O’Brien gallops to stage win at ‘Suir Valley Three Day’ as Lacey assumes yellow

Paidi O’Brien takes the win on stage 2 ahead of Whorrell and Fitzgerald (Photo: www.tipperaryphotos.com)

By Brian Canty

Sean Lacey (Dan Morrissey-Speedy Spokes) has taken over the race lead at the Suir Valley Three Day this afternoon, Sunday, after he finished safely in the main bunch and was awarded the same time as stage winner Paidi O'Brien.

The victor today, O'Brien has been racking up the wins all season and showed a clean pair of wheels to Isle of Man sprinter Chris Whorrell and former international rider Mehall Fitzgerald (Worldwide Cycles) into Clonmel today.

But it is Lacey who wears yellow into this evening's hill climb which starts at 7pm after he overtook overnight leader Ryan Sherlock at the top of the general classification.

The finish today was a tricky one and with a dangerous roundabout to negotiate with 800 metres to go and a car parked on it, some riders, including Sherlock were forced around it and that caused a split in the bunch.

"It was a very technical finish," said Lacey afterwards.

"I was lucky to be up near the front in the top 10 or so riders so I could see up ahead. I could see the roundabout with about 800 metres to go and that there was a car parked on it so I went right when more were forced to go the long way around and that forced a split. We didn't really expect to be in the yellow jersey going into the third stage, we were hopeful obviously but there's a long way to go yet."

The race, though only 92 kilometres in length, was over in just over two hours which gives you some indication of the speeds the riders hit.

Though the circuit is notoriously fast, it didn’t stop the attacks from the gun and first to have a go was Polish national Martin Mizgayski, who swallowed up the first KOH points of the day to increase his advantage as leader of that classification.

As expected, a volley of attacks came from those teams with designs on the yellow jersey and it was hardly surprising to see Dan Morrissey-Speedy Spokes at the head of affairs. It was Stephen Clancy who went up the road in an effort to lure some others into a chase.

Though little latitude was given, Waterford Racing CC sprinter Robin Kelly made a bold effort with a number of others to get away and though they were reeled in, Kelly took the first sprint points of the day.

The race was still all together at the second KOH of the day and again it was Mizgayski who swept up the points, which means regardless of what happens tomorrow, he will go home with at least one jersey.

After an hour of racing, the day’s decisive break went clear and in it were Paidi O'Brien (Dan Morrissey/Speedy Spokes) , Michael Fitzgerald (Dan Morrissey/Speedy Spokes), Michael Hennessy (Fermoy), Aaron Livesy (Isle of Man), Mehall Fitzgerald (Worldwide Cycles), Michael Storan (West Clare), Robin Kelly (Waterford Racing CC), Thomas Lavery (Comeragh CC), Keith Fox ( ), Ian Richardson (UCD), Eoin Morton (UCD), Fran Gibson (U/A), Olan Barrett (Fermoy) and Barry Horgan (Tralee BC).

With under 35 kilometres to race the group began to split and Michael Hennessy, Robin Kelly, Michael Storan, Keith Fox and Paidi O'Brien took off while back in the main peloton yellow jersey Ryan Sherlock, Sean Lacey, and four others attacked and went in pursuit of the breakaway, which was now down to eight riders.

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With 15 kilometres left to race the gap between the front five and the eight chasers had extended to 40 seconds and sensing his chance of a stage win, Robin Kelly went for glory and took off on his own.

His solo bid suffered a setback when he was joined by Chris Reilly (Cycling Leinster), Keith Fox (Shannonside BC), Michael Hennessy (Fermoy), Aodh O'Neill (U/A) and Joe Fenlon (Dan Morrissey/Speedy Spokes) but that too was negated as the peloton, having caught the second group, shut the move down and inside the five kilometre to go mark it was all back together.

That paved the way for the mass bunch sprint and in such a tight and tricky finish, there aren’t too many better riders out there at avoiding trouble and blasting to victory than Páidi O’Brien.

Con Collis (UCD) collected the green points jersey while Robin Kelly (Waterford Racing Club) went into the pink jersey. Martin Mizgayski gets the mountains jersey while Mehall Fitzgerald now wears the most combative jersey.

See stage and GC results below.

A split in the peloton in the finale cost Sherlock a second and his yellow jersey (Photo: www.tipperaryphotos.com)

RESULTS Stage 2

1 O Brien,Paidi DMA Dan Morrissey Speedy 2h08'01"
2 Whorrell,Chris IOA Isle of Man A 2h08'01"
3 Fitzgerald,Mehall WWE Worldwide Cycles 2h08'01"
4 Collis,Con UCD UCD 2h08'02" @01"
5 Kennedy,Paul MNY McNally Swords 2h08'02" @ s/t
6 Lacey,Sean DMA Dan Morrissey Speedy 2h08'02" @ s/t
7 Kelly,Robin WTD Waterford Racing 2h08'02" @ s/t
8 McLoughlin,Brendan BNY Blarney CC 2h08'02" @ s/t
9 Fenlon,Joe DMA Dan Morrissey Speedy 2h08'02" @ s/t
10 Twohig,Barry BNY Blarney CC 2h08'02" @ s/t

Overall General Classification after Stage 2

1 Lacey,Sean 1 Dan Morrissey Sp 5h06'26"
2 Sherlock,Ryan 1 Cycleways 5h06'27" @01"
3 Bell,Darren 1 Isle of Man A 5h06'37" @11"
4 Twohig,Barry 2 Blarney CC 5h06'56" @30"
5 Collis,Con 2 UCD 5h06'58" @32"
6 Clarke,Patrick 1 Terra Footwear 5h07'03" @37"
7 Hennessy,Michael 1 Fermoy CC 5h07'04" @38"
8 Mizgajski,Martin 1 Iverk Carrick Wh 5h07'10" @44"
9 Cassidy,Colm 1 UCD 5h07'25" @59"
10 Morton,Eoin 2 UCD 5h07'28" @01'02"