Angus Fyffe beat his six breakaway men to win the opening stage of the AmberGreen Energy Tour of Ulster this afternoon. The Irish U23 international might have been an underdog coming into the race but he upstaged many more experienced men. Above, competing in the colours of Omagh earlier this season (Photo: Sean Rowe)
By Brian Canty
Angus Fyffe has won the opening stage of the AmberGreen Energy Tour of Ulster and will wear the first leader’s jersey of this year’s race.
The Tyrone Image Express rider galloped home for the biggest win of his career after besting his six breakaway companions following an epic opening stage.
The leading group were all men of real quality, with Sean Lacey and Conor Hennebry (both Aquablue), Eoin Morton (UCD-Fitzcycles.ie), Mark Dowling (ASEA-Wheelworx), Christopher McGlinchey (Ballymoney CC Biesty's Centra) and Craig McAuley (Caldwell Cycles Omagh) there.
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The stage, which started and finished in Moy, Co Tyrone, took the riders on a 140-kilometre journey over six categorised climbs.
An aggressive start was always likely as the first KOH came after 38 kilometres at Pomeroy.
And not unexpectedly a group went off the front with Marcus Christie (Omagh Wheelers CC), David Hamilton (North Down CC), Matteo Cigala (Team Aquablue), Eoin Morton (UCD FitzCycles) and Roger Aiken (Dunboyne Cycling Club) present.
However, not content with that, the bunch shut that one down and that provoked a fresh wave of attacks.
Eventual winner Fyffe was next to try his luck and he managed a brief stint up the road with Sean McKenna (Aquablue) but that too was hauled back.
Gareth McKee (Banbridge Cycling Club) was one rider who really impressed in the early stages and tried time and again to get clear.
Though he never made the most decisive break, he did take the KOH points on the opening two climbs, those being the aforementioned Pomeroy and Whitesbridge.
McKenna attacked the field and went clear on his own prior to the third KOH and he would stay clear over the top to take maximum points.
And on the descent he was joined by Colm Cassidy (Comeragh Cycling Club), Joseph Breheny (UCD FitzCycles), Ryan Reilly (Foyle Racing Team) and Fyffe.
They never really pulled out a significant gap and starting the fourth climb of the day with 80 kilometres gone there was a reshuffling of sorts as the hard roads began to take their toll.
Mark Dowling (Asea Wheelworx), Eoin Morton (UCD FitzCycles) and Seán Lacey (Team Aquablue) began to impose themselves and were soon joined by Christopher McGlinchey (Ballymoney CC Biesty's Centra), Craig McAuley (Caldwell Cycles Omagh) and Ronan McLaughlin (Foyle Racing Team).
Dowling would take the fourth KOH at Sion Finn followed by Morton and Lacey and by this stage, there were seven up front as those groups merged and were joined by Christie and Fyffe.
And bumping it up to 11 were latecomers Darnell Moore (Caldwell Cycles Omagh) and Conor Hennebry (Team Aquablue).
Finally, the gap went out to over a minute but there was plenty action behind too as the bunch split, with around 10 riders breaking off the front and being trailed by around a similar number.
And the splitting continued in the front group with the final selection coming at the 20k to-go mark.
Dowling (Asea Wheelworx), McGlinchey (Ballymoney CC Biesty's Centra), McAuley (Caldwell Cycles Omagh), Fyffe (Tyrone Image Express), Hennebry (Team Aquablue), Lacey (Team Aquablue) and Eoin Morton (UCD FitzCycles) were the men who pressed on, leaving the others behind.
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Hennebry took the final KOH of the day and the savage pace-setting by the seven up front saw them come into the final five kilometres with a staggering two minutes on a chase-group of 12.
Morton made a huge effort inside the final kilometre but he was pegged back and a moment of hesitation allowed Fyffe snatch victory.
Tomorrow's stage is 160 kilometres and also features six stinging climbs,
Tour of Ulster Stage 1
Angus Fyffe (Tyrone Image Express)
General Classification
Angus Fyffe (Tyrone Image Express)
Climbers' Classification
1 Mark Dowling (Asea Wheelworx) 46
2 Eoin Morton (UCD FitzCycles) 36
3 Gareth McKee (Banbridge Cycling Club) 30
4 Christopher McGlinchey (Ballymoney CC Biesty's Centra) 26
4. Conor Hennebry (Team Aquablue) 26
Cat 3 Pomeroy, 24.1 miles
1 Gareth McKee (Banbridge Cycling Club) 10
2 Christopher McGlinchey (Ballymoney Biesty's Centra) 7
3 Ian Richardson (UCD FitzCycles) 5
Cat 2 Whitebridge, 31.0 miles
1 Gareth McKee (Banbridge Cycling Club) 15
2 Christopher McGlinchey (Ballymoney CC Biesty's Centra) 11
3 Craig Rea (Phoenix CC) 8
4 Marcus Christie (Omagh Wheelers CC) 6
Cat 3 Ballymackleroy, 39.0 miles
1 Sean McKenna (Team Aquablue) 10
2 Eoin Morton (UCD FitzCycles) 7
3 Gareth McKee (Banbridge Cycling Club) 5
Cat 1 Sion Finn, 54.4 miles
1 Mark Dowling (Asea Wheelworx) 20
2 Eoin Morton (UCD FitzCycles) 15
3 Seán Lacey (Team Aquablue) 11
4 Craig McAuley (Caldwell Cycles Omagh) 8
5 Ronan McLaughlin (Foyle Racing Team) 6
Cat 2 Rehaghy, 77.7 miles
1 Mark Dowling (Asea Wheelworx) 15
2 Conor Hennebry (Team Aquablue) 11
3 Eoin Morton (UCD FitzCycles) 8
4 Seán Lacey (Team Aquablue) 6
Cat 2 Stiloga, 85.2 miles
1 Conor Hennebry (Team Aquablue) 15
2 Mark Dowling (Asea Wheelworx) 11
3 Christopher McGlinchey (Ballymoney CC Biesty's Centra) 8
4 Eoin Morton (UCD FitzCycles) 6
