Racing clear in an eight man group approximately 40 kilometres into the stage then, 118 kilometres later, going up against all but one of those riders in the final gallop to the line, Swiss rider Pirmin Lang (Atlas Jakroo) sped into Gort to win stage two of the An Post Rás on Monday.
He beat Dale Appleby (Britain East Midlands Metaltek), James Moss (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing) and four others to the line. Connor McConvey was best of the Irishmen in seventh, while his An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly team-mate Sam Bennett led in the main bunch 28 seconds later.
The 27 year old Lang took over race leadership from stage one winner Marcin Bialoblocki (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing), who finished as part of the main bunch 28 seconds back. The Polish rider consequently dropped to eighth overall, but his deficit of twelve seconds means that he is still in the running.
Lang’s triumph came despite what seemed to be an effective chase by the main bunch. It reduced the break’s lead from almost four minutes to 56 seconds with nine kilometres to go, prompting some predictions of a big bunch sprint, yet the break managed to hold on.
“My legs were okay and I felt very well,” a pleased Lang said afterwards. “I hoped that the breakaway would come through. It worked out. My legs were spinning well and I hoped for a good sprint.”
Although the bunch was chasing hard, he said that he believed that his group had a chance if they continued to work well. “With three kilometres to go we got the wind from behind and I knew that we could do it.”
The stage started in Kilkenny in bright sunshine and featured numerous attacks. Each were short-lived, but then the move of the day went approximately 40 kilometres in. The eight riders present were Lang, Appleby, Moss, McConvey, Christian Jerslid Jensen (Denmark Blue Water Cycling), Richard Handley (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp), Dan Craven (Britain Team IG - Sigma Sport) and Richard Tanguy (Britain UK Youth Cycling).
Six others set off in pursuit, with Graeme Hatcher (Isle of Man) beginning the chase when he was almost a minute back. Sean Lacey (Carlow Dan Morrissey Speedy Spokes) and Simon Ryan (Tipperry DMG Visit Nenagh) got up to him, then Conor McAllister (Antrim Chain Reaction), Robin Kelly (Carlow Dan Morrissey Speedy Spokes) and Patrick Clarke (Mayo Castlebar Western Edge) also bridged.
They chased hard but eight kilometres after the day’s first climb Coonmore (km 75), which was taken by Craven, the six were one minute 55 seconds back. The main bunch was three minutes 55 in arrears. They were the biggest gaps, with both starting to reduce after that point.
The chasers were caught soon after going through Killaloe (km 106), while the bunch continued to draw closer to the leading group, which had lost a fatiguing Tanguy. From that point on four climbs remained and those out front scrapped for the King of the Mountains points, while also trying to remain clear of the peloton.
The duel came down to Handley versus Craven, with the former beating the latter at Ogonnelle (km 114) and Lecarrow (km 131.5), netting second to Moss at Aylebaun (km 134.5), but then finishing second to Craven at Killanena (km 142).
The points gathered would see Craven take the lead in the mountains classification, two years after he led the race.
The peloton was chasing hard in this time and for some time appeared on course to bring the move back. Former race winner David McCann was one of the most active in the chase and helped reduce the gap. However, the momentum stalled inside the final eight kilometres and the break survived, hitting the line 28 seconds clear. Lang beat Appleby, Moss and the other four, while Sam Bennett (An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly) led in the peloton.
His team-mate Gediminas Bagdonas was one place further back and took over the green jersey. Handley missed out on the mountains jersey but took over the top of the Under 23 ranking.
The race continues Tuesday with a lumpy race to Westport. It includes the second category Gowlaun and first category Maumtrasna in the final 50 kilometres of racing and, with the six of the breakaway riders on the same time as Lang, some very aggressive racing can be expected.
An Post Ras stage 2, Kilkenny to Gort:
1, Pirmin Lang (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) 158 kilometres in 3 hours 33 mins 47 secs
2, Dale Appleby (Britain East Midlands Metaltek)
3, James Moss (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing)
4, Christian Jerslid Jensen (Denmark Blue Water Cycling)
5, Dan Craven (Britain Team IG - Sigma Sport)
6, Richard Handley (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp)
7, Connor McConvey (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly) all same time
8, Sam Bennett (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly) at 28 secs
9, Gediminas Bagdonas (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly)
10, Remi Sarreboubee (France AVC Aix En Provence)
11, Rolf Nyborg Broge (Denmark Blue Water Cycling)
12, Richard Lang (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp)
13, Krister Hagen (Norway Oneco- Mesterhus)
14, Ben Grenda (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp)
15, Adam Armstrong (Dublin West Eurocycles) all same time
Primes:
An Post Prime: Freshford (km 10.5)
1, Remi Sarreboubee (France AVC Aix En Provence)
An Post Prime: Urlingford (km 15.5)
1, Roy Eefting (Netherlands Koga Cycling)
KOM category 3 at Coonmore (km 75):
1, Dan Craven (Britain IG Sigma Sport) 5pts
2, Pirmin Lang (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) 4
3, Connor McConvey (An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly) 3
4, Richard Handley (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp) 1
KOM cat 3 at Ogonnelle (km 114):
1, Richard Handley (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp) 5
2, Dan Craven (Britain IG Sigma Sport) 4
3, Pirmin Lang (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) 3
4, Connor McConvey (An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly) 1
KOM Category 3 at Lecarrow (km 131.5):
1, Richard Handley (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp) 5
2, Dan Craven (IG Sigma Sport) 4
3, Pirmin Lang (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) 3
4, Dale Appleby (Britain East Midlands Metaltek) 1
KOM Category 3 at Aylebaun (km 134.5):
1, James Moss (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing) 5
2, Richard Handley (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp) 4
3, Pirmin Lang (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) 3
KOM Category 3 at Killanena (km 142)
1, Dan Craven (Britain Team IG - Sigma Sport) 5
2, Richard Handley (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp) 4
3, Connor McConvey (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly) 3
4, James Moss (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing) 1
Cuchulainn Crystal county rider:
1, Adam Armstrong (Dublin West Eurocycles)
International team:
1, Belgium An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly, 10 hours 42 mins 17 secs
2, Britain Rapha Condor Sharp
3, Denmark Blue Water Cycling
4, Britain Node4 Girodana
5, Switzerland Atlas Jakroo, all same time
County team:
1, Dublin West Eurocycles, 10 hours 42 mins 45 secs
2, Carlow Dan Morrissey Speedy Spokes, same
3, Tipperary Carrick Iverk Produce, at 3 mins 14 secs
4, Tipperary DMG Visit Nenagh, at 5 mins 56 secs
5, Mayo Castlebar Western Edge, at 6 mins 12 secs
General classification after stage 2:
1, Pirmin Lang (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) 3 hours 33 mins 47 secs
2, Dale Appleby (Britain East Midlands Metaltek)
3, James Moss (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing)
4, Richard Handley (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp)
5, Connor McConvey (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly)
6, Dan Craven (Britain Team IG - Sigma Sport)
7, Christian Jerslid Jensen (Denmark Blue Water Cycling) all same time
8, Marcin Bialoblocki (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing) at 12 secs
9, Jacob Nielsen (Denmark Blue Water Cycling) at 18 secs
10, Nicolas Baldo (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) at 20 secs
11, Gediminas Bagdonas (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly) at 22 secs
12, Simon Richardson (Britain Team IG - Sigma Sport) at 24 secs
13, Philip Lavery (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing) at 25 secs
14, Remi Sarreboubee (France AVC Aix En Provence) at 26 secs
15, Martin Hunal (Czech Republic AC Sparta Praha) same time
Post Office sprints:
1, Gediminas Bagdonas (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly) 17pts
2, Pirmin Lang (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) 16
3, Marcin Bialoblocki (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing) 15
4, Dale Appleby (Britain East Midlands Metaltek) 14
5, Jacob Nielsen (Denmark Blue Water Cycling) 14
One4All Bikes4Work King of the Mountains:
1, Dan Craven (Britain Team IG - Sigma Sport) 23
2, Richard Handley (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp) 20
3, David Clarke (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing) 13
4, Pirmin Lang (Switzerland Atlas Jakroo) 13
5, Gediminas Bagdonas (Belgium An Post Sean Kelly) 10
Irish Sports Council U23:
1, Richard Handley (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp) 6 hours 42 mins 57 secs
2, Christian Jerslid Jensen (Denmark Blue Water Cycling) same
3, Philip Lavery (Britain Node4 Giordana Racing) at 25 secs
4, Ben Grenda (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp) at 28 secs
5, Cameron Karwowski (New Zealand National Team) same time
CI category 2:
1, Keith Walls (Meath Stamullen MartinDonnelly) 6 hours 43 mins 25 secs
2, Art MacManusa (Dublin South UCD) at 1 min 37 secs
3, John O'Shea (Tipperary Carrick IverkProduce) same time
4, Michael Butler (Tipperary DMG Visit Nenagh) at 2 mins 58 secs
5, Ciaran O'Sullivan (Antrim Chain Reaction Cycles) same
Fitz Cycles county rider:
1, Adam Armstrong (Dublin West Eurocycles) 6 hours 43 mins 25 secs
2, Aaron Buggle (Carlow Dan Morrissey Speedy)
3, Tim Barry (Carlow Dan Morrissey Speedy)
4, Ryan Sherlock (Tipperary Carrick IverkProduce)
5, Sean Lacey (Carlow Dan Morrissey Speedy)
County team:
1, Carlow Dan Morrissey Speedy Spokes, 20 hours 10 mins 15 secs
2, Dublin West Eurocycles, same time
3, Tipperary Carrick Iverk Produce, at 3 mins 14 secs
4, Tipperary DMG Visit Nenagh, at 5 mins 56 secs
5, Meath Dunboyne DID Elecrical, at 6 mins 12 secs
International team:
1, Britain Node4 Girodana, 20 hours 9 mins 41 secs
2, Britain Team IG Sigma Sport, at 2 secs
3, Denmark Blue Water Cycling
4, Switzerland Atlas Jakroo
5, Belgium An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly, all same time