Kimber gets the better of Team Ireland at Rás, Doogan loses yellow | Video

George Kimber wins stage 4 of Rás Tailteann into Mountrath after getting the better of Team Ireland at the finish, with Odhrán Doogan losing yellow (Photo: Lorraine O'Sullivan)

George Kimber (Cycling Club Isle of Man) has won stage 4 of Rás Tailteann after getting the better of Team Ireland at the finish, even though the national team had two riders going head-to-head with him at the finish into Mountrath.

Though Kimber was elated at the finish following his victory - after 128km of racing from Ennis to Mountrath - it proved a tough day for the Irish riders.

After defending his yellow jersey in some style yesterday, including going on the attack, Odhrán Doogan (Cycling Ulster) today relinquished the race lead after a finale that saw all change at the front of the race.

And it is stage winner Kimber who has taken the jersey from 21-year-old Donegal man Doogan. Kimber also saw off the challenge of Team Ireland's Dean Harvey and Jamie Meehan at the finish today.

Advertisement

Meehan was 2nd and Harvey 3rd, with Meehan now moving up the general classification and in with a real chance of winning the race outright tomorrow into Bective, Co Meath, when the big finale will unfold.

A breakaway of six riders hit the base of the Wolftrap climb - the top of which was 14km from the finish - with a gap of around 45 seconds on the bunch.

In that group were last year's overall winner Dom Jackson (Foran CT) and stage winner from last year, Tom Martin (Wheelbase-Cabtech-Castelli). They were with Kim Satchel (Good Guys Racing NYC), Cian Keogh (Team Skyline), Gareth O’Neill (Cycling Ulster) and Evan Keane (Pinergy Orwell Wheelers).

Related News

However, the line-up at the head of the field changed as some of the fancied general classification riders clearly saw the final climb as a big chance to make a major move.

That late action resulted in Kimber getting clear with the Team Ireland duo of Meehan and Harvey. On the line, they had pulled out a gap of 28 seconds on the chasing group.

And that time gap has put stage winner Kimber in yellow by five seconds from Meehan. The former U23 Irish road race champion is riding this year for French UCI Continental team AVC Aix Provence Dole; the 21-year-old having been in flying form in the early part of the season.

Doogan has given up the yellow jersey with one stage remaining, but he is still in 3rd place overall, some 22 seconds off the new race leader Kimber, who is likely to come up extreme pressure tomorrow from both Ulster Cycling and Team Ireland.

More to come.

Related News