:36
3) David Brennan (Castlebar CC) @2:00
4) Liam Frawley (Galway Bay CC)
5) Derek Joyce (Galway Bay CC)
6) Ryan Sherlock (Cycleways)
Final GC
1) Charles Prendergast (Cunga Bikes)
2) Robin Kelly (Waterford Racing CC)
3) David Brennan (Castlebar CC)
4) Ryan Sherlock (Cycleways)
5) Liam Frawley (Galway Bay CC)
6) Fiachra O'Muire (DID Dunboyne)
(Full results when we have them)
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