RACE leader Alexander Wetterhall (Team Sprocket Pro) is bracing himself for another tough day of climbing as today’s penultimate stage of the FBD Insurance Rás takes the riders into the Wicklow Mountains.

NEW leader, Alexander Wetterhall (Sweden Team Sprocket Pro), will wear the yellow jersey when the FBD Insurance Rás arrives at the top of Seskin Hill tomorrow, but it would take a big prediction to identify the possible leader when the race departs the spiritual home of cycling.

Maximillian May of the German Thuringer Energie team claimed today’s fourth stage of the FBD Insurance Rás from Oughterard, Co. Galway to Tipperary Town.

Mayoman David O’Loughlin crowned one of the highlights of his career with a stunning stage win in the FBD Insurance Rás into Oughterard, Co Galway today.

CHRIS NEWTON, who won the overall title twice, will join last year’s champion Simon Richardson, and the 2008 winner, Stephen Gallagher, on the line for next month’s FBD Insurance Rás.

LANCE ARMSTRONG wants to conquer St Patrick’s Hill in Cork and he will he will grab the opportunity when the Tour of Ireland finishes in the city on August 23.

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.

CHRIS NEWTON has the opportunity to join the legends of cycling over the coming week by winning the FBD Insurance Rás for a third time and John Herety, manager of the British Rapha Condor team, admitted on the eve of Irish cycling’s showpiece that the former world champion and three-time Olympic medallist has that as his ambition.

CHRIS NEWTON can join a handful of legends who have won the FBD Insurance Rás three times when he lines up for the 2009 edition in Kilcullen next Sunday.

BRIAN KENNEALLY has recovered from his third win in the Kerry Group Rás Mumhan, but has not yet decided if he will contest the Shay Elliott Memorial in Bray next Sunday when he could opt for the big race down south, the Bill Hyland Memorial in Clonmel.

NICOLAS ROCHE bids to succeed in one of the few races his famous father, Stephen, failed to win when he lines up for the national road race championship in Waterford on Sunday.