Estonian triumphs in thrilling Rás opener

THE last time Mart Ojavee contested the FBD Insurance RÁS, he was supporting an Estonian team-mate.

But yesterday he claimed all the glory and his first yellow jersey of the race when he won an exciting bunch sprint, fought out in glorious sunshine and a perfect setting in Templemore.

He had to share the limelight with Banteer’s pocket rocket, Páidi O’Brien from the young Murphy&Gunn/Sean Kelly-sponsored Ireland team, who grabbed second place in spectacular fashion, with former world junior champion Mark Scanlon, of the Ireland Subway/Eat Well team, fifth.

The 23-year-old Cork man’s insisted afterwards he was very disappointed that he had not won the stage.

“I was very disappointed,” he said. “Everything had gone so well for me. My team had worked really hard and done everything right. Stephen Gallagher got me into a perfect position with a kilometre to go.”

Ojavee, however, proved strongest as he edged out the diminutive Irishman as they battled Petr Pucelik from the Czech Republic and Dominique Rollin from the USA Kodak team.

It was a dramatic finish to an interesting stage that exploded when a group of six riders escaped shortly after the start in Naas. They had a lead of 30 seconds at Newbridge, where Andrei Mustonen from Estonia claimed the first Hot Spot points of the day to put him into race leadership on the road.

Simon Kelly, from Galway, a team-mate of Páidi O’Brien, was also in the breakaway group, along with Ricardo Van der Velde from Holland, Jesse Anthony from the USA, Michael Johansen from Denmark and Ondrej Pavek from the Czech Republic.

At Newbridge they still had a 30-second lead on the main bunch and this was increased to two minutes when Jesse Anthony led them over The Cut. It would eventually reach 2:39 before the bunch went to work and when they passed through Templemore to begin a 25-mile circuit, it diminished fast. They were caught with 10 miles to go to set up one of the most exciting stage finishes in recent years.

In the end, the bonus for stage victory has Ojavee in the yellow jersey with a three-second advantage over Van der Velde, with Páidi O’Brien a further second back, but the Estonian was not sure about defending the leadership.

“My team-mate, Andrei Mustonen would be more likely to take the yellow jersey,” he said. “He was in the leading group all day but then he had mechanical trouble in the last kilometre and he lost his position.

“He would be stronger than me in the mountains. I will be hoping to win another stage.”

“It is very early days yet,” Páidi O’Brien said. “But we’ll see what happens. My team is riding very well.”

This is his fourth time taking part in the race and his previous best stage placing was eighth in 2004, when he was riding for Dan Curtin’s Kanturk Credit Union team with whom he launched his career.

Jesse Anthony from Beverley, Massachusetts is in the mountains jersey. “A stage win is my big goal,” he said.

Today’s 91-mile stage will take the race from Templemore to Loughrea.