McLaughlin back in yellow, Ward triumphs in Dhun na nGall
Adam Ward taking a stage win that was as clever as it was strong; great ride by the teenager (Photo: David McVeigh - The Belgian Project)
Adam Ward has enjoyed a very strong season to date and combined clinical tactics and great form to take another victory today.
The Powerhouse Sport man, riding for AAA Cycling this weekend, was the solo winner of this afternoon’s stage 3 of Rás Dhun na nGall.
And the manner of that win showed a tactical nous far beyond the teenager’s years.
Having been in the original breakaway for most of the stage, he decided it would be wiser to drop back to the main field.
But then two of the riders in that original escape stayed clear and looked like they may well make it all the way.
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Ward didn’t panic though. He simply bided his time and attacked from the bunch to catch the two leaders.
And in textbook fashion he rode with them only to jump them at the finish and win.
He would claim the win by 3 seconds from Dillon Corkery (NRPT-Titan Containers), with the emerging Liam Hanley (Cycling Leinster) next, a further 3 seconds back.
Top, Dillon Corkery is now really coming into his own. Middle, Halvey in yellow being helped by his team to chase the breakaway. Bottom, Ward looking delighted (Photos by DavidMcVeigh)
Eoghan McLaughlin of NRPT-Titan, who won Friday’s stage 1 and lost the yellow jersey to team mate Conor Halvey in this morning’s TT, is back in yellow.
He was in that early six-man escape with eventual stage winner Ward.
McLaughlin was one second down overall this morning. And as he collected 3 seconds in bonuses in the sprint at the end of the first lap today, he now leads Halvey by two seconds overall.
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Alexis Roche, a real dangerman for Glengesh tomorrow, is 3rd at 4 seconds.
He is on the same time as Ethan Downey (Island Wheelers), another man who may strike when the road goes up tomorrow.
Cycling Leinster’s Sean Murnane is 5th overall at 18 seconds, with Corkery 6th at 20 seconds. And with the top 15 covered by one minute, it is still wide open.
With this afternoon’s stage 3 a three-lap contest over 56.46 miles, a strong six-man escape pulled clear early.
In there were Ward, McLaughlin, Corkery, Conor Gallagher from Castlebar CC and this morning’s TT winner Calvin Moore (Caldwell Cycles Omagh). A Newry Wheelers man was also present.
They knuckled down and remained clear until well into the third and final lap.
However, as they were being reeled back in by the bunch, Ward decided to go back to the peloton.
The gap was around 20 seconds at that point. However, Corkery took flight with the Newry Wheelers rider from the initial breakaway
The situation at 15km remaining saw the two leaders with about 20 seconds as the other four breakaway men were absorbed back into the bunch.
With about 10km remaining Ward jumped from the bunch again and caught the two leaders.
It took him about 5km to catch them. Not soon after he did, the Newry Wheelers rider jumped Corkery and Ward in a bid to win the stage.
However, the chasing duo closed him down and Ward would beat Corkery by 3 seconds to win.
The bunch would finish 19 seconds down. But in between Ward and Corkery and the bunch were three riders who had managed to get clear of the peloton.
Hanley was 3rd just 6 seconds down on Ward. Bobby Kane of Bann Wheelers was 4th just 2 seconds later, with Castlebar’s Gallagher 5th on the day on the same time.
Both yellow jersey Halvey and McLaughlin finished in the bunch at 19 seconds.
But with the 3 second time bonus under his belt, McLaughlin would take the race lead from Halvey.
June 2nd-4th: Rás Dhun na nGall
Stage 3: Ardara-Ardara (56.46 miles)
1 Ward,Adam AAA Cycling 2h17'07"
2 Corkery,Dillon NRPT @03"
3 Hanley,Liam Cycling Leinster @06"
4 Kane,Bobby Bann Wheelers CC @08"
5 Gallagher,Conor Castlebar CC
6 McArdle, Ruane,Eoghan NRPT @19"
7 Roche, Alexis NRPT
8 Doherty,Robbie Belgium Project Devl
9 McBride,Aaron Donegal Bay CC
10 Browne,Mike Nenagh CC
11 Maloney,Declan Ballina CC
12 Hudson,Neil Scott Orwell Wheelers
13 Halvey,Conor NRPT
14 Keaney,Cormac FTT Oslo
15 Murnane,Sean Cycling Leinster
16 Kennedy,Sean NRPT
17 Gibson,James Craig Carn Wheelers
18 Farrell,Rory Newry Wheelers
19 Kennedy,Matthew Nenagh CC
20 Coleman,Mark Shelbourne /Orchard CC
21 Robinson,Alistair Bann Wheelers CC
22 Lockhart,Dean Carn Wheelers
23 Logue,Daniel Foyle CC
24 Cosgrove,Sean CKR CC
25 McLaughlin,Eoghan NRPT @16"
26 Heery,Killian CKR CC @19"
27 McGinley,Mark Four Masters CC
28 McGlynn,Michael Belgium Project Devl
29 O'Brien,Thomas Sundrive Track Team
30 Doherty,Kevin Four Masters CC
General Classification after 3 stages
1 McLaughlin,Eoghan NRPT 3h37'37"
2 Halvey,Conor NRPT @02"
3 Roche,Alexis NRPT @04"
4 Downey,Ethan Island Wheelers
5 Murnane,Sean Cycling Leinster @18"
6 Corkery,Dillon NRPT @20"
7 Hanley,Liam Cycling Leinster @24"
8 McGlynn,Michael Belgium Project @28"
9 Moore,Calvin Caldwell Cycles @32"
10 Gallagher,Conor Castlebar CC @34"
11 Beard,Nathan Gala CC @47"
12 Ryall,Shane NRPT @51"
13 Kane,Bobby Bann Wheelers CC @52"
14 May,Cian Cycling Leinster @59"
15 Ward,Adam AAA Cycling @01'00"
16 McKinley,Mark Newry Wheelers @01'02"
17 Kearney,Edward Phoenix CC @01'03"
18 FontanGarcia,Manuel Scott Orwell Whe
19 Browne,Mike Nenagh CC @01'04"
20 Heery,Killian CKR CC
21 Hedley,Andrew Ards CC @01'06"
22 Hudson,Neil Scott Orwell Whe @01'07"
23 Robinson,Alistair Bann Wheelers CC @01'08"
24 Gribbons,Richard TeamGerryMcVeigh @01'09"
25 Murray,Gareth Ards CC
26 Heaney,Cormac FTT Oslo @01'11"
27 Cosgrove,Sean CKR CC
28 McConomy,Jonathan Carn Wheelers @01'12"
29 McBride,Michael AAA Cycling @01'16"
30 McArdle Ruane,Eoghan NRPT @01'20"
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