Dutch rider Frank Niewold has launched himself up Belfast’s Prince of Wales Drive at Stormont to grab the 1.12km prologue of the ‘P&O Ferries Tour of the North’ in an average speed of 39.14kph.
The ‘SWABO Cycling Team’ rider posted a time of 1:50.95, beating Tommy Bustard of the British ‘Herbalife-Leisure Lakes Bikes’ team into second place by six tenths of a second. Bustard’s team mate Jack Cutsforth was third, just 1.46 seconds down on the winner.
In fourth place was best placed home rider Jason Henry, who usually rides unattached but is with the ChainReactionCycles.com-Vitus team for this year’s race. He is just 1.63 seconds off the yellow jersey, with four seconds covering the top 15 on GC after a tight stage this evening, Friday.
Irish international Felix English (Rapha Condor-Sharp) finished in sixth place, 2.26 seconds behind the flying Dutchman Niewold.
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There were only six riders from the North or the Republic in the top 20. Apart from fourth placed Henry - and English in sixth - those riders are: last year’s KOM classification winner Peter Hawkins (IG Sigma Sport) in equal eight at 2.7secs; top international rider David McCann (RTS Racing Team) in 16th place at 5.37 seconds; and strongmen Fraser Duncan of Eurocycles (17th place, at 5.82 seconds) and Mark Buchanan of Donegal Four Masters (19th place, at 7.04 seconds).
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The first road stage unfolds tomorrow, Saturday, with three categorised climbs on the 117km route that finishes on the top of the second category climb at Rathfriland. But before that tough finish the riders will take in Spelga Dam and the Santa’s Cottage climb at Rostrevor.
Result: Prologue TT 1.12km Stormont
1 Niewold,Frank SWABO Cycling Team. Holland 01'50.94"
2 Bustard,Tommy Herbalife-Leisure Lakes Bikes 01'51.57" @.63"
3 Cutsforth,Jack Herbalife-Leisure Lakes Bikes 01'52.40" @01.46"
4 Henry,Jason Chain Reaction Cycles-Vitus 01'52.57"@01.63"
5 Moss,James Node4-Giordana 01'52.85" @01.91"
6 English,Felix Rapha Condor Sharp 01'53.20" @02.26"
7 Higgins,Matt Node4-Giordana 01'53.37" @02.43"
8 Nicholson,Michael Scotland Under 23 01'53.64" @02.70"
--- Hawkins,Peter IM Sigma Sport 01'53.64" @ s/t
10 Pilkington,Matt Team Bglobal 01'54.07" @03.13"
11 Dean,Ben Team Bglobal 01'54.40" @03.46"
12 Bott,Richard Herbalife-Leisure Lakes Bikes 01'54.52" @03.58"
13 Buskermolen,Jordy SWABO Cycling Team. Holland 01'54.73" @03.79"
14 Van der Niet,Rob SWABO Cycling Team. Holland 01'54.82" @03.88"
15 Frend,Keiran Node4-Giordana 01'54.88" @03.94"
16 McCann,David Unattached 01'56.31" @05.37"
17 Duncan,Fraser Team Curran Racing 01'56.76" @05.82"
18 Fidler,Steve Team Elite 01'57.32" @06.38"
19 Buchanan,Mark Donegal Four Masters 01'57.98" @07.04"
20 Sherriffs,Chris Team Bglobal 01'58.35" @07.41"
21 Wilson,Jack East Antrim CC-Agnew Audi 01'58.55" @07.61"
22 Drake,Giles Team Elite 01'58.63" @07.69"
23 Grivell-Mellor,Luke Rapha Condor Sharp 01'58.87" @07.93"
24 Cranston,Gary East Antrim CC-Agnew Audi 01'59.03" @08.09"
25 Gerts,Floris SWABO Cycling Team. Holland 01'59.20" @08.26"
26 Middendorp,Jelle WTOS Delft. Holland 01'59.28" @08.34"
27 Bethell,Paul Team Elite 01'59.29" @08.35"
28 Been,Wouter WTOS Delft. Holland 01'59.51" @08.57"
29 Oliphant,Lewis VC Ecosse 02'00.17" @09.23"
30 Sampson,James Node4-Giordana 02'00.97" @10.03"
31 Hedley,Andrew Chain Reaction Cycles-Vitus 02'01.10" @10.16"
32 Addis,Eddy VC Ecosse 02'01.20" @10.26"
33 Hawdon,Andrew Herbalife-Leisure Lakes Bikes 02'01.27" @10.33"
34 Lonie,Martin Dooleys Cycles.co.uk 02'01.40" @10.46"
35 McAllister,Conor Chain Reaction Cycles-Vitus 02'01.48" @10.54"
36 Baxter,Simon Herbalife-Leisure Lakes Bikes 02'01.73" @10.79"
37 Wilson,Peter Cycling Ulster-Slane Cycles 02'01.74" @10.80"
38 Clarke,Cormac Cycling Ulster-Slane Cycles 02'02.14" @11.20"
39 Brown,Greg Dooleys Cycles.co.uk 02'02.18" @11.24"
40 Inglis,Ian Cycling Ulster-Slane Cycles 02'02.22" @11.28"
41 Deane,Aaron East Antrim CC-Agnew Audi 02'02.34" @11.40"
42 Spruit,John WTOS Delft. Holland 02'02.67" @11.73"
43 Williams,Simon Team Curran Racing 02'02.83" @11.89"
--- Foley,Desi Phoenix CC 02'02.83" @ s/t
45 Stewart,Daniel Cycling Ulster-Slane Cycles 02'03.20" @12.26"
46 Kennaugh,Tim Rapha Condor Sharp 02'03.79" @12.85"
47 Semple,Rich Dooleys Cycles.co.uk 02'04.35" @13.41"
48 Bracegirdle,Tom Team Elite 02'04.46" @13.52"
49 Rietrboek,Jesper SWABO Cycling Team. Holland 02'04.47" @13.53"
50 1Wilbraham,Pete Team Elite 02'04.50" @13.56"
51 Jeffries,Owen VC Ecosse 02'04.53" @13.59"
52 Taggart,Simon Ballymena Road Club 02'04.66" @13.72"
53 Irvine,Mark Team Curran Racing 02'04.98" @14.04"
54 Harrison,Mike West Pennine Road Club 02'04.99" @14.05"
55 McAllister,Leo Chain Reaction Cycles-Vitus 02'05.23" @14.29"
56 Smyth,Cathal Phoenix CC 02'05.32" @14.38"
57 Laverty,Colm Stamullen-M Donnelly Fast Ship 02'05.59" @14.65"
58 Stewart,Sean Donegal Four Masters 02'05.60" @14.66"
59 Battersby,Craig Team Bglobal 02'06.16" @15.22"
60 Rennie,Paul Dooleys Cycles.co.uk 02'06.53" @15.59"
61 Wardell,Rab Scotland Under 23 02'06.67" @15.73"
62 Foppen,Tim SWABO Cycling Team. Holland 02'06.84" @15.90"
63 McDonald,Richard Dooleys Cycles.co.uk 02'06.88" @15.94"
64 Houston,Kyle Chain Reaction Cycles-Vitus 02'06.96" @16.02"
65 Wherity,David Stamullen-M Donnelly Fast Ship 02'07.39" @16.45"
66 Cole,Kyle Cycling Ulster-Slane Cycles 02'07.57" @16.63"
67 Koop,Jos WTOS Delft. Holland 02'07.77" @16.83"
68 Sweeney,Eddie Donegal Four Masters 02'07.82" @16.88"
69 Johnstone,Taylor Scotland Under 23 02'08.08" @17.14"
70 Sweetman,Craig Stamullen-M Donnelly Fast Ship 02'08.17" @17.23"
71 Dempsey,Jonathan East Antrim CC-Agnew Audi 02'08.60" @17.66"
72 Beattie,Chris Ballymena Road Club 02'08.81" @17.87"
73 Devlin,Rory Cycling Ulster-Slane Cycles 02'08.93" @17.99"
74 Hey,Jon West Pennine Road Club 02'09.65" @18.71"
75 McAllister,Stephen Ballymena Road Club 02'09.76" @18.82"
76 Jansen,Luuk WTOS Delft. Holland 02'10.16" @19.22"
77 Madden,John Team Curran Racing 02'10.33" @19.39"
78 Finnegan,Derek West Pennine Road Club 02'10.46" @19.52"
79 Larmour,Willy East Antrim CC-Agnew Audi 02'10.70" @19.76"
80 Gott,Andy West Pennine Road Club 02'11.68" @20.74"
81 Brennan,Matthew Ballymena Road Club 02'11.71" @20.77"
82 McMaster,James Team Curran Racing 02'11.88" @20.94"
--- Whitehall,Andrew VC Ecosse 02'11.88" @ s/t
84 Borst,Rene WTOS Delft. Holland 02'11.89" @20.95"
85 McCann,Chris Chain Reaction Cycles-Vitus 02'12.70" @21.76"
86 Meenan,Chris Phoenix CC 02'13.09" @22.15"
87 McHugh,Jason Donegal Four Masters 02'13.41" @22.47"
88 Hey,Peter West Pennine Road Club 02'14.02" @23.08"
89 Rooney,Fergus Phoenix CC 02'14.30" @23.36"
90 McCafferty,Pauric Donegal Four Masters 02'14.62" @23.68"
91 McWilliams,Stephen Phoenix CC 02'14.96" @24.02"
92 Kennedy,Peter East Antrim CC-Agnew Audi 02'15.86" @24.92"
93 Gorman,Gary Stamullen-M Donnelly Fast Ship 02'17.68" @26.74"
94 O`Connor,Frank Stamullen-M Donnelly Fast Ship 02'18.81" @27.87"
95 Barrett,Jack Scotland Under 23 02'18.88" @27.94"
96 Featherstone,Sean Phoenix CC 02'19.05" @28.11"
97 McDermott,Adrian Donegal Four Masters 02'19.17" @28.23"
98 Robinson,Colin Stamullen-M Donnelly Fast Ship 02'19.39" @28.45"
99 Nicell,Andrew VC Ecosse 02'23.22" @32.28"
100 Curran,Liam Team Curran Racing 02'23.74" @32.80"
101 Bankhead,Ryan Ballymena Road Club 02'37.34" @46.40"
102 Dolan,Liam Unattached 02'45.59" @54.65"
