Mark Dowling out on his own after stunning Wexford Hill Climb TT

Mark Dowling flew to a fantastic stage victory at the Wexford Two Day; his time gain in the hill climb time trial putting him right back into the mix for the overall win (Photo: Pat Doherty)

Having romped to victory on his own by almost one minute on the opening stage of the A1-A2 event at the Wexford Two Day this morning, veteran rider Greg Swinand looked to be in a very strong position for the overall win.

With just this afternoon’s short hilly time trial and the concluding 120km road stage tomorrow, in which he will have the support of strong team mates Joseph Breheny and Sean McKenna, Swinand looked to have one hand on the trophy already.

However, while the 46-year-old is one of the best riders against the watch in the country, the hilly test today was not to his liking and he relinquished a lot more than many would have expected.

Mark Dowling (DID Dunboyne) was red hot favourite going into the climbing test at Larkins Cross, but his winning margin was far bigger than expectations.

Dowling, the winner of Kerry Group Rás Mumhan and the Suir Valley Three Day this year along with three county rider prizes in the Rás, clocked a time of 6:55; a huge 21 seconds faster than Sean McKenna of UCD in 2nd place; with Swinand back in 9th, some 48 seconds down.

He won this morning on his own by 54 seconds from a group containing Dowling and so retains his yellow jersey but by only six seconds on the ace climber.

McKenna is a further 21 seconds back in 3rd overall; the UCD men now first and third so with some good cards to play. Paidi O’Brien is 4th, some two further seconds adrift and could also win the race.

Just one minute covers the top eight, meaning tomorrow’s final stage is likely to witness fireworks, with no places to hide in what is a relatively small, but quality, 52-rider field.

Aug 23rd & 24th: Wexford Two Day

A1-A2 Race: Stage 2, 3.6km Hill TT

1 Dowling,Mark Dunboyne 06'55.20"
2 McKenna,Sean Cycling 07'16.97" @21.77"
3 O'Brien,Paidi Team Osbourne M 07'18.95" @23.75"
4 Shaw,Damien Aquablue 07'19.64" @24.44"
5 MascaroRigo,SebastiGrupeta de Gran 07'29.15" @33.95"
6 O'Loughlin,Michael NRPT Standard L 07'30.07" @34.87"
7 Reilly,Chris Liquidworks Fit 07'35.27" @40.07"
8 Hahessy,Sean IverkCarrickWh 07'42.98" @47.78"
9 Swinand,Greg UCD Cycling 07'43.74" @48.54"
10 Molina Rubia,Manuel Grupeta de Gran 07'46.65" @51.45"
11 Mizgajski,Martin Barrow Whls 07'46.89" @51.69"
12 O'Sullivan,Daire Usher IRC 07'48.74" @53.54"
13 Robinson,Colin Stamullen M Don 07'49.46" @54.26"
14 O'Connell,Eoin Blarney CC 07'52.54" @57.34"
15 Featherstone,Sean Newry Wheelers 07'54.04" @58.84"
16 Perez Martin,David Grupeta de Gran 07'54.40" @59.20"
17 Doyle,Anthony VeloRevolution 07'55.42" @01'00.22
18 Woods,Des Newry Wheelers 07'57.02" @01'01.82
19 Breheny,Joseph UCD Cycling 07'58.90" @01'03.70
20 Lambert,Simon WexfordWhls 07'59.63" @01'04.43
21 Caballero Fernandez, Grupeta de Gran 08'00.32" @01'05.12
22 Wright,Jody Phoenix 08'01.10" @01'05.90
23 Shannon,Mark Visit Nenagh.ie 08'01.30" @01'06.10
24 Hudson,Neal DTC Orwell Whee 08'02.91" @01'07.71
25 McGauley,Mark Dico Scott 08'04.04" @01'08.84
26 Kelly,Robin Aquablue 08'05.75" @01'10.55
27 Gator,Keith Aquablue 08'07.38" @01'12.18
28 Rea,Craig Phoenix 08'08.23" @01'13.03
29 Dunne,Frank VeloRevolution 08'08.28" @01'13.08
30 Reilly,Mark Lucan CRC 08'11.10" @01'5.90
31 Millar,Mike Phoenix 08'11.68" @01'16.48
32 Barry,Richard StFinbars 08'11.81" @01'16.61
33 Maguire,Luke Grupeta de Gran 08'14.03" @01'18.83
34 Hughes,Keith Team Bikeworx C 08'15.55" @01'20.35
35 Dolan,Liam Cuchulainn CC 08'18.07" @01'22.87
36 Brosnan,Alan Dublin Wheelers 08'23.46" @01'28.26
37 Hodge,John Dungarvan CC 08'24.33" @01'29.13
38 McDonald,Gary Visit Nenagh.ie 08'26.23" @01'31.03
39 Peregrine,Eamonn StTiernans 08'30.97" @01'35.77
40 Mas Nicolau,Gaspar Grupeta de Gran 08'32.34" @01'37.14
41 Loughran,Sean Cuchulainn CC 08'32.87" @01'37.67
42 Reid,Declan Newry Wheelers 08'36.24" @01'41.04
43 Clogher,Alan TC Racing 08'36.73" @01'41.53
44 Maloney,Brendan South Dublin CC 08'36.81" @01'41.61
45 Fernandez Delgado, LuGrupeta de Gran 08'38.96" @01'43.76
46 VeazquezMoya,José L Grupeta de Gran 08'39.15" @01'43.95
47 O'Shea,John Carlow 08'42.85" @01'47.65
48 Bourdarias,Phillippe DTC Orwell Whee 08'50.70" @01'55.50
49 Forrest,Robert Blarney CC 08'55.71" @02'00.51
50 Murtagh,Eugene Lucan CRC 09'04.87" @02'09.67
51 Bracken,Colm Murphy Surveys 09'17.14" @02'21.94
52 Barry,Edward Liquidworx Fits 09'37.65" @02'42.45
53 Priest,John Lucan CRC 10'01.39" @03'06.19
54 Kileen,Ronan Lucan CRC 10'06.02" @03'10.82

General Classification

1 Swinand,Greg 1 UCD Cycling 2h52'48"
2 Dowling,Mark 1 DID Dunboyne 2h52'54" @06"
3 McKenna,Sean 1 UCD Cycling 2h53'15" @27"
4 O'Brien,Paidi 1 Team Osbourne Me 2h53'17" @29"
5 Shaw,Damien 1 Aquablue 2h53'18" @30"
6 MascaroRigo,Sebasti 1 Grupeta de Grana 2h53'28" @40"
7 O'Loughlin,Michael J NRPT Standard Li 2h53'29" @41"
8 Robinson,Colin 1 Stamullen M Donn 2h53'48" @01'00"
9 O'Connell,Eoin 1 Blarney CC 2h53'51" @01'03"
10 Perez Martin,David 1 Grupeta de Grana 2h53'53" @01'05"
11 Doyle,Anthony 1 Velo Revolution 2h53'54" @01'06"
12 Reilly,Chris 1 Liquidworks Fits 2h54'11" @01'23"
13 Molina Rubia,Manuel 1 Grupeta de Grana 2h54'22" @01'34"
14 Mizgajski,Martin 1 Barrow Whls 2h54'22" = s/t
15 O'Sullivan,Daire 2 Usher IRC 2h54'24" @01'36"
16 Featherstone,Sean 1 Newry Wheelers 2h54'30" @01'42"
17 Breheny,Joseph 2 UCD Cycling 2h54'34" @01'46"
18 Lambert,Simon 2 WexfordWhls 2h54'35" @01'47"
19 Wright,Jody 2 Phoenix 2h54'37" @01'49"
20 Hudson,Neal 2 DTC Orwell Wheel 2h54'38" @01'50"
21 McGauley,Mark 2 Dico Scott 2h54'40" @01'52"
22 Mas Nicolau,Gaspar 1 Grupeta de Grana 2h54'40" = s/t
23 Rea,Craig 2 Phoenix 2h54'44" @01'56"
24 Dunne,Frank 1 Velo Revolution 2h54'44" = s/t
25 Reilly,Mark 1 Lucan CRC 2h54'45" @01'57"
26 Millar,Mike 1 Phoenix 2h54'47" @01'59"
27 Barry,Richard 2 St Finbars 2h54'47" = s/t
28 Hughes,Keith 2 Team Bikeworx Ce 2h54'51" @02'03"
29 Dolan,Liam 1 Cuchulainn CC 2h54'54" @02'06"
30 Brosnan,Alan 2 Dublin Wheelers 2h54'59" @02'11"
31 Hodge,John 2 Dungarvan CC 2h55'00" @02'12"
32 McDonald,Gary 2 Visit Nenagh.ie 2h55'02" @02'14"
33 Reid,Declan 2 Newry Wheelers 2h55'12" @02'24"
34 Clogher,Alan 2 TC Racing 2h55'12" = s/t
35 Maloney,Brendan 2 South Dublin CC 2h55'12" = s/t
36 Bourdarias,Phillippe 2 DTC Orwell Wheel 2h55'26" @02'38"
37 Forrest,Robert 2 Blarney CC 2h55'31" @02'43"
38 Barry,Edward 1 LiquidworxFitsc 2h55'36" @02'48"
39 Caballero Fernandez, 1 Grupeta de Grana 2h55'53" @03'05"
40 Kileen,Ronan 2 Lucan 2h56'42" @03'54"
41 O'Shea,John 2 Carlow 2h57'57" @05'09"
42 Gator,Keith 1 Aquablue 2h59'34" @06'46"
43 Woods,Des 1 Newry Wheelers 3h00'15" @07'27"
44 Murtagh,Eugene 1 Lucan CRC 3h00'45" @07'57"
45 VeazquezMoya,José L 1 Grupeta de Grana 3h01'03" @08'15"
46 Hahessy,Sean 1 IverkCarrickWhe 3h03'49" @11'01"
47 Kelly,Robin 1 Aquablue 3h04'12" @11'24"
48 Maguire,Luke 2 Grupeta de Grana 3h04'21" @11'33"
49 Fernandez Delgado,Lu 1 Grupeta de Grana 3h04'45" @11'57"
50 Loughran,Sean 2 Cuchulainn CC 3h09'34" @16'46"
51 Bracken,Colm 2 Murphy Surveys K 3h10'17" @17'29"
52 Shannon,Mark 1 Visit Nenagh.ie 3h14'02" @21'14"
53 Peregrine,Eamonn 2 St Tiernans 3h14'31" @21'43"
54 Priest,John 2 Lucan CRC 3h16'02" @23'14"