Sean Yelverton celebrates winning the opening stage of the Charleville Two-Day in Cork. Riding for Team Munster, he came across the line ahead of teammate for the weekend Darragh O'Mahony (Photo: Sean Rowe)
By Brian Canty
Munster Academy rider Sean Yelverton has won the opening stage of the Charleville 2-Day and will wear the race leader’s yellow jersey into tomorrow morning's stage two time-trial.
The Mego Racing Team man, riding for the representative outfit this weekend, crossed the line just ahead of teammate Darragh O’Mahony at the end of the 86-kilometre stage.
Both men went clear of the huge break that formed early on and stayed out in front of the peloton for the remainder of the race.
The break numbered over 20 riders but when a touch of wheels on a fast descent took out half of them, the race took on a different complexion.
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There hadn’t been much co-operation in the sizeable escape but as soon as it was halved those who were lucky enough to make it through unscathed got down to work.
One of those who came down hardest was Yelverton’s Mego teammate Shane Kenny and though hospitalised, we understand he has been given the all-clear.
Yelverton was in good form today, clearly going well after the Junior Tour of Wales last weekend and he went up the road early.
He was joined by the aforementioned Kenny and two more before eight more bridged across inside 10 kilometres.
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Another six or so came across as the group swelled when they turned off the main Cork to Limerick road.
There, the first of three hilly laps awaited and Darragh O’Mahony, after bridging, began the attacking to test out who was strong.
The gap to the peloton was around 50 seconds by the end of the first lap but after that it just grew and grew as the bunch lost interest.
Descending the second lap, the unfortunate touch of wheels thinned the group out and on the last lap, on the sharp rise outside Milford, O’Mahony made the race-winning break.
Yelverton went in pursuit and when they merged they put the heads down and drilled it to the line, the latter taking the win and the yellow jersey.
Behind, Louis Carnec (Sorrento CC) and Ian Cassidy (Fixx Rouleurs) broke clear of the chasing group and came over the line 51 seconds back, 17 seconds ahead of seven others with the main peloton a staggering 3’21” back.
Charleville Two-Day, Stage 1 (86km)
1 Yelverton,Sean 2h03'35"
2 O'Mahony,Darragh
3 Carnec,Louis @51"
4 Cassidy,Ian @ s/t
5 O'Neill,Seamus @01'08"
6 Clogher,Alan @ s/t
7 McGreevey,James @ s/t
8 Crean,Kieran @ s/t
9 Hughes,Barry @ s/t
10 Kennedy,Paul @ s/t
11 Tierney,Cillian @01'14"
12 McCarthy,Dion @03'21"
13 O'Donoghue,Shane @ s/t
14 Murphy,Conor @ s/t
15 Grogan,Ross @ s/t
16 Lyons,John Paul @ s/t
17 Browne,Mike @ s/t
18 O'Connell,Patjoe @ s/t
19 Connell,Aidan @ s/t
20 McNally,Brian @ s/t
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