Craig McAuley of Cycling Ulster wins the third of four stages at Rás Dhún na nGall today (Photo: Marian Lamb - Cycling Ulster)
Mark Downey takes the race lead into today’s final stage of Rás Dhún na nGall after a riding a clever stage 3 yesterday and having the legs to capitalise when yellow jersey on the day Gavin Noble paid for his race-long efforts in the closing kilometres.
The Cycling Ulster selection played their cards masterfully, with Craig McAuley taking the stage win into Ardara and his team mate and fellow first-year junior Downey moving into poll position.
Yesterday’s split stage saw Dublin University CC’s Andrew Stanley take the morning hill climb time trial ahead of Olympic triathlete Noble, who had been in the winning breakaway on Friday evening’s stage 1 and so took the yellow jersey.
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However, Noble was to pay for his workload in the afternoon 82km road stage into Ardara and when McAuley and then Downey fired themselves up the road in pursuit of the breakaway, Noble had nothing left in the tank.
There was plenty of action in the early kilometres of stage 3, but it was not until around the 20km mark that a decisive move went clear. It featured five strong men: Derek Cunningham (Bray Wheelers), Des Woods (Newry Wheelers), Alex Donald (Phoenix CC), Nigel Quigley (Bann Wheelers) and Sean McKenna (UCD CC).
The five worked very well together, all pulling hard to establish a lead and for a while they looked like a group that could take the race from the rest of the field.
However, despite their cooperation they never pulled the gap out to a minute, holding it just seconds short of that marker for much of the stage.
Noble, who is riding the race because a running-related injury has curtailed his triathlon racing, was a constant presence at the front of the bunch in the yellow jersey. It was mainly thanks to his strong driving on the front of the peloton that prevented the gap to the escape getting any bigger. Meanwhile, McAuley and Downey sat in the bunch waiting for the moment of maximum opportunity. That came for McAuley with around 20lm remaining on the lumpy run in to the finish.
When the breakaway was brought back to 20 seconds, it looked like Noble’s very strong riding may close the race down, with the breakaway just ahead fragmenting. However, McCauley sensed the time to move had come and he attacked the peloton hard.
When he bridged the gap to the leaders he injected a very strong pace and soon there remained just Des Woods (Newry Wheelers), Alex Donald (Phoenix CC) of the original escape, with Woods having earlier attacked the breakaway but been recaptured when he suffered a mechanical.
McAuley, Woods and Donald put their heads down as the race entered the last 10km, but with Noble doing the lion’s share of the driving back in the bunch the gap hovered at around 25 seconds.
And at the 5km mark, not content with having talented teenager McAuley in the breakaway, the Cycling Ulster team fired Downey up the road. He had made the winning breakaway on stage 1, finished fourth in yesterday morning’s TT and was third overall going into yesterday’s afternoon stage.
He rode his bike like he stole it, and while not catching the trio in front, he came in solo for 4th place just 15 seconds down on McAuley, who had jumped his two fellow escapees to take a lone win some two seconds ahead of Woods and seven clear of Donald.
But it was the time gap that elapsed after Downey crossed the line that would prove vital. He managed to take seven seconds out of the bunch; enough to claw back the two seconds he was down on second on GC to Andrew Stanley (DUCC), but it seemed not enough to leapfrog yellow jersey Noble who had 13 seconds on Downey heading into the stage.
However, on the final drag to the finish, Noble drifted to the very back of the depleted peloton and a gap of just over one second appeared ahead of him. It meant was credited with a time of his own rather the bunch’s and was clocked 16 seconds slower than Downey.
That gap was enough to give the teenager the yellow jersey going into today’s final stage that finishes on top of Glengesh. He leads by three seconds from Noble and five from Stanley, with Noble looking very strong and perhaps most likely to put it up to Downey today. With just 1 minute covering the top 16 and a summit finish in store today, the race for the overall title is still wide open.
Mark Downey got clear in the last 5km and drove it all the way to the line to get the time he needed to take the yellow jersey (Photo: Marian Lamb - Cycling Ulster)
Gavin Noble, in yellow, rode hard after the escape the entire stage, but when he slipped right back to the rear of the bunch on the drag to the finish, a gap of just over 1 second opened in front of him and cost him the overall lead (Photo: Marian Lamb: Cycling Ulster)
Rás Dhún na nGall - Four Masters CC
Stage 3: Ardara – Ardara (82.17km – average speed 38.5kmph)
1 McAuley,Craig ULS Cycling Ulster 2h08'03"
2 Woods,Des NEW Newry Wheelers 2h08'05" @02"
3 Donald,Alex PHA Phoenix A 2h08'10" @07"
4 Downey,Mark ULS Cycling Ulster 2h08'18" @15"
5 Hinch,Philip BRO BrotherenCycles 2h08'25" @22"
6 Kane,Bobby BAN BannWhlsCC 2h08'25" @ s/t
7 Scully,Shane NEN Visit Nenagh.ie 2h08'25" @ s/t
8 Lagan,Damien DBC Donegal Bay CC 2h08'25" @ s/t
9 Breheny,Joseph UCD UCD 2h08'25" @ s/t
10 Parker,Barrick UCD UCD 2h08'25" @ s/t
11 McArdle,Brian DTC DTC Orwell Wheelers 2h08'25" @ s/t
12 Henegan,Kieran WL Western Lakes 2h08'25" @ s/t
13 Kock,Marcel B/P Belgian/PDavidMcCallF 2h08'25" @ s/t
14 Bruton,Danny STA NRPT Standard Life 2h08'25" @ s/t
15 Collins,Noel CAD CaldwellCycles 2h08'25" @ s/t
16 Carroll,Michael BAL Ballymena CC 2h08'25" @ s/t
17 Taggart,Simon BAL Ballymena CC 2h08'25" @ s/t
18 Keeney,Cormac ERR Errigal CC 2h08'25" @ s/t
19 Finnigan,Stevie BOT BottecchiaRC 2h08'25" @ s/t
20 Hudson,Neill DTC DTC Orwell Wheelers 2h08'25" @ s/t
21 Hughes,Padraic WL Western Lakes 2h08'25" @ s/t
22 Harkins,Stephen MAD Team Madigan 2h08'25" @ s/t
23 Scully,Gary NEN Visit Nenagh.ie 2h08'25" @ s/t
24 Stanley,Andrew DUC DUCC 2h08'25" @ s/t
25 McKnight,David TVR Team Vision Racing 2h08'25" @ s/t
26 Graham,Alan MAD Team Madigan 2h08'25" @ s/t
27 Walsh,Stephen CAR Carn Wheelers 2h08'25" @ s/t
28 O'Brien,Patrick DTC DTC Orwell Wheelers 2h08'25" @ s/t
29 Holian,Kevin ERR Errigal CC 2h08'25" @ s/t
30 McBride,Aaron NP North Pole 2h08'25" @ s/t
31 Reid,Declan ULS Cycling Ulster 2h08'25" @ s/t
32 Vereker,Martin TIE St Tiernan's 2h08'25" @ s/t
33 Quigley,Nigel BAN BannWhlsCC 2h08'25" @ s/t
34 McCarthy,David STA NRPT Standard Life 2h08'25" @ s/t
35 Fettiplace,James PHB Phoenix B 2h08'25" @ s/t
36 Cole,Blaine ROE Roe Valley 2h08'25" @ s/t
37 Bartels,Constantin WL Western Lakes 2h08'25" @ s/t
38 McClure,Mark FMA Four Masters A 2h08'25" @ s/t
39 McBride,Peter ERR Errigal CC 2h08'25" @ s/t
40 McKinley,Drew NEW Newry Wheelers 2h08'25" @ s/t
41 Hedley,Andrew EAA East Antrim Audi 2h08'25" @ s/t
42 McGrady,Aaron PHA Phoenix A 2h08'25" @ s/t
43 Taylor,Johnny CAR Carn Wheelers 2h08'25" @ s/t
44 Coyle,Paul STR Strabane Lifford CC 2h08'25" @ s/t
45 Kelly,Patrick CAR Carn Wheelers 2h08'25" @ s/t
46 Purcell,Billy USH Usher IRC 2h08'25" @ s/t
47 Millar,Mike PHA Phoenix A 2h08'25" @ s/t
48 Doherty,Dinny FMA Four Masters A 2h08'25" @ s/t
49 Stewart,Rodney TVR Team Vision Racing 2h08'25" @ s/t
50 Hanna,Conor ULS Cycling Ulster 2h08'25" @ s/t
51 Russell,Mickey FMA Four Masters A 2h08'25" @ s/t
52 McCartney,Declan ROE Roe Valley 2h08'25" @ s/t
53 Kelly,Damien EPI Epic MTB 2h08'25" @ s/t
54 Gilmore,Curtis ULS Cycling Ulster 2h08'25" @ s/t
55 Cunningham,Derek BWW Bray Whls 2h08'25" @ s/t
56 Carroll,David USH Usher IRC 2h08'25" @ s/t
57 Farrell,Rory NEW Newry Wheelers 2h08'34" @31"
58 Noble,Gavin LB Lakeland B 2h08'34" @ s/t
59 O'Malley,Sean WL Western Lakes 2h08'34" @ s/t
60 Doyle,Cathal CAR Carn Wheelers 2h08'50" @47"
61 Devins,Michael EIR EireOg 2h11'18" @03'15"
62 Raymond,Keith BOT BottecchiaRC 2h13'08" @05'05"
63 Byrne,Stephen USH Usher IRC 2h13'08" @ s/t
64 Martin,Brian 7/S 7Springs 2h13'36" @05'33"
65 Ennis,John LUC Lucan CRC 2h14'34" @06'31"
66 Boyce,Noel DOW North Down 2h16'52" @08'49"
67 Taggart,Matthew STA NRPT Standard Life 2h16'52" @ s/t
68 T.Spence,Jeffrey PHA Phoenix A 2h16'52" @ s/t
69 Tobin,Colm TIE St Tiernan's 2h16'52" @ s/t
70 McKenna,Sean UCD UCD 2h16'52" @ s/t
71 Long,Darragh STA NRPT Standard Life 2h16'52" @ s/t
72 McCarter,Darragh OMA OmaghWhls 2h16'52" @ s/t
73 Crawford,Craig DUF Duffin Transport RT 2h19'15" @11'12"
74 Long,Neil DWC Dublin Whls 2h19'53" @11'50"
75 Dillon,Colm LIM Limerick CC 2h20'12" @12'09"
76 McGarrigle,Dylan FMB Four Masters B 2h20'56" @12'53"
77 Gallagher,Hugh TIE St Tiernan's 2h21'04" @13'01"
78 Taylor,Karl BAL Ballymena CC 2h21'41" @13'38"
79 Gallagher,Richard TIE St Tiernan's 2h21'41" @ s/t
80 Doherty,Michael NP North Pole 2h21'41" @ s/t
81 Grant,Clifford BAL Ballymena CC 2h21'41" @ s/t
82 Johnston,Keith LKA Lakeland A 2h21'41" @ s/t
83 McKinley,Matthew ERR Errigal CC 2h21'41" @ s/t
84 Horne,Ciara LB Lakeland B 2h21'41" @ s/t
85 Flanagan,Michael WL Western Lakes 2h21'41" @ s/t
86 Boylan,Kenny LKA Lakeland A 2h21'41" @ s/t
87 Doherty,PT FMB Four Masters B 2h21'41" @ s/t
88 Porter,Colin MAD Team Madigan 2h21'41" @ s/t
89 Heaney,Matthew B/P Belgian/PDavidMcCallF 2h21'41" @ s/t
90 Hutchinson,Chris MAD Team Madigan 2h21'41" @ s/t
91 McGuigan,Philip DUF Duffin Transport RT 2h21'41" @ s/t
92 Keogh,Paul EIR EireOg 2h21'41" @ s/t
93 McEnhill,Niall OMA OmaghWhls 2h21'41" @ s/t
94 Foley,Damien DBC Donegal Bay CC 2h21'53" @13'50"
95 Connor,Myles NP North Pole 2h23'43" @15'40"
96 Power,Eugene OMA OmaghWhls 2h24'06" @16'03"
97 Scullion,Michael CAR Carn Wheelers 2h24'14" @16'11"
98 Laverty,Stuart B/P Belgian/PDavidMcCallF 2h31'28" @23'25"
99 Noone,Aidan NP North Pole 2h31'28" @ s/t
100 Greer,Robert APO Apollo CC 2h31'43" @23'40"
101 McGrane,Damien MAD Team Madigan 2h31'43" @ s/t
102 McGrory,Kieran LKA Lakeland A 2h31'46" @23'43"
103 McMorrow,Brian EIR EireOg 2h31'46" @ s/t
104 McCaffrey,Ted DBC Donegal Bay CC 2h38'10" @30'07"
105 McGinley,Jordan B/P Belgian/PDavidMcCallF 2h38'32" @30'29"
106 Mescal,Michael TIE St Tiernan's 2h38'40" @30'37"
107 Boyle,Ed PHA Phoenix A 2h40'33" @32'30"
108 Eccles,Kieran NP North Pole 2h40'51" @32'48"
109 Monaghan,Greg 7/S 7Springs 2h40'51" @ s/t
110 McCann,Sean ISL Island Whls 2h40'51" @ s/t
111 Doherty,Cathal UCD UCD 2h40'51" @ s/t
112 McKendry,Jerome DUF Duffin Transport RT 2h40'51" @ s/t
113 Crowe,Damien DWC Dublin Whls 2h40'51" @ s/t
114 Dunlop,Raymond LKA Lakeland A 2h40'56" @32'53"
115 Kerr,Raymond LKA Lakeland A 2h40'56" @ s/t
116 Moran,Tonya BRR Black Rose Racing 2h47'48" @39'45"
General Classification
1 Downey,Mark YJ Cycling Ulster 3h29'47"
2 Noble,Gavin 2 Lakeland B 3h29'50" @03"
3 Stanley,Andrew U DUCC 3h29'52" @05"
4 McAuley,Craig YJ Cycling Ulster 3h30'04" @17"
5 Harkins,Stephen V Team Madigan 3h30'08" @21"
6 Hinch,Philip 3 BrotherenCycles 3h30'16" @29"
7 Bruton,Danny YJ NRPT Standard Li 3h30'18" @31"
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8 Fettiplace,James 3 Phoenix B 3h30'30" @43"
9 Woods,Des V Newry Wheelers 3h30'33" @46"
10 Millar,Mike 3 Phoenix A 3h30'34" @47"
11 Donald,Alex 2 Phoenix A 3h30'36" @49"
12 Collins,Noel U CaldwellCycles 3h30'37" @50"
13 Cunningham,Derek 2 Bray Whls 3h30'41" @54"
14 Parker,Barrick 2 UCD 3h30'43" @56"
15 Scully,Gary 2 Visit Nenagh.ie 3h30'43" = s/t
16 McGrady,Aaron 3 Phoenix A 3h30'46" @59"
17 Henegan,Kieran YJ Western Lakes 3h30'49" @01'02"
18 Scully,Shane 2 Visit Nenagh.ie 3h30'56" @01'09"
19 Hughes,Padraic 3 Western Lakes 3h30'58" @01'11"
20 McKnight,David V Team Vision Raci 3h30'59" @01'12"
21 Kelly,Damien 3 Epic MTB 3h30'59" = s/t
22 Keeney,Cormac 3 Errigal CC 3h30'59" = s/t
23 Kock,Marcel 2 Belgian/PDavidMc 3h31'00" @01'13"
24 Stewart,Rodney V Team Vision Raci 3h31'01" @01'14"
25 Walsh,Stephen 3 Carn Wheelers 3h31'01" = s/t
26 Carroll,David V Usher IRC 3h31'01" = s/t
27 McArdle,Brian 3 DTC Orwell Wheel 3h31'02" @01'15"
28 Bartels,Constantin 3 Western Lakes 3h31'04" @01'17"
29 Hudson,Neill 3 DTC Orwell Wheel 3h31'08" @01'21"
30 Quigley,Nigel V BannWhlsCC 3h31'09" @01'22"
31 O'Malley,Sean 3 Western Lakes 3h31'12" @01'25"
32 Kane,Bobby 2 BannWhlsCC 3h31'17" @01'30"
33 Breheny,Joseph 3 UCD 3h31'18" @01'31"
34 Gilmore,Curtis YJ Cycling Ulster 3h31'19" @01'32"
35 Vereker,Martin 3 St Tiernan's 3h31'20" @01'33"
36 Hedley,Andrew Y2 East Antrim Audi 3h31'21" @01'34"
37 McClure,Mark 3 Four Masters A 3h31'23" @01'36"
38 Coyle,Paul 3 Strabane Lifford 3h31'25" @01'38"
39 Reid,Declan YJ Cycling Ulster 3h31'25" = s/t
40 Russell,Mickey V Four Masters A 3h31'25" = s/t
41 Taylor,Johnny 2 Carn Wheelers 3h31'26" @01'39"
42 Holian,Kevin 3 Errigal CC 3h31'28" @01'41"
43 McBride,Aaron YJ North Pole 3h31'30" @01'43"
44 O'Brien,Patrick 2 DTC Orwell Wheel 3h31'34" @01'47"
45 McCartney,Declan 3 Roe Valley 3h31'34" = s/t
46 Taggart,Simon 3 Ballymena CC 3h31'35" @01'48"
47 Kelly,Patrick 3 Carn Wheelers 3h31'37" @01'50"
48 McCarthy,David YJ NRPT Standard Li 3h31'38" @01'51"
49 McKinley,Drew 2 Newry Wheelers 3h31'45" @01'58"
50 Cole,Blaine YJ Roe Valley 3h31'50" @02'03"
51 Lagan,Damien 2 Donegal Bay CC 3h31'54" @02'07"
52 Hanna,Conor 2 Cycling Ulster 3h32'00" @02'13"
53 Doyle,Cathal V Carn Wheelers 3h32'04" @02'17"
54 Graham,Alan 3 Team Madigan 3h32'04" = s/t
55 McBride,Peter 2 Errigal CC 3h32'10" @02'23"
56 Farrell,Rory 3 Newry Wheelers 3h32'22" @02'35"
57 Finnigan,Stevie 3 BottecchiaRC 3h32'27" @02'40"
58 Purcell,Billy 3 Usher IRC 3h32'44" @02'57"
59 Carroll,Michael V Ballymena CC 3h32'49" @03'02"
60 Devins,Michael V EireOg 3h34'31" @04'44"
61 Doherty,Dinny 3 Four Masters A 3h35'06" @05'19"
62 Byrne,Stephen 2 Usher IRC 3h36'28" @06'41"
63 Raymond,Keith 3 BottecchiaRC 3h36'45" @06'58"
64 Martin,Brian 2 7Springs 3h37'09" @07'22"
65 Ennis,John 3 Lucan CRC 3h37'32" @07'45"
66 McKenna,Sean U UCD 3h39'16" @09'29"
67 Taggart,Matthew YJ NRPT Standard Li 3h39'17" @09'30"
68 Long,Darragh YJ NRPT Standard Li 3h39'33" @09'46"
69 Tobin,Colm 3 St Tiernan's 3h39'37" @09'50"
70 McCarter,Darragh 3 OmaghWhls 3h39'47" @10'00"
71 T.Spence,Jeffrey 3 Phoenix A 3h40'10" @10'23"
72 Flanagan,Michael 2 Western Lakes 3h44'26" @14'39"
73 Heaney,Matthew U Belgian/PDavidMc 3h44'36" @14'49"
74 McGarrigle,Dylan YJ Four Masters B 3h44'38" @14'51"
75 Horne,Ciara l Lakeland B 3h45'11" @15'24"
76 Doherty,Michael 3 North Pole 3h45'26" @15'39"
77 Foley,Damien V Donegal Bay CC 3h46'27" @16'40"
78 Scullion,Michael 3 Carn Wheelers 3h47'36" @17'49"
79 Boyce,Noel V North Down 3h48'02" @18'15"
80 Power,Eugene V OmaghWhls 3h48'15" @18'28"
81 Long,Neil 2 Dublin Whls 3h49'06" @19'19"
82 Dillon,Colm U Limerick CC 3h49'57" @20'10"
83 Crawford,Craig YJ Duffin Transport 3h50'22" @20'35"
84 Gallagher,Hugh 3 St Tiernan's 3h51'26" @21'39"
85 Hutchinson,Chris 3 Team Madigan 3h52'21" @22'34"
86 Keogh,Paul 2 EireOg 3h53'06" @23'19"
87 Boylan,Kenny V Lakeland A 3h53'53" @24'06"
88 Porter,Colin 3 Team Madigan 3h53'54" @24'07"
89 Gallagher,Richard 3 St Tiernan's 3h53'54" = s/t
90 McGuigan,Philip V Duffin Transport 3h54'02" @24'15"
91 Doherty,PT V Four Masters B 3h54'02" = s/t
92 McKinley,Matthew 3 Errigal CC 3h54'19" @24'32"
93 Johnston,Keith 3 Lakeland A 3h54'31" @24'44"
94 Grant,Clifford V Ballymena CC 3h54'38" @24'51"
95 McGrory,Kieran V Lakeland A 3h55'13" @25'26"
96 Taylor,Karl 3 Ballymena CC 3h55'17" @25'30"
97 Connor,Myles 3 North Pole 3h55'55" @26'08"
98 McEnhill,Niall 3 OmaghWhls 4h00'18" @30'31"
99 McCaffrey,Ted 3 Donegal Bay CC 4h01'35" @31'48"
100 Greer,Robert YJ Apollo CC 4h01'58" @32'11"
101 Laverty,Stuart YJ Belgian/PDavidMc 4h02'27" @32'40"
102 McGinley,Jordan YJ Belgian/PDavidMc 4h02'47" @33'00"
103 McMorrow,Brian 3 EireOg 4h02'56" @33'09"
104 McGrane,Damien V Team Madigan 4h03'22" @33'35"
105 Dunlop,Raymond 3 Lakeland A 4h03'54" @34'07"
106 McKendry,Jerome 3 Duffin Transport 4h03'57" @34'10"
107 Noone,Aidan YJ North Pole 4h04'23" @34'36"
108 Kerr,Raymond 3 Lakeland A 4h05'14" @35'27"
109 Crowe,Damien 3 Dublin Whls 4h12'08" @42'21"
110 Boyle,Ed V Phoenix A 4h13'07" @43'20"
111 Monaghan,Greg V 7Springs 4h13'19" @43'32"
112 Mescal,Michael 3 St Tiernan's 4h22'28" @52'41"
113 Eccles,Kieran 3 North Pole 4h24'23" @54'36"
114 McCann,Sean 3 Island Whls 4h24'30" @54'43"
115 Doherty,Cathal U UCD 4h24'42" @54'55"
116 Moran,Tonya l Black Rose Racin 4h31'30" @1h01'43"
Lady Overall
1 Horne,C LB = 3h45'11"
2 Moran,T BRR @ 46'19"
Mountains Competition
1 McAuley,C ULS 9
2 Donald,A PHA 6
3 Stanley,A DUC 4
4 Parker,B UCD 4
5 Cunningham,D BWW 3
6 Harkins,S MAD 2
7 Woods,D NEW 2
8 Long,N DWC 2
9 Hinch,P BRO 1
10 Quigley,N BAN 1
11 Taggart,M STA 1
U/23 Overall
1 Stanley,A DUC = 3h29'52"
2 Collins,N CAD @ 45"
3 McKenna,S UCD @ 09'24"
4 Heaney,M B/P @ 14'44"
5 Dillon,C LIM @ 20'05"
Junior Overall
1 Downey,M ULS = 3h29'47"
2 McAuley,C ULS @ 17"
3 Bruton,D STA @ 31"
4 Henegan,K WL @ 01'02"
5 Gilmore,C ULS @ 01'32"
Team General Classification
1 Cycling U 10h31'10"
2 Phoenix A @ 46"
3 Western L @ 01'40"
