Rás field splits to pieces as Fox wins stage 2 from O'Loughlin | Video

Australian rider Matthew Fox wins stage 2 of Rás Tailteann into Ennis, Co Clare, just ahead of Irish teenager Patrick O'Loughlin (Photo: Sean Rowe)

Australian Matthew Fox (UK Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli) has won stage 2 of Rás Tailteann today, with the main field splitting to pieces and very little remaining of the peloton when it arrived in the Banner County early this afternoon. Patrick O'Loughlin, a first-year U23 riding for Team Ireland, was best of the Irish, with 2nd place today for the impressive teenager.

Today's stage - some 154.5km from Birr, Co Offaly, to Ennis, Co Clare, and with five categorised climbs - ended in a bunch sprint despite a rapid pace from start to finish, with speeds of 60km per hour being hit even in the final kilometres.

The Rás line-out was very much in evidence through the stage, with a large number of riders losing contact with the main field, which was trimmed right back, to about 60 riders, by the time the race ended.

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Matteo Cigala (Carlow Dan Morrissey Primor Pissei) rounded out the podium today, with Odhrán Doogan (Team Ireland) 4th, James McKay (UK Cycling Sheffield) 5th and Dan Gardner (UK Embark Spirit BSS) rounding out the top six. This year's Kerry Group Rás Mumhan winner, Finn Crockett (Derry Foyle CC) was 7th with Daire Feeley (Cork All human-VeloRevolution) 8th, William Perrett (UK Embark Spirit BSS) 9th and John Buller (UK PB Performance) 10th.

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On the run in to the line, riders like Conn McDunphy (Cycling Leinster) and James Hartley (Cycling Sheffield) did their best with attacks to scupper the sprinters and their teams but were reabsorbed with about 3km to go.

Those attacks came after the last breakaway group of the day - including McDunphy, Mark Dowling (All human-VeloRevolution), George Peden (PB Performance), Joe Wilson (Embark Spirit) and Finn Crockett (Foyle CC) - were caught just before the 10km to go marker.

Lost more to come.

Rás Stage 2 | Top 10

  1. Matthew Fox UK Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli 3hrs 23mins 33secs
  2. Patrick O'Loughlin Team Ireland
  3. Matteo Cigala Carlow Dan Morrissey Primor Pissei
  4. Odhrán Doogan Team Ireland
  5. James McKay UK Cycling Sheffield
  6. Dan Gardner UK Embark Spirit BSS
  7. Finn Crockett Derry Foyle CC
  8. Daire Feeley Cork All human-VeloRevolution
  9. William Perrett UK Embark Spirit BSS
  10. John Buller UK PB Performance

Climbs | Stage 2

  • KOM Cat 3: Portroe - 1- 43:McGoldrickC() 2- 95:LaverickJ() 3- 28:DahlhausT() 4- 56:CorkeryD()
  • KOM Cat 3: TwinPillar#1 - 1- 43:McGoldrickC() 2- 28:DahlhausT() 3- 62:MeehanJ() 4- 21:McKayJ()
  • KOM Cat 3: Twin PIllar #2 - 1- 84:CassidyB() 2- 62:MeehanJ() 3- 68:McDunphyC() 4- 45:LordM()
  • KOM Cat 3: Peppars - 1- 43:McGoldrickC() 2- 28:DahlhausT() 3- 38:PedenG() 4- 11:ClaytonD()
  • KOM Cat 2: Maghera Mast - 1- 43:McGoldrickC() 2- 28:DahlhausT() 3- 15:GardnerD() 4- 16:LeemingC() 5- 44:PetersA() 6- 95:LaverickJ()
  • KOM Cat 3: Mass Rock - 1- 43:McGoldrickC() 2- 28:DahlhausT() 3- 94:CrockettF() 4- 15:GardnerD()

General Classification

  1. MCGOLDRICK Conor Richardsons Trek DAS 06:51:25
  2. GARDNER Dan Embark Spirit -BSS Rotor + 04
  3. LAVERICK Joe Foyle CC + 06
  4. MCGEOUGH Cormac Good Guys Racing + 14
  5. MCDUNPHY Conn Cycling Leinster + 17
  6. JACKSON Dom Foran CCC + 17
  7. WADE Aaron Youth jersey Team Ireland + 18
  8. CORKERY Dillon Team Ireland + 19
  9. HARTLEY James Cycling Sheffield + 20
  10. FEELEY Daire All Human-VeloRevolution + 20

Other Overall Classifications

County Rider Overall

  1. Conn McDunphy 5:51:42
  2. Daire Feeley at 3secs
  3. Evaldas Stankevicius at 3:08

Points CLassification

  1. Dan Gardner 24 points
  2. Conor McGoldrick 17 points
  3. Daire Feeley 17 points

Young Rider Classification

  1. Aaron Wade 6:51:43
  2. James Hartley at 2secs
  3. George Wood at 2secs

Mountains Classification

  1. Conor McGoldrick 50 points
  2. Tobias Dahlhaus 28 points
  3. Joseph Laverick 20 points

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