‘Driven’ Power makes point with opening stage victory

CIARÁN POWER (Pezula Racing) may have been dumped on the scrapheap when the Sports Council were handing out their grants to elite sports people, but he was at the top of the pile yesterday evening when he won the opening stage of the Pauline Sugrue Auctioneers Rás Mumhan into Killorglin.

The two-time Olympian rode clear of a four-man leading group — remnants of an earlier breakaway group of nine — to win the stage, 14 seconds ahead of the other three and immediately insisted he had made the trip to Killorglin not just to win the race but to make a statement.

“I did not get a grant this year from the Sports Council and to say that I was disappointed would be an understatement,” he said. “But what I found even more annoying was the fact that Cycling Ireland would not even forward my appeal. Every time I ride a race I am driven by that and every time I win I will make a point of it.”

This was a power-packed display by the Waterford man. He launched the first attack of the day just two miles into the stage and went on to dominate the race of 87 riders from five nations over a tough 45 mile route that was punctuated by the notorious second category climb at Farmers Bridge.

Mark Cassidy of the An Post/Sean Kelly Academy team was quick to join him on his crusade along with Sean Lacey from Tralee, riding for the Eurocycles team.

When they reached Fossa they had a gap of 20 seconds on a chasing group with the main bunch another 25 seconds further back.

Cassidy punctured but, with the main bunch closely packed, service had little chance of getting through and the An Post team manager, Kurt Boegart, issued instructions to Ronan McLaughlin to come to his aid.

By the time the exchange was completed the main bunch had driven past and Cassidy had to ride hard to get up to them at Ballydowney Roundabout.

At this point there was a group of seven riders chasing the two leaders and they merged after 16 miles.

The group was now comprised of Power, Lacey, Isaac Spiers (An Post), Micheal Concannon (Killorglin Credit Union), Power’s team-mates Cameron Jennings from Australia and Derek Burke from Tuam, Gary Dodd (Surrey League) Maurice O’Brien (Kanturk Credit Union) and Dutch rider Tino Haakman (Forte Junie Translations).

Facing the category four climb at Farranfore they had a lead of 1:10 and here Power laid first claim to the Mountains jersey, followed over the top by Jennings and Maurice O’Brien.

After Jennings had lost touch, Maurice O’Brien, Derek Burke, Micheal Concannon and Garry Dodd regrouped on the descent to form a chasing group. They were never going to catch the leaders and, after passing through Milltown with about 5k left, Power made the decisive move.

Having represented Ireland in both the Sydney and Athens Olympics, when he achieved the highest ever placing by an Irish rider in the Olympic road race, he said he would like to have a go again.

“The problem is that they have not yet come out with a criteria,” he said. “I have been hearing since December that it is coming out next week but still nothing has appeared and it is difficult to aim for something when you don’t have a criteria for it.”

Today’s 83 mile stage starts in Killorglin and will have a Hot Spot sprint outside the home of the legendary Ras winner, Mick Murphy, visiting Valentia and the Glen, before finishing in Cahersiveen.

Waterville will host the start and finish tomorrow when the 62 mile stage will incorporate two first category climbs at Bealach Beama and Bealach Oisin.