Clarke claims yellow jersey in Rás Mumhan
The Clonmel man earned the right to wear the coveted golden fleece when he won last evening’s four-mile time trial in Killorglin in 8 mins 35 secs and that was three seconds faster than one of the big race favourites, Brian Kenneally (myhome.ie/cycleways), who won the title back in 1998.
Clarke, a former bronze medallist at the world track championships was one of the heroes of last year’s FBD Insurance Rás without actually making the podium.
There was disaster for the defending champion, Paul Healion (Murphy & Gunn/Sean Kelly) who missed his start by 31 seconds and ended up on 9:16 which placed him 15th.
Had he not lost time yesterday evening he would have ended up fifth position.
But it is time he can make up with the difficult stages still ahead. While nobody can be discounted in a race that has produced its fair share of surprises in the past, the big contenders ahead of him on GC at this moment are Brian Kenneally and Paul Griffin from Tralee.
Kenneally won all the jerseys — yellow, points and mountains — as well as two stages when he won the title back in 1998 and he has figured in stages every time whenever he took part in the race since. He has won four of his six races this season to underscore his current form.
Paul Griffin who rides for the Giant Asia professional team comes into the race on the back of some big performances on that side of the world including a top 10 placing in the Tour of Taiwan.
He has yet to win this event though he might have two years ago when he went into the final stage wearing the yellow jersey .19 of a second ahead of Eugene Moriarty but, while they were involved in a cat and mouse game, John Dempsey, first stage winner, got away to claim the overall title.
Martin O’Loughlin (Dan Morrissey/Carrick Wheelers), former Irish national team manager chased Paul Healion all the way to the line last year and finished 10th yesterday.
Morgan Fox (Murphy & Gunn/Sean Kelly) was another to impress yesterday finishing seventh in 8:55 while Isaac Spiers of Murphy & Gunn A finished one place ahead of Paul Griffin.
Without making the top 10, Scott McDonald (myhome.ie/cycleways), who came into the race on the back of a big win in Balbriggan a week earlier, also looked impressive.
Cork professional, Siobhan Dervan, the only woman in the race, finished 54th of 78 starters with a time of 9:54. She lines up for one of the toughest stages of her career this morning as she continues her preparation of a series of professional races in Holland next week.
The serious business of stage racing gets under way today with a 100 mile stage that will take in three counties — Kerry, Limerick and Cork — before the finish in Castleisland, outside Garvey’s SuperValu, event sponsors.
“This stage could decide the race,” Aidan Crowley (myhome.ie/Cycleways) warned. “One will have to be alert. On roads like those you could see a group getting away and opening up a five-minute lead.”
Tomorrow’s third stage, sponsored by Pauline Sugrue Auctioneer and Valuer will start and finish in Waterville and visit Cahersiveen, Valentia and Ballinskelligs, incorporating nine KOH primes.
Stage 1 Four Mile TT:
1, R. Clarke (Dan Morrissey/Carrick Wheelers) 8 mins 35 secs; 2, B. Kenneally (myhome.ie/cycleways) at 3 secs; 3, C. Birch (Surrey League) at 6 secs; 4, S. Coughlan (Donamon Dynamos) at 9 secs; 5, I. Speirs (Murphy & Gunn Newlyn A) at 13 secs; 6, P. Griffin (Giant Asia) at 13 secs; 7, M. Fox (Murphy & Gunn/Sean Kelly) at 20 secs; 8, M. Concannon (Killorglin Credit Union) at 23 secs; 9, M. Steed (Hillcrest Hire Kilcullen CC) at 27 secs; 10, M. O’Loughlin (Dan Morrissey Carrick Wheelers) at 31 secs; 11, H. Mulhearne (Dan Morrissey Carrick Wheelers) at 33 secs; 12, E. Moriarty (cycleways) at 36 secs; 13, S. McDonald (cycleways) at 37 secs;14, V. Gleeson (West Clare CC) at 39 secs; 15, P. Healion (Murphy & Gunn/Sean Kelly) 41 secs.
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