Tour of Ulster - NE

Ireland, May 1-3, 2004

Main Page Results Next Stage

Stage 1 - May 1: Emyvale - Enniskillen, 68 miles

Barry back in the driving seat

By Shane Stokes, irishcycling.com

Defending champion Timmy Barry showed he means business in his bid to take a third Tour of Ulster title when he won the opening stage of the race today. Barry outsprinted Shay Elliott Memorial winner David O'Loughlin (Totalcycling.com), Sean Lacey (Earl of Desmond), John Horgan (Cork Select) and Conor Murphy (Crannog Ireland) in their five-up gallop to the line. The group finished just five seconds ahead of a fast-closing chasing bunch, led home by Cycleways Lee Strand's Eugene Moriarty.

Today's opening 68 mile stage began in Emyvale, the sunny conditions spurring the riders into a continuous stream of attack and counter-attack. A number of riders, including Bill Moore (Stamullen M. Donnelly), Kenny Conlon (Newbridge), Aidan Crowley (Cycleways Lee Strand) and Mick Mulcahy (Usher Irish Road Club) tried their hand early on but the bunch remained more or less together until they reached Aughnacloy. Here a dangerous looking group clipped away and opened up a decent lead over the rest of the field. Present in the move were O'Loughlin, Barry, Murphy, Lacey, Horgan, Ritchie Cahill (Cork Select) and Totalcycling.com's Tommy Evans, returning to form after a knee operation last Autumn.

O'Loughlin continued in the strong vein he exhibited at last Sunday's Shay Elliott Memorial when he took all three King of the Mountains primes, the first at Mount Sion and then two at Garvary. The break built up a maximum lead of one minute and twenty seconds but heading onto the 25 mile finishing circuit at Enniskillen, their advantage was starting to fall. A puncture by Cahill further cost the group some of its momentum, as did Evans' losing contact towards the end of the stage. However the remaining five managed to hold off the fast closing chase group, reaching the line just five seconds clear. Here Barry raced to an ecstatic win, ahead of O'Loughlin, Lacey, Horgan and Murphy. Moriarty, Rory Wyley, John Dempsey (both Cidona Carrick Wheelers), Brian Stewart (Usher IRC) and Paul Slane (Stamullen M. Donnelly) headed the chase and so completed the top ten.

O'Loughlin has a clear lead in the Vredestein Fortezza King of the Mountains competition, while Lacey's third place on the stage puts him to the fore in the new Espoir (Under 23) category introduced this year. The winner will be presented with the Jim Traynor memorial trophy, a new award intended to honour the late journalist and race official. Lacey and Murphy are on the same time after today's stage.

The Tour of Ulster continues tomorrow with two stages, a 75 mile road race from Enniskillen to Omagh and then a 1.3 mile time trial at Gortin Glen. The race concludes on Easter Monday with a 76 mile road race from Omagh to Emyvale.

Results

1 Timmy Barry (Cidona Carrick Wheelers)     2.30.19
2 David O'Loughlin (Total Cycling)
3 Sean Lacey (Earl of Desmond)
4 John Horgan (Cork Select)
5 Connor Murphy (Crannog Ireland)
6 Eugene Moriarty (Cycleways Lee Strand)       0.05
7 Rory Wyley (Cidona Carrick Wheelers)
8 John Dempsey (Carrick Cidona)
9 Brian Stewart (Usher Irish Road Club)
10 Paul Slane (Stamullan)
 
King of the Mountains
 
Mount Sion
 
1 David O'Loughlin (Total Cycling)
2 Sean Lacey (Earl of Desmond)
3 Richie Cahill (Cork Select)
 
Garvary 1
 
1 David O'Loughlin (Total Cycling)
2 Sean Lacey (Earl of Desmond)
3 John Horgan (Cork Select)
 
Garvary 2

1 David O'Loughlin (Total Cycling)
2 Timmy Barry (Carrick/Cidona)
3 Sean Lacey (Earl of Desmond)