CYCLING TOUR OF IRELANDQUADRUPLE TOUR de France stage victor Mark Cavendish underlined the strong quality of the field in this year's Tour of Ireland when he rocketed to a stage win and the first yellow jersey of the race yesterday.
The 23-year-old Isle of Man rider fought back after getting into difficulty on the climbs near the end of the 192-kilometre stage to Waterford, then thundered to the finish line ahead of Julian Dean (Garmin Chipotle), Alexander Kristoff (Joker Bianchi), Boy Van Poppel (Rabobank) and the rest of the peloton. This earned him his 14th victory of the season.
Local favourite Ciarán Power was best of the Irish riders in 19th, with compatriots Dan Martin (Garmin Chipotle H30), Stephen Gallagher and Mark Cassidy (both An Post M Donnelly Grant Thornton Seán Kelly) and Roger Aiken (Irish national team) also finishing in the main bunch after what was an unexpectedly tough opening stage. Belgian Kurt de Schrooder of the Irish-registered An Post M Donnelly Grant Thornton Seán Kelly team was sixth.
Cavendish, who won four stages in this year's Tour de France, was very happy with the result. He was helped greatly by his Columbia team, firstly in controlling the gains of the breakaway and then also in helping him back to the bunch after he got dropped on the lumpy run-in to the finish.
"I was very pleased with the team performance today," he said after the finish. "My form is not so good after just travelling back from Beijing [he rode the Olympic track madison there], so it just shows how you need such a strong team behind you.
"I think we have shown all year how strong we are as a team, and to come to Ireland and do that is perfect. To come away with the yellow jersey after the first stage is even better."
The stage was marked by a four-man breakaway move which began around Laragh, 37 kilometres after the official start near Dundrum. Travis Meyer (SouthAustralia.com), David George (MTN South Africa) and Irish rider Martyn Irvine (Pezula) built a 15-second advantage and were joined soon after by Matt Wilson (Team Type 1).
The quartet worked well together and by the time Irvine won the An Post hot-spot sprint in Rathdrum (km 48.7), they were seven minutes 20 seconds clear. This went up to the maximum lead of seven minutes 43 seconds 70 kilometres into the stage.
Irvine was clearly suffering on the hills and finally lost contact on the run up to the day's category-one climb of Mount Leinster, where Wilson beat George for the prime and started the run of points gathering which would see him end the day in the King of the Mountains jersey.
Wilson and Meyer then pushed on ahead but were eventually hauled back inside the final 10 kilometres, ensuring a big bunch sprint and Cavendish's 14th victory of the season.
Thanks to the time bonuses, Cavendish ended the day four seconds ahead of Kristoff and a further one up on Dean. He said he will attempt to defend the lead for as long as is possible.
"Even if I don't come away with the final yellow jersey, I am pretty confident that one of my team-mates can do it anyway. We will see how it goes."
The 2.1-ranked international race continues today with an undulating 158-kilometre stage from Thurles to Loughrea.
Today's route 158km
Liberty Square, Thurles11.20am
Mauherslieve12.05pm
Silvermines12.27pm
Portroe12.44pm
Terryglass13.28pm
Portumna13.40pm
Circuit Entry, Loughrea14.20pm
The Courthouse, Loughrea14.39pm
