ALEXANDER WETTERHALL (Sweden Team Sprocket Pro) left many of the big names scratching their heads in wonderment after he built on his midweek escape to claim overall victory in the FBD Insurance Rás which concluded before a huge crowd that turned out in glorious sunshine in Skerries yesterday.

Alexander Wetterhall (Sweden Team Sprocket Pro) left many of the big names scratching their heads in wonderment after he built on his midweek escape to claim overall victory in the FBD Insurance Rás which concluded before a huge crowd that turned out in glorious sunshine in Skerries today.

ALEXANDER WETTERHALL (Sweden Team Sprocket Pro) hung on to the race leader’s yellow jersey by six seconds as Jon Tiernan-Locke (Britian Rapha Condor Sharp) powered his way to victory at the top of Seskin Hill where a huge crowd gathered to welcome yesterday’s fifth stage of the FBD Insurance Rás.

Jon Tiernan-Locke of the Rapha Condor Sharp team won today’s fifth stage of the FBD Insurance Rás from Tipperary Town to Seskin Hill, Carrick-on-Suir.

JANUARY and February are good months to get away from it all. For two Corkmen, this meant spending two months rowing 5,500km across the Atlantic.

A CORK man who attempted to cross the Atlantic by row boat last year has decided to repeat the exercise in 2010 – in the opposite direction.

DAVID O’LOUGHLIN (An Post/Sean Kelly) attempts to win the Elite road race championship for a fourth time at Dunboyne on Sunday.

Irish company AccountsIQ has announced that Deloitte Australia has today launched an online accounting service to its clients based on the accountsIQ software.

Warring bikers brawled through Australia’s largest airport in Sydney today, beating one suspected gang member to death and brandishing metal poles “like swords” as they rampaged through the main domestic terminal in front of terrified travellers.

Ailing retailer JJB Sports today said it had suspended its chief executive pending an investigation into “certain matters”.

AN attempt by five Irishmen to row across the Atlantic, as part of a 14-man crew, has had to be abandoned after their craft was struck by a mystery object, thought to be a whale.

David Walliams is in mourning after his beloved father lost his battle with liver cancer.

Little Britain star David Walliams is mourning the death of his father, a spokesman said today.

The number of people who have had mortgage applications turned down in Britain has soared by 60% during the past six months, figures showed today.

Peter Williams

THE Martin Donnelly Junior Tour arrived in Carrick-on-Suir last night with no change to the overall positions.

de Batt from Holland has taken over as race leader in the M Donnelly Junior Cycle Tour after a tough second stage, which included the climb up the Vee in Co Tipperary yesterday.

Brown Thomas boss Mr Paul Kelly has been named as the next CEO of British retailing group Selfridge and Co.

British retailers angry at a potential £20m (€28.3m) payout to four directors of store chain Londis were told the controversial scheme was under review.

CASH & carry group Musgrave said it is still interested in acquiring the Londis operation in Britain.

Shares in Selfridges are set for further gains this week as more potential bidders for the department stores group emerged over the weekend.