Kiwi first to line, Belfast rider moves to the top of general classification
Benefiting from work by his An Post Chainreaction Sean Kelly team-mate Sam Bennett, Shane Archbold was quickest of a ten man break which fought it out for stage victory on day two of the An Post Rás yesterday.
The New Zealand rider beat Marcin Bialoblocki (Britain UK Youth Pro Cycling), Jasper De Buyst (Belgium National Team), Peter Hawkins (Britain Team Ig – Sigma Sport), former HTC Highroad pro Rasmus Guldhammer (Denmark Blue Water Cycling) and the other riders in the move to the line in Nenagh.
“I’m thrilled with the win. I was injured at the start of the year and haven’t had too much racing with the way the injury fell, but my form has come good,” he said. “I spent the last three weeks in Holland getting into good shape so it seems to have paid off.
“It was a great team effort today. We missed the vital breakaway yesterday so we were disappointed about that and made sure we had two riders in every breakaway today. Thankfully it worked and we’ll just keep on focusing on stage wins for the rest of the week.”
His manager Kurt Bogaerts underlined this, although he said that the day-by-day approach is one that could lead to overall success anyway. “We will keep going for stages and see how the GC works out as the week goes on,” he stated.
The decisive break went inside the final hour of racing, with Archbold (Belgium An Post Chainreaction Sean Kelly), Samuel Harrison (Great Britain development team), Guldhammer and Lars Vierbergen (Holland Koga Cycling) jumping away from a much larger group with 25 kilometres to go and opened a decent advantage.
The quartet increased to eleven when Bennett, De Buyst, Kenny De Ketele (Belgium National Team), Connor McConvey (Azerbaijan Synergy Baku), Hawkins, Steve Lampier (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing) and Marcin Bialoblocki (Britain Uk Youth Pro Cycling) all closed up.
Lampier punctured inside the final two kilometres, but the others sprinted it out for the stage win. Hawkins was to the fore in fourth place and after gaining a sliver of time over the others yesterday, ended up taking over at the top.
Stage one winner Conor Dunne (Tipperary Carrick Iverk Produce) was caught out by a tactic-filled stage and rolled in as part of the main bunch 46 seconds back. He lost the yellow jersey as a result.
Reacting afterwards, Hawkins was very satisfied. “I think it is probably one of the biggest results I’ve got…tomorrow is going to be one of the best days of my career,” the 21 year old from Belfast told VeloNation (see video below).
“I’m thrilled with the win. I was injured at the start of the year and haven’t had too much racing with the way the injury fell but my form has come good.
“I had a feeling coming into it [the stage] that it might be decisive. It didn’t look like much in the profile but these are the days that can split the Rás, really. I went for one of the sprints yesterday and took a two second bonus, so that I would be up on the overall. I knew that if I was on the same time as some people I would be first out of that group, and that’s what happened.
He will start lumpy 141 kilometre stage to Listowel with a two second advantage over Archbold, Bialoblocki, McConvey and others, while Bennett is six seconds back. “Our goal is to keep riders up there and to chase more stages,” said An Post Chainreaction Sean Kelly manager Kurt Bogaerts. “We’ll see how things work out for the overall classification.”
Hawkins knows that it’s difficult to defend the An Post Rás lead, but is confident in his form and believes he will remain a contender as the race unfolds. “I am not sure if it is going to be the best thing or the worst thing [in terms of winning the overall classification – ed.], but it is great even just for a day. To lead is a dream come true.
“I am feeling strong. I came here to win and I think that there is a good chance that still might be possible.”
How it played out:
In contrast to Sunday’s bright, warm conditions the second stage of the An Post Rás was a more overcast affair, although rain held off during the 160.4 kilometre race from Longford to Nenagh. A total of 178 riders rolled out shortly after 11am, and soon a dozen riders got clear and opened a solid gap.
The rider present were An Post Chainreaction Sean Kelly’s Sam Bennett and Ronan McLaughlin, Tim Mertens (Belgium National Team), Michael Nicolson (Scotland National Team), Jacob Nielsen (Denmark Blue Water Cycling), Lars Vierbergen (Holland Koga Cycling Team), Matt Green (USA Astellas Oncology), Aaron Buggle and his Britain Rapha Condor JLT team-mate Richard Handley, Wouter Sybrandy (Britain Team IG – Sigma Sport), Christian Varley (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing) and James Lowsley Williams (Britain UK Youth Pro Cycling) .
With plenty of horsepower in the move, it was clear that it could go a long way and possibly even to the end of the stage. Mindful of this, Sunday’s runner-up and second overall in the standings Michael Northey (Britain Node4 Giordana) began chasing, along with Daniel Fodor (Denmark Blue Water), Roger Aiken (Louth Prague Charter), Damien Shaw (Cork Aquablue), Charles Prendergast (Ireland Polygon Sweet Nice) and Eoin Morton (Dublin Central UCD).
The latter two lost contact and slipped backwards but the other four continued to press on, aiming to bridge up to the twelve up front. However they were unable to do so and were swallowed up by the peloton.
Approximately 30 kilometres into the stage three others decided to try their chances of bridging. Connor McConvey (Azerbaijan Synergy Baku), Coulton Hartrich (USA Astellas Oncology) and James Moss (Britain IG Sigma Sport) rode hard but were also unsuccessful in regaining time on those out front.
Bennett was best of the break for the day’s first prime, the An Post post office sprint in Ballygar (km 45.7). He crossed the line ahead of Mertens and Green, while several minutes later Damien Shaw (Aquablue) managed to bridge up to the escape. However the bunch was in hot pursuit and brought them all back after 56 kilometres of racing.
More aggression followed and while many of these moves were unsuccessful, Remi Pelletier Roy (Canada) and Tomas Okrouhlicky (Czech Republic AC Sparta Praha) broke the elastic and were soon joined by Roger Aiken (Louth Prague Charter).
The trio swelled to eight out front when Ronan McLaughlin (An Post Chainreaction Sean Kelly), Garrett McLeod (Canada), Edward Laverack (Britain Rapha Condor JLT), Joseph Perrett (Britain IG Sigma Sport) and Fraser Duncan (Dublin West Eurocycles) got across before Ballinasloe, 86 kilometres into the stage and 74 from the finish.
This octet further increased to ten when former HTC Highroad pro Rasmus Guldhammer (Denmark Blue Water) and Lars Vierbergen (Holland Koga Cycling) made it up to the group and continued to grow with the addition of Jacob Rytlewski (USA Astellas Oncology), then Jasper De Buyst (Belgium national team), Moreno De Pauw (Belgium national team) and Joshua Hunt (Britain UK Youth Pro Cycling).
The peloton was 29 seconds back at this point, but couldn’t get closer. This in turn prompted eleven riders to put their heads down and collaborate to try to get across. Sean Downey (Belgium An Post Chain Reaction), Owain Doull (Great Britain National Team), Andreas Mullar (Austria Arbo Gebrder Weiss), Alexander Schrangl (Austria Arbo Gebrder Weiss), Connor McMconvey (Azerbaijan Synergy Baku), Daniel Foder (Denmark Blue Water Cycling), Mark Sehested Pedersen (Denmark Blue Water Cycling), Rodger Shern (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing), Rob Partridge (Britain Uk Youth Pro Cycling), James Lowsley Williams (Britain UK Youth Pro Cycling) and Sean Lacey (Cork Aquablue) were successful and saw the lead group increase to 25 riders.
The peloton was 50 seconds back at this point and with a lack of a coordinated chase, Sunday’s stage winner Conor Dunne (Tipperary Carrick Iverk), Sam Bennett (An Post Chainreaction Sean Kelly) and Michael Cuming (Britain Rapha Condor JLT) were able to jump away and try to do their own chasing move.
The peloton was fragmenting under the pressure, with weaker riders slipping backwards and stronger competitors pushing forward. Sixteen riders succeeded in getting up to the Dunne trio and were 27 seconds back with 42 kilometres remaining. The additions were Shane Archbold (Belgium An Post Chain Reaction), Kenny De Ketele (Belgium National Team), Joseph Kelly (Great Britain National Team), Ben Greenwood (Scotland National Team), Benjamin Edmuller (Austria Arbo Gebrder Weiss), Alexander Schrangl (Austria Arbo Gebrder Weiss), Rico Rogers (Azerbaijan Synergy Baku), Martin Hunal (Czech Republic Ac Sparta Praha), Tomas Holub (Czech Republic Ac Sparta Praha), Jacob Nielsen (Denmark Blue Water Cycling), Philipp Becker (Germany Bike Aid – Schwalbe), Roy Eefting (Holland Koga Cycling Team), Umberto Atzori (Holland Koga Cycling Team), Dan Barry (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing), Richard Tanguy (Britain Uk Youth Pro Cycling) and Finbarr Power (Waterford Comeragh).
They made the junction with 38 kilometres left, but the effort seemed to be to no avail as other riders subsequently bridged and caused the group to become a mini peloton. With the aim of the game being to try to gain time over rivals, the chasing and briding essentially cancelled out any possibly benefits.
Mindful that further pruning of that group was needed, Shane Archbold (Belgium An Post Chainreaction Sean Kelly), Samuel Harrison (Great Britain development team), former HTC Highroad pro Rasmus Guldhammer (Denmark Blue Water) and Lars Vierbergen (Holland Koga Cycling) jumped away with 25 kilometres to go and opened a decent advantage.
The quartet increased to eleven when Sam Bennett (Belgium An Post Chain Reaction), Jasper De Buyst (Belgium National Team), Kenny De Ketele (Belgium National Team), Connor McConvey (Azerbaijan Synergy Baku), Peter Hawkins (Britain Team Ig – Sigma Sport), Steve Lampier (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing) and Marcin Bialoblocki (Britain Uk Youth Pro Cycling) all closed up.
The group size was a lot better, cooperation was improved and with a gap of half a minute with fourteen kilometres to go, things were looking good for the move.
Ronan McLaughlin (Belgium An Post Chain Reaction), Joseph Kelly (Great Britain National Team) , Roy Eefting (Holland Koga Cycling Team) and Joseph Perrett (Britain Team IG – Sigma Sport) tried to get up to them but ran out of firepower. They were mopped up by the main bunch, but it was too little, too late in terms of getting back in contact with the others.
Deciding between them that Archbold had the better legs at the end of the stage, Bennett sacrificed himself for his An Post Chainreaction team-mate, setting him up for the gallop and thus playing a part in his sprint victory over Marcin Bialoblocki (Britain Uk Youth Pro Cycling), Jasper De Buyst (Belgium National Team) and Peter Hawkins (Britain Team IG – Sigma Sport).
Hawkins had pickd up a time bonus Sunday and when the calcuations were done, he ended up in yellow, two seconds ahead of Archbold, Bialoblocki, Connor McConvey (Azerbaijan Synergy Baku) and five others.
Overnight leader and stage one winner Conor Dunne finished in the chasing group 46 seconds back and consequently dropped to twelfth overall, 15 seconds back.
The third stage of the race is a hiller matter, with the 141 kilometre race from Nenagh to Listowel including the second category Bolingbrook climb early on, then the third category ascents of Glenaster and Athea coming towards the finish.
An Post Rás (2.2)
Stage 2, Longford to Nenagh:
1, Shane Archbold (Belgium An Post Chainreaction Sean Kelly) 160 kilometres in 3 hours 23 mins 57 secs
2, Marcin Bialoblocki (Britain Uk Youth Pro Cycling)
3, Jasper De Buyst (Belgium National Team)
4, Peter Hawkins (Britain Team Ig – Sigma Sport)
5, Rasmus Guldhammer (Denmark Blue Water Cycling)
6, Connor Mcconvey (Azerbaijan Synergy Baku)
7, Samuel Harrison (Great Britain National Team)
8, Lars Vierbergen (Holland Koga Cycling Team)
9, Sam Bennett (Belgium An Post Chain Reaction) at 4 secs
10, Kenny de Ketele (Belgium National team) same time
11, Owain Doull (Great Britain National Team) at 46 secs
12, Nicholas Vereecken (Belgium An Post Chain Reaction)
13, Moreno De Pauw (Belgium National Team)
14, Rico Rogers (Azerbaijan Synergy Baku)
15, Roy Eefting (Holland Koga Cycling Team) all same time
An Post post office prime at Ballygar (km 45.7):
1, Sam Bennett (Belgium An Post Chainreaction Sean Kelly)
One Direct and Cuchulainn County rider:
1, Fraser Duncan (Dublin West Eurocycles) 3 hours 24 mins 43 secs
2, Conor Dunne (Tipperary Carrick Iverk Prod.)
3, Sean Lacey (Cork Aquablue) both sametime
International team:
1, Belgium An Post Chainreaction, 10 hours 12 mins 41 secs
2, Beligium national team, 10 hours 12 mins 41 secs
3, Holland Koga Cycling, 10 hours 13 mins 23 secs
4, Great Britain national team, 10 hours 13 mins 23 secs
5, Britain UK Youth Pro Cycling, 10 hours 13 mins 23 secs
County team:
1, Cork Aquablue, 10 hours 15 mins 33 secs
2, Louth Prague Charter, 10 hours 17 mins 32 secs
3, Dublin West Eurocycles, 10 hours 18 mins 56 secs
4, Galway Bay, 10 hours 19 mins 20 secs
5, Dublin South, 10 hours 19 mins 26 secs
Overall Classification After Stage Two:
1, Peter Hawkins (Britain Team IG – Sigma Sport) 6 hours 13 mins 13 secs
2, Shane Archbold (Belgium An Post Chain Reaction) at 2 secs
3, Marcin Bialoblocki (Britain Uk Youth Pro Cycling)
4, Connor McConvey (Azerbaijan Synergy Baku)
5, Rasmus Guldhammer (Denmark Blue Water Cycling)
6, Steve Lampier (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing)
7, Jasper De Buyst (Belgium National Team)
8, Samuel Harrison (Great Britain National Team)
9, Lars Vierbergen (Holland Koga Cycling Team) all same time
10, Sam Bennett (Belgium An Post Chain Reaction) at 6 secs
11, Kenny De Ketele (Belgium National Team) same time
12, Conor Dunne (Tipperary Carrick Iverk Prod.) at 15 secs
13, Roy Eefting (Holland Koga Cycling Team) at 44 secs
14, Martin Hunal (Czech Republic AC Sparta Praha) same time
15, Aaron Buggle (Britain Rapha Condor JLT) at 45 secs
Post office sprints classification:
1, Shane Archbold (Belgium An Post Chain Reaction)
2, Conor Dunne (Tipperary Carrick Iverk Prod.)
3, Marcin Bialoblocki (Britain UK Youth Pro Cycling)
4, Roy Eefting (Holland Koga Cycling Team)
5, Rico Rogers (Azerbaijan Synergy Baku)
One4All Bikes4Work King of the Mountains:
1, Martin Hunal (Czech Republic AC Sparta Praha)
2, Evan Oliphant (Scotland National Team)
3, Rob Partridge (Britain UK Youth Pro Cycling)
4, Connor McConvey (Azerbaijan Synergy Baku)
Massi Ireland county rider:
1, Conor Dunne (Tipperary Carrick Iverk Prod.)
2, Fraser Duncan (Dublin West Eurocycles)
3, Sean Lacey (Cork Aquablue)
4, Roger Aiken (Louth Prague Charter Team)
5, Damien Shaw (Cork Aquablue)
CI category 2:
1, Cathal Moynihan (Waterford Comeragh)
2, James Davenport (Dublin South)
3, Mehall Fitzgerald (Tipperary Visit Nenagh.ie DMG)
4, Mark Quigley (Mayo Centra)
5, David Watson (Down Chain Reaction Cycles)
International team:
1, Belgium An Post Chain Reaction, 18 hours 40 mins 35 secs
2, Belgium national team, at same time
3, Britain Node4 Girodana, at 19 secs
4, Holland Koga Cycling, at 42 secs
5, Great Britain national team, same time
County team:
1, Cork Aquablue, 18 hours 43 mins 27 secs
2, Dublin West Eurocycles, at 3 mins 23 secs
3, Dublin South, at 3 mins 53 secs
4, Tipperary Carrick Iverk Produce, at 4 mins 59 secs
5, Meath Dunboyne DID, at 6 mins 46 secs