PAUL HEALION (Ireland National Team) put down an important marker along the road to London 2012 by beating some of the world’s top sprinters for the stage victory when the FBD Insurance Rás arrived in Castlebar yesterday.

SAM BENNETT (Tipperary Dan Morrissey) was back up in the thick of the action as Nicholas Walker (Australia Cinelli-Down Under) outsprinted Jaan Kirsipuu (Norway Giant-Veolia) and Monday’s stage winner, Ian Wilkinson (Britain Halfords Bike Hut) for stage glory when the FBD Insurance Rás produced another explosive finish in Scariff yesterday evening.

NICHOLAS WALKER (Australia Cinelli-DownUnder) was the surprise stage winner and Simon Richardson (Britain Rapha Condor) took the race-leader’s yellow jersey, but it was young Sam Bennett (Tipperary Dan Morrissey) who turned in the performance of the day to finish sixth in the uphill sprint when the FBD Insurance Rás arrived in Killorglin last evening.

JAAN KIRSIPUU powered his way up the finishing straight to thrill the fans who thronged Cahirciveen at the end of the longest stage in this year’s FBD Insurance Rás yesterday.