THE second stage of the An Post Rás from Portumna to Kilrush was just over 101 miles but a stormforce headwind turned it into a real test of endurance and if ever there was a worthy stage winner, it was Gediminas Bagdonas, a member of the An Post/Sean Kelly team while Shane Archbold of the New Zealand National Team took the race leader’s yellow jersey.

DEAN DOWNING (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp) claimed the first An Post Rás raceleader’s yellow jersey when he edged out Sam Bennett(Belgium An Post M. Donnelly Grant Thornton Sean Kelly) in a ferocious bunch sprint into Portumna yesterday.

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.

STEPHEN GALLAGHER (An Post/Sean Kelly/Martin Donnelly) set out from Ballinamore yesterday morning hoping for a stage win, but by last night he had introduced an exciting new dimension to this year’s FBD Insurance Rás by claiming the race leader’s yellow jersey in a three-man sprint into Claremorris.

LAST October Ken Hanson came over from California to visit his aunt and cousins in Leitrim and yesterday his relations were celebrating his return to the county of his ancestry as he claimed the first yellow jersey of this year’s FBD Insurance Rás in Ballinamore.