The 2012 An Post Rás will take a north-westerly bent this May, visiting Donegal for the first time in five years but reducing its footprint in Munster to one stage between Kilkenny and Gort as a result.

PÁIDÍ O’BRIEN, chasing a stage win all week, turned his attentions to overall victory after yesterday’s sensational fifth stage in the FBD Insurance RÁS which ended in Buncrana.

MART OJAVEE (Estonia Kalev Chocolate) bounced back for a second stage win as Jesse Anthony (US Kodak Gallery) became the first man to retain the race leader’s yellow jersey when stage 4 of the FBD Insurance RÁS to Dungloe developed into another high speed chase.

NORTH American riders took custody of all the important jerseys when the FBD Insurance RÁS arrived in Sligo last evening after a 106-mile stage from Loughrea.

Julia Feilden sent Welsh Touch and Najaaba to Redcar today from her Newmarket base and came within a whisker of pulling off a double at massive odds.

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.

CHRIS NEWTON (Great Britain), the world points champion, is virtually assured of overall victory going into the penultimate stage of the FBD Milk Rás.