Jake Gray put in the ride of the day on the queen stage of the Junior Tour of Ireland but was overhauled after a great solo effort (Photo: Stephen McMahon - Sportsfile)
By Brian Canty
It’s a case of Ireland versus France on the final day of the Scott Bicycles Junior Tour of Ireland tomorrow as the top four on general classification contain two from each country.
And all four are separated by less than a minute.
Marin Joublot Ferre of AC Bisontine is clinging to a 14-second lead at the top of the standings.
Yesterday’s stage winner Darragh O’Mahony of the Irish national team is in second while his teammate Simon Tuomey moved up to third today after another enthralling stage.
Tuomey is 54 seconds off yellow while Ferre’s teammate Gabin Tissot is just four seconds further back.
Advertisement
Jack Maddux, Hot Tubes, wins on Gallows Hill at the end of stage 5 of the Junior Tour of Ireland (Photo: Stephen McMahon - Sportsfile)
Today’s stage took the riders just over 100 kilometres from Ennis to the cat one summit finish atop Gallows Hill.
Last year it was Michael O’Loughlin and Eddie Dunbar, riding for the Irish team, who notched a memorable 1-2.
But this time it was the turn of the American Hot Tubes team to dominate the day for another 1-2.
Matteo Jorgensen claimed stage glory from Tuesday’s winner Gage Hecht but it wasn’t enough to vault themselves back into the race for yellow.
They are just over two minutes back now and it would take something very special from either to claw back that deficit.
Overall leader Marin Joublot Ferre, Bisontine, leads the peloton before the race split today. He holds on to yellow going into the final stage tomorrow and has looked very strong all week (Photo: Stephen McMahon - Sportsfile)
Race leader Ferre rode extremely well in the face of relentless attacking from the ultra-aggressive Irish team, with the man of the day Jake Gray.
The Cookstown rider made his way into the day’s main six-man escape that went clear after a period of non-stop attacking and countering.
In the move were Patrick Goszczyk (NRPT-Magnet.ie), Robert O'Leary (Cork Giant), Tissot, Ian Keough (Hot Tubes) as well as a Murphy and Gunn rider.
Related News
The group rode very well and managed to pull out a maximum advantage of 1:30 on the bunch but in the latter half of the race Gray attacked and got clear on his own.
He knew he had to do that as Gabin Tissot of AC Bisontine was in the move and riding into yellow.
Yesterday's stage winner Darragh O'Mahony, leading, is the highest placed Irish rider on the eve of the final stage. He sits 2nd overall, just 14 seconds down (Photo: Stephen McMahon - Sportsfile)
Gray put up a brave effort, getting caught with five kilometres to go by Jorgensen and Hecht and in sight of the line.
He was passed by the really classy Cameron McIntyre (NRPT-Magnet.ie), Chris Jackson (Strada Sport) and Peter Kibble (Wales).
But Gray hung on for sixth as the remainder of the peloton barrelled in behind him.
McIntyre's ride for 3rd was a very strong one and he is emerging as a rider who performs better the harder the racing gets.
O’Mahony stuck to the wheel of Ferre to ensure he lost no time, with Tuomey and Tissot a few seconds behind and set up a real battle on tomorrow's final stage.
One of the riders who have come from France to guest with NRPT-Magnet.ie, Alexis Roche is getting a tough introduction to Irish stage racing (Photo: Stephen McMahon - Sportsfile)
The final stage is seven laps of an 11-kilometre course and though it’s the shortest leg of the race, apart from the opening prologue, it’s certainly not flat.
There are several undulations and sharp rises likely to result in a break going clear.
Last year a five-man escape containing some of the big hitters clipped away and had almost two minutes on the bunch by the end.
A similar scenario could see an almighty shift in the standings this time around as there is no one way in front on general classification like last year’s winner Eddie Dunbar.
Expect fireworks in Ennis tomorrow.
For full stage 5 and general classification results, click here.
Topics
