CHRIS NEWTON (Recycling.co.uk) faces the most crucial and difficult stage of the FBD Insurance Ras tomorrow when the survivors head for the Wicklow Mountains, but the talented English cyclist is already poised to lift the George Plant Trophy for a second time.

CHRIS NEWTON (Recycling.co.uk) maintained leadership of the FBD Insurance RAS with Malcolm Elliott (Yorkshire Trinity Capital) still the closest challenger after yesterday’s stage.

CHRIS NEWTON, the 2003 winner, took custody of the race leader’s yellow jersey at the end of yesterday’s second stage of the FBD Insurance RAS.

ROGER AIKEN (Louth Safe Cycling), who turned 24 three days earlier, got a belated birthday present yesterday in the form of his first ever stage win as the FBD Insurance RAS got under way with an 84 mile stage from Dublin to Emyvale.

Murphy and Gunn’s Malcolm Elliott may have taken the stage win in a Phoenix Park sprint finish, but the spoils went to Belfast amateur David McCann as he claimed his first ever FBD Milk Rás title this evening, crossing the finish in the main field.

DAVID McCANN finally earned himself a place among Irish cycling's legends by claiming victory in this year's FBD Milk Ras, fulfilling an ambition he harboured since he was runner-up to Tommy Evans eight years ago.

DAVID O’LOUGHLIN produced a sensational performance to claim victory at the top of Seskin Hill but the yellow jersey of the FBD Milk Ras remains, and only just, with Slovenian Valter Bonca.

MALCOLM ELLIOTT, the doyen of British sprinters, finally achieved his stage victory when he won the big bunch sprint into Millstreet yesterday.

DAVID McCANN finally got just reward for his endeavours all week when he won yesterday’s marathon fourth stage of the FBD Milk Rás that took the riders from Charleville to Caherciveen with a first brief but testing visit to the Kerry mountains.

DERMOT NALLY, who has spent all of his racing career in Spain, made a dramatic return to his native Cork yesterday when he screamed into Charleville to win the third stage of the FBD Milk Rás.

VICTORY on the FBD Milk Rás came earlier than expected for Stefan Cohnen.

DAVID O’LOUGHLIN and David McCann are hitting top form but Irish team manager Frank Campbell yesterday said this year’s FBD Milk Rás will be the toughest yet for Irish riders.

DAVID O’LOUGHLIN aims to enhance his prospects of making the Irish Olympic cycling team with a podium finish in next week’s FBD Milk Rás.

TEAM Bianchi Nordid, one of the most powerful cycling teams in Scandinavia, will contest next month’s FBD Milk Rás.

CHRIS NEWTON (Great Britain), runner-up to Ciaran Power 12 months earlier, may not have been in race-winning form coming into this year’s FBD Milk Rás, but the world points champion could not hide his excitement as he left Dublin with the overall title last evening after a dramatic week.

CIARAN POWER may have gone into this year’s FBD Milk Rás as the defending champion but he achieved his main goal for this year yesterday by landing a stage win in a ferocious sprint into Ballina to end an eventful 93-mile third stage from Clifden.