Paidi O’Brien stands out on tough day of cycling at Rás Mumhan

Paidi O’Brien won yesterday’s opening stage of the Kerry Group Rás Mumhan after an absolutely bruising day that saw many riders lose over 10 minutes.

The Osbourne Meats-McCarthy Cycles man won from a hectic sprint of around 100 riders and he holds the leader’s yellow jersey.

On the 106-kilometre opener which featured three testing climbs, the Banteer rider beat Harry Tanfield of Condor-JLT and Dutchman Bram Imming (Combilift-West frisia) but played down suggestions he can win overall.

“I don’t think it’s possible,” the former Sean Kelly/An Post rider said as he was swarmed by friends and teammates.

“It’s just a great thing that we’ve taken the first stage and will get to wear the yellow jersey for one day anyway.

“We said coming down we wanted to get something from the weekend, be it a stage or a jersey and to get both on the first day is brilliant.

“We’re a small team, one of the smallest in the race and it’s brilliant for our sponsors to be able to give them something back. I’m delighted for them.”

O’Brien has been one of the best domestic riders for more than a decade and though he has won six stages here over the years, he has never won the race outright.

“And I don’t think that will change this weekend.

“I’d need to be very lucky to hold this until Monday. There’s a lot of racing still to be done yet.”

As expected, the race began at a ferocious pace, despite a strong headwind all the way back to Killarney.

Several small groups tried to jump clear off the front even before Killarney, but with the bunch regularly tipping 55kph on the flat every sally off the front was absorbed.

Turning left for Tralee at the roundabout and it was Sean McKenna of the Irish National Team and Roger Aiken (Team ASEA) who had a brief period out front.

And even though they were joined by Eoin Morton (UCD CC), they too were hauled back.

Then followed the day’s big split. With the field lined out in pursuit of a new trio that had broken clear – Luke Grivell Mellor (Condor-JLT), Daniel Stewart (Irish National Team) and Ruben Dorren (Combilift West Frisia) – the 190-strong peloton split roughly in half.

The second group would lose time hand over fist as the stage progressed as the battle up front gathered pace.

Sean Hahessy (Irish National Team) and Robin Kelly (Waterford Racing Team) went clear with 30 kilometres to go in a brave bid for glory but they too were pulled back.

That paved the way for the bunch sprint that O’Brien would always have been favoured to take.

Today’s stage takes the riders on a very difficult loop from Kenmare over the Healy Pass, Glengarriff, Ballyvourney and back to Kenmare via the County Bounds and Kilgarvan.

Stage One, Rás Mumhan

1 Paidi O’Brien (Osbourne Meats-McCarthy Cycles)

2 Harry Tanfield (Condor-JLT Cycles)

3 Bram Imming (Combilift-West Frisia)