Ojavee takes centre stage again in Dungloe
Ojavee, who won the opening stage into Templemore on Sunday, took the stage winner’s jersey and Eugene Moriarty from Listowel returned to the podium to accept the prize as the leading county rider for the second time this week and for the 11th in all.
Moriarty finished ninth on the stage, the second Irishman behind Stephen Gallagher of the Murphy & Gunn/Sean Kelly team, who was sixth.
Moriarty and his team mate, Mark Cassidy, have been going about their business quietly all week — mostly supporting Paidi O’Brien — but their consistency is reflected on the General Classification sheet, where Cassidy lies sixth, on the same time as Paul Griffin, just four seconds off the pace.
Brian Kenneally, the Kilkenny man riding for the Meath Myhome.ie/BDBC team, remains Ireland’s main challenger just two seconds behind Jesse Anthony but Paul Griffin from Tralee, a member of the Ireland/Subway team, is only four seconds down and growing in confidence and stature every day.
Yesterday’s 86-mile stage from Sligo was more eventful than expected with several attacks involving riders likes two-time winner, Chris Newton, Mark Lovatt, a former stage winner who once wore the yellow jersey in he race, and Raymond Clarke from the Tipperary Dan Morrissey team.
All the attacks were dealt with ruthlessly by the US riders who had no hesitation in going to the front to chase everyone down.
It was when a five-man group rode clear and gained an advantage of more than a minute that the alarm signals were sent throughout the bunch which was already under extreme pressure.
In the group were Mark Lovatt of Team Sportscover, Graham Briggs of Britain Stena Line/Recycling.co.uk team, Silvar Kibur from Estonia, Dominique Perras of the US Kelly Benefit Strategies team and Glen Bak, the young Danish cyclist riding for the Ireland Murphy&Gunn/Sean Kelly team who attempted a lone attack later on.
‘‘It was a dangerous group and had a couple of guys we really had to watch,’’ Jesse Anthony said.
They caught the leading group entering Dungloe where they had to contend with some sharp climbs and dangerous bends on the run up to the finish.
Mart Ojavee punched the handlebars in jubilation as he crossed the line in front of Tuesday’s stage winner, Dominique Rollin, and Tomas Hruby of the Czech Republic.
‘‘I was there to help my team-mate Andrei Mustonen but with 200m to go I found that I was in front so I said ‘hell I’ll go for it’ and I did,’’ Ojavee said, admitting that their hopes of winning the overall title were all but gone now.
But that was not the feeling of Jesse Anthony. ‘‘I have never been in this position before,’’ he said. ‘‘It is all so nerve wracking for me in such a difficult race that I am not familiar with.
‘‘I know the next four days are going to be really hard but we are looking forward to that. We did not come here to have an easy race so I am looking forward to the challenge.’’
Today’s 81-mile stage takes the race to Buncrana with the notorious Mamore Gap looming up ahead of them just nine miles from the finish.
