CYCLING/FBD Milk Rás: Bulletproof on Tuesday, off-key on Wednesday, but decidedly on-form for the past two days, Team Ireland Stena Line rider Ciarán Power heads into the cruel heart of the Wicklow mountains this morning with the knowledge that a strong ride will almost certainly seal victory in this year's FBD Milk Rás.
Power carries an advantage of over four minutes on the nearest of his rivals and, with just a one-hour criterium to follow tomorrow, this is the last major battleground of the eight-day International race.
The British rider Chris Newton went into yesterday's 97-mile leg from Dungarvan to Arklow knowing that he had to make inroads into Power's lead to stand a realistic chance of overhauling him today.
Yet, for the second day running, the Irishman rose to the challenge, answering all of Newton's attacks and then finishing fifth into Arklow, just one second behind the Englishman.
The sole source of comfort to the Great Britain team was the stage win of last year's winner Paul Manning, who raced clear alone with just over three kilometres remaining.
Manning crossed the line 11 seconds clear of Newton, with the yellow jersey coming home one second later. In all, they took just over three hours and two minutes to cover the 97 miles, an average speed which the race organisers state was the fastest ever.
"I felt very good today and am happy with how things went," said Power. "I am looking forward to tomorrow's mountain stage, I think I should do a good ride."
Today's stage: Arklow-Baltinglas, 95 miles. Includes the first category climbs of the Devil's Glen, Luggala, Drumgoff and Wicklow Gap.
FBD Milk Rás Stage Six (in memory of Ben McKenna), Dungarvan-Arklow: 1, Paul Manning (Great Britain) 97 miles in 3 hours 2 mins 31 secs; 2, C Newton (Great Britain) at 11 secs; 3, M. Lovatt (Lancaster Compensation Group); 4, H Nowak (Poland Team Legia); 5, C Power (Team Ireland Stena Line); 6, I McLeod (South Africa HSBC); 7, J Tanner (Lancaster Compensation Group); 8, H Pritchard (Wales); 9, A Hojgaard (Denmark Distrikt Jylland Fyn); 10, J Winn (Wales) all same time. Primes: Category 3, the Pike: 1, Pritchard; 2, Winn. International team: 1, Great Britain; 2, Wales. County team: 1, Dublin Skip Hire; 2, Meath Lee Strand Cycleways. Category 2: 1, Frank O'Leary (Dublin Usher Insulation; 2, J Horgan (Cork Stafford Fuels).
General Classification: 1, Power 23 hour 8 mins 21 secs; 2, Newton at 4 mins 3 secs; 3, Hojgaard at 4 mins 32 secs; 4, Nowak at 4 mins 33 secs; 5, Menad at 4 mins 43 secs; 6, Tanner at 4 mins 55 secs; 7, McLeod at 5 mins 12 secs; 8, Lovatt at 5 mins 12 secs; 9, Winn at 11 mins 35 secs; 10, K Dawson (Compensation Group) at 12 mins 8 secs. Points classification: 1, Newton 77 points; 2, Power 60; 3, Nowak 49. Mountains classification: 1, Winn 67. International team: 1, Great Britain. County team: 1, Meath Lee Strand Cycleways. Best under-23 rider (Ben McKenna trophy): 1, Nowak. Category 2: 1, O'Leary.
