CYCLING/Junior Tour: The young Dutch rider Kai Reus easily retained his race leader's yellow jersey yesterday on the final stage of the M. Donnelly Junior Tour in Waterford.
Given the nature of his two consecutive stage victories last week, it seemed highly unlikely that anyone would be able to dislodge the talented Tempo BMV cyclist and in the end, his competitors seems to content themselves with the fight for stage wins and the minor placings.
Reus made two efforts towards the end of yesterday's 50-mile race to win the stage, and went close. But the South African Juan Van Heeren put in a fine burst of speed to overhaul Reus within sight of the line.
Colm Crawley (Stamullen M. Donnelly) was first of the Irish across the line, placing fifth on the stage while Killarney CC's Richard Maes was sixth.
Saturday's 60-mile leg in Clonmel brought a second stage win for the Ireland Stena Lines team. Kerry rider Theo Hardwick stormed clear with USA's Brad Viera towards the finish and won their two-up gallop, moving up to his eventual finishing position of fifth overall. Barry Woods, who had won the first stage of the race, finished sixth in the overall standings with Maes in 10th.
Meanwhile, in the other classifications, South African Leon Nel won the mountains prize, while Ben Crawforth (London Team) was the best first-year junior. The Tempo BMV Veldhoven squad were first in the team rankings, ahead of Ireland Stena Line.
In Belgium, David O'Loughlin took the biggest win of his career when he rode to victory on the second stage of the pro-am Tour of Namur. Competing against professionals from the Quickstep, Palmans and ABX teams, O'Loughlin got away in a group of eight and then clipped clear inside the final kilometre.
He missed taking yellow by just 4/100ths of a second, but is leading the points classification going into today's stage.
M. Donnelly Junior Tour/Stage 5, Clonmel - Clonmel:
1, Theo Hardwick (Ireland-Stena Line) 60 miles in 2 hours 19 mins 5 secs; 2, B. Viera (Hot Tubes USA) same time; 3, B. Crawforth (London Team) at 9 secs; 4, J. Van Heerden (South Africa B); 5, K. Reus (Tempo BMV Veldhoven B); 6, R. Maes (Killarney); 7, B. Woods (Team Ireland); 8, J. Anthony (Hot Tubes USA).
Stage 6, Waterford:
1, Juan Van Heerden (South African Cycling Academy B); 2, B. Crawforth (London Team); 3, K. Reus (Tempo BMV Veldhoven B);4, M. Cavandish (Dataphonics); 5, C. Crawley (Stamullen M. Donnelly); 6, R. Maes (Killarney CC); 7, B.Woods (Ireland Stena Line); 8, Jesse Anthony (USA). Team: 1, Stamullen M. Donnelly 5 hours 44 mins 24 secs; 2, VC D'Annemasse A; 3, Dataphonics, both same time.
Final overall: 1, Kai Reus (Tempo BMV Veldhoven); 2, J. Anthony (USA) at 2 mins 10 secs; 3, L. Nel (South Africa Cycling Academy) at 2 mins 11 secs; 4, Viera, at 2 mins 28 secs; 5, Hardwick, at 2 mins 29 secs; 6, B. Woods (Ireland Stena Line) at 2 mins 35 secs; 7, Crawforth, at 2 mins 36; 8, R. Muscat (Malta); 9, J. Coppel (VC D'Annemasse A); 10, R. Maes (Killarney) all at 2 mins 37 secs.
Points: 1, Reus, 72; 2, Crawforth, 63; 3, Anthony, 61.
