Recently on Cyclingnews.com |
 Giro finale Photo ©: Bettini |
52nd FBD Milk Rás - 2.5
Ireland, May 23-30, 2004
Photos
Stage 1 - May 23: Dublin - Trim, 132 km
Images by Shane Stokes/www.irishcycling.com
- Thorntons Recycling's team car
- Thorntons Recycling Team Ireland with Padraig Thornton
- The early break with three riders from Bianchi Nordic looking threatening
- Denis Lynch (Ireland/Thortons Recycling) rides in the early break
- Petter Renang (Bianchi Nordic) & Mark Lovatt (Murphy & Gunn) lead the decisive break
- Petter Renang & Mark Lovatt powered the break to a substantial advantage
- David O'Loughlin (Ireland/Thorton's Recycling) in the lead group
- Valter Bonca (Slovenia Perutnina) sprints home to win
- Mark Lovatt (Yorkshire Murphy & Gunn) takes third with David O'Loughlin (Ireland Thorntons Recycling) fourth
Stage 2 - May 24: Trim - Oranmore, 167 km
Images by INPHO Sports Photography
- The peloton rolls out on a typical May morning
- Eugene Moriarty (Ireland/Thorton's Recycling) on the way to a strong second place.
- Valter Bonca (Slovenia Perutnina) in the yellow of race leader.
- Stefan Cohnen (ComNet Senges) claims the stage victory
Stage 3 - May 25: Oranmore - Charleville, 152 km
Images by INPHO Sports Photography
- Irishman Dermot Nally (Galway) crosses the line solo in Charleville to become the first Irish stage winner of this year's FBD Milk Rás.
- Overnight leader Valter Bonca (Perutnina) finished alongside many of the other contenders in the main bunch, some 1 minute and 19 seconds behind Nally.
- David McCann (Ireland-Thorton's Recycling) successfully bridged across to the lead group with around 40 kilometres remaining.
- Spectators of all shapes, sizes and breeds came out to watch the day's racing.
- Isn't Ireland beautiful?
Stage 5 - May 27: Cahirciveen - Millstreet, 152 km
Images by INPHO Sports Photography
- The peloton during stage 5 of the FBD Milk Ras
- The Perutnina team controls the race for leader Valter Bonca
- Malcolm Elliot (Yorkshire Murphy & Gunn) crosses the line to win stage 5 of the Milk Ras
- Malcolm Elliot (Yorkshire Murphy & Gunn) celebrates his win
Images by Shane Stokes/www.irishcycling.com
- Tommy Evans (Ireland-Thorton's Recycling) before the stage.
- Bill Moore (Meath Martin Donnelly) gets a pre-race rub from soigneuse Emma Quirke.
- David O'Loughlin (Ireland-Thornton's Recycling) and Julian Winn (Yorkshire - Murphy and Gunn) went on the attack on the early part of the stage.
- O'Loughlin became yellow jersey on the road but was eventually brought back.
- Tommy Evans (Ireland-Thorton's Recycling) on the attack.
- Evan's team-mate Denis Lynch also had a go, here with Kevin Dawson (Yorkshire - Murphy and Gunn, centre) and Huw Pritchard (Wales - Stena Line).
- Malcolm Elliott (Yorkshire-Murphy and Gunn) won the stage, here kicking clear of Evans (centre) and Paul Griffin (Kerry).
- Elliot's win marked his first win in Ireland since the days of the Nissan Classic.
- Malcolm Elliott (Yorkshire-Murphy and Gunn) wears the green sprint leader's jersey.
- Malcolm Elliott (Yorkshire-Murphy and Gunn) once again returns to top form.
Stage 6 - May 28: Millstreet - Seskin Hill Carrick-on Suir, 151 km
Images by INPHO Sports Photography
- A couple of hardened spectators watch the FBD Milk Ras leader fly by
- David O'Loughlin (Ireland/Thorton's Recycling) drives the breakaway with Lovatt, Tanner and Moriarty on his wheel
- And then there were three: John Tanner, David O'Loughlin and Mark Lovatt
- The Perutnina team had to work hard today for Valter Bonca
- David O'Loughlin (Ireland/Thorton's Recycling) wins the Seskin Hill stage
Stage 8 - May 30: Phoenix Park Circuit, 40 km
Images by INPHO Sports Photography
- David McCann (Thorntons Recycling) looking composed in the leader's jersey after his magnificent stage win yesterday.
- McCann's Mob - the Thorntons Recycling team of race leader David McCann set the tempo up front around the Phoenix Park Circuit.
- Malcolm Elliot (Yorkshire Murphy & Gunn) wins the final stage of the Rás, outsprinting Kimmo Kananen (Scandinavia Bianchi Nordic) and Paul Healion (Dublin Usher IRC). The win moved Elliot up into fifth overall.
- David McCann (Thorntons Recycling), a very proud winner of the 2004 FBD Milk Rás.
