Austrian Clemens Fankhauser joins elite Rás group

Clemens Fankhauser became just the seventh rider in Rás history to win the race more than once yesterday, the Austria Tirol man riding into sun-baked Skerries adorned in the yellow jersey he claimed last Tuesday in Dingle.

If he was a popular winner two years ago, he was even more so this time despite getting the better of two of Ireland’s most well-liked and highly-regarded riders in Eddie Dunbar and Damien Shaw.

The latter two were fourth and fifth overall, 19 and 58 seconds down after arguably the best edition of the age-old race in recent times.