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2nd Tour of Ireland - 2.1
Ireland, August 27-31, 2008
Main Page Results Overall standings Stage Details Previous Stage Next Stage
Stage 4 - August 30: Limerick - Dingle, 186km
Downing takes over as Cavendish fades
By Shane Stokes in Dingle
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Pinarello CandiTv rider Russell Downing jumped from eighth to first the general classification at the Tour of Ireland today, moving into the race lead when he won the hilly fourth stage.
In doing so the British Premier Calendar winner landed what was probably the best result of his career, and closed to within one day of winning the 2.1-ranked international event.
The thirty year old Pinarello CandiTV outsprinted Gonzalo Rabunal (Karpin Galicia), mountains leader Matthew Wilson (Team Type 1) and twenty others to the line in Dingle. Overnight race leader Mark Cavendish (Team Columbia) lost contact with the front runners approximately 45 kilometres from the finish, slipping backwards on the category one climb of the Conor Pass and eventually finishing eight minutes 35 seconds back.
Downing was delighted with the outcome of what was a very dramatic day's racing. "I knew the hammer was going to go down on the Conor Pass, so I sat in the top ten. I was feeling good and made the front group. I'd got a bonus sprint early on and also got the one which came just after the Conor Pass…that was a good sign that I was going well.
Once on the finishing circuit, he appeared to be under pressure for a period, sitting towards the back of the group and looking uncomfortable due to the high speeds. However he recovered and kept his cool when his chain came off at a crucial point, even though he briefly lost contact with the group then. The mishap occurred at the bottom of the second category climb of Mount Eagle, approximately sixteen kilometres from the end of the stage.
"I dropped my chain on the last climb but didn't panic; I just carried on riding and got over it in the group, which was great," he said. "Then it was really fast on the run-in with attacks everywhere. I was going with those, I was in a little group two kilometres out. I then ended up second wheel with one kilometre to go, which I knew was too early. But then on the last corner everyone went right and I hit some gravel…I had to go the full way around the corner, which put me into about eighth spot. I wasn't happy with that. I put in a bit of a surge to get back to the front. They all swung to the right so I took my opportunity and hit them quite early."
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Looking at the composition of the group and considering the profile of the stage, he had been feeling good about his odds. "I thought I had a good chance for the stage win when I saw Mark Cavendish wasn't there," he said. "The only other guy I was worried about was Julian Dean, he was sprinting well too and got up in the bonus sprints. But it is always a different sprint when you have been over some big climbs…a lot of people have dead legs, and are just looking at each other.
"I think it was a sprint over a good four hundred or 350 metres. You get the feeling when there is no-one around you. I looked under my arm and could that there was no-one there, then I saw someone come to my right as I put my hands up, but the win was there."
Once Cavendish was dropped, New Zealand's Julian Dean (Garmin Chipotle) became race leader on the road. He had started in Limerick this morning in second place overall and his team rode strongly to try to put him into yellow. Following a number of attacks, Magnus Backstedt joined Wesley Sulzberger (SouthAustralia.com/AIS) and Peter Williams (Pinarello CandiTV) in an early break, forcing Cavendish's team to chase. Then, once the Manx rider was dropped, David Millar drove hard after the big climb to further distance him and to help Dean's chances.
However that plan was foiled by Downing, who had started the day twelve seconds behind Dean but picked up a chunk of time bonuses via two intermediate sprint wins plus the stage victory. He finished up two seconds clear of his Kiwi rival and a further nine ahead of Wilson.
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He had a clear game-plan going into the stage and followed that. "It was a hard day. I knew the hammer was going to go down on the Conor Pass, so I sat really high up in the top ten. I was feeling good and made the front group. Just after the Conor Pass and I took that as well. That was a good sign that I was sprinting well."
It is the latest result in a strong season for the Britain-based rider, who won three stages of the Cinturón Ciclista a Mallorca plus a host of Premier Calendar races. He's been on a run, but this is clearly his best result of the year.
David Millar was one of the strongest riders on the stage and said afterwards that he was a little disappointed with the outcome. "I thought that Julian was in yellow – I didn't realise that Russell Downing had won the two intermediate sprints. That was disappointing but, looking at it now, it might be for the better as we don't have to defend it today. We go into the final stage without that pressure, and will do what we can to get the win for Julian.
"It'd mean a lot if we could do it. He's pretty good on climbs like St. Patrick's Hill so we'll see how it goes."
The stage had been very quick from the start, with the first An Post intermediate sprint coming just 3.6 kilometres after the drop of the flag. Downing showed his intentions when he beat Cavendish, Maximiliano Richeze Ariel (CSF Group Navigare) and Alexander Gottfried (Tinkoff Credit Systems) in Patrickswell, and the speed continued afterwards. Many riders tried to get clear but nothing stuck until Backstedt, Williams and Sulzberger went away approximately 50 kilometres after the start.
They crossed the prime line in Athea in that order and built a maximum lead of five minutes and two seconds. However first Williams and then Backstedt were dropped by Sulzberger on the Conor Pass, inside the final 50 kilometres, with the leader then being passed by David George and the other front runners before the top.
Mark Cassidy was best Irish rider on the stage, finishing two minutes four seconds adrift in 28th place. An Post M. Donnelly Grant Thornton Sean Kelly teammate Stephen Gallagher was three places and two minutes six seconds further back.
Cassidy is now 24th in the general classification, two minutes 22 seconds away from the race lead.
The 2.1-ranked race concludes tomorrow with a tough stage from Killarney to Cork. The 144 kilometre leg takes in four ascents of the feared St. Patrick's Hill and could well shake up the general classification once more. Seventeen riders are within eighteen seconds or less of Downing, keeping things very much up in the air and ensuring that the final winner will remain undecided right until the end.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Stephen McMahon
- Mark Cavendish (Team Columbia) was in yellow at the start, but would lose that jersey at the end of the day.
- Mark Cavendish negotiates a river at Sleigh Head followed by some cobbles.
- The sun tried to come out at Connor Pass.
- Stage 4 of the 2008 Tour of Ireland started in the city of Limerick on the banks of the Shannon river. The Campagnolo-equipped Merckx bicycles of the Topsport Vlaanderen team were ready for arguably the most challenging stage of the race.
- Simon Clarke (SouthAustralia.com/AIS) was obviously feeling the chill of an autumnal Irish climate.
- Paidi O'Brien (An Post Sean Kelly Team) assists team-mate Stephen Gallagher with some last minute adjustments to his cleats.
- The Garmin Chipotle - H30 team bus was an oasis of tranquility before the start of Stage 4.
- Meanwhile, next door, members of Team Columbia were dancing enthusiastically to what sounded like traditional German music.
- Judith Gabriel is soigneur with Team Columbia and has had a busy but rewarding week so far at the Tour of Ireland.
- A close up of the race leader's Giant TCR Advanced.
- Minor cosmetic damage from the crash in which Cavendish was involved during the latter half of Stage 3.
- Mark Cavendish's race machine.
- The Garmin Chipotle - H30 team made the intelligent decision to ride rubber well suited to rougher roads.
- Mark Cavendish (Columbia) leads team-mate Morris Possini (Team Columbia) on the road out of Limerick.
- New Zealand National Champion Julian Dean (Garmin Chipotle - H30) maintains his position at the head of the group as racing begins in earnest.
- The men at the back said everyone attack and it turned into a breakaway blitz. Here, Joachim Bohler (Joker Bianchi Team) tries to get something going.
- Roger Aiken (Irish National Team) was active in the early attacks.
- The squally showers subsided and there was even some sunshine as the riders made their way southwest onto the Dingle peninsula.
- The Irish riders were exceptionally keen to be involved in any attacks. Paidi O'Brien (An Post Sean Kelly Team) takes a flyer.
- Eventually three riders make it stick as the race passes by Blennerville windmill on the outskirts of Tralee, County Kerry.
- The chasing peloton passed through four minutes and 30 seconds later.
- Magnus Backstedt (Garmin Chipotle - H30) leads Peter Williams (Pinarello CandiTV) and Wesley Sulzberger (SouthAustralia.com/AIS).
- The inhabitants of Abbeydorney in County Kerry were out in force and gave the riders an exceptionally warm welcome.
- Frantisek Rabon represents Team Columbia at the head of the chasing group.
- The leading trio were working well together as they approached the intimidating first category climb of the Connor Pass.
- The savage beauty of the Dingle peninsula's most challenging climb.
- With race leader Mark Cavendish (Columbia) out of the picture, David Millar (Garmin Chipotle - H30) turns the screw in support of team-mate and GC contender Julian Dean.
- The Pinarello CandiTV rider from Rotherham was overjoyed with his victory on Stage 4.
- Russel Downing (Pinarello) gets the win.
- Downing's joy was compounded by the news that he had also taken the race lead by two seconds from Julian Dean (Garmin Chipotle - H30).
- Mark Cavendish (Columbia) had a relatively quiet day on Stage 4 and did well to maintained his lead in the An Post Points Classification.
- Gonzalo Rabunal (Karpin Galicia Cycling Team) took second place on Stage 4 and the lead in the Best Placed U-23 Classification.
- Matthew Wilson's performance on stage four confirmed his status as one of the favourites to take the overall victory. His lead in the Mountains Classification is convincing to say the least.
- With 18 seconds separating the top 18 riders in the general classification, new race leader Russell Downing (Pinarello CandiTV) will have a battle on his hands on the final stage to Cork City.
Results
1 Russel Downing (GBr) Pinarello Racing Team 4.19.56 (42.93 km/h) 2 Gonzalo Rabuñal Ríos (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia 3 Matthew Wilson (Aus) Team Type 1 4 Simon Clarke (Aus) Southaustralia.com - AIS 5 Luca Mazzanti (Ita) Tinkoff Credit Systems 6 Daniel Lloyd (GBr) An Post - M. Donnelly - Grant Thornton - Sean Kelly Team 7 Johan Coenen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen 8 Nikolas Maes (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen 9 Julian Dean (NZl) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 10 Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Joker - Bianchi 11 Kurt Hovelijnck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen 12 Alexander Gottfried (Ger) Tinkoff Credit Systems 13 Valery Kobzarenko (Ukr) Team Type 1 14 Serguei Klimov (Rus) Tinkoff Credit Systems 15 Michael Barry (Can) Team Columbia 16 Marco Pinotti (Ita) Team Columbia 17 Stian Sommerseth (Nor) Joker - Bianchi 18 Fredrik Ericsson (Swe) Pezula Racing 19 Dan Fleeman (GBr) An Post - M. Donnelly - Grant Thornton - Sean Kelly Team 20 Kevin Evans (RSA) Team MTN 21 Morris Possoni (Ita) Team Columbia 22 Thomas Rabou (Ned) Rabobank Continental 23 David George (RSA) Team MTN 0.05 24 David Millar (GBr) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 0.59 25 Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) Southaustralia.com - AIS 26 Joeri Adams (Bel) Rabobank Continental 27 Maximiliano Richeze Ariel (Arg) CSF Group Navigare 28 Mark Cassidy (Irl) An Post - M. Donnelly - Grant Thornton - Sean Kelly Team 2.04 29 Filippo Savini (Ita) CSF Group Navigare 30 Ramón Troncoso Sobrino (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia 31 Stephen Gallagher (Irl) An Post - M. Donnelly - Grant Thornton - Sean Kelly Team 4.10 32 Roger Aiken (Irl) Irish National Team 33 Alexandr Surutkovych (Ukr) Team Type 1 34 Kristian House (GBr) Rapha Condor - Recycling.co.uk 35 Adam Semple (Aus) Southaustralia.com - AIS 36 Massimo Graziato (Ita) Tinkoff Credit Systems 8.35 37 Matteo Priamo (Ita) CSF Group Navigare 38 Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Rabobank Continental 39 Thomas Murray (GBr) Pinarello Racing Team 40 Ilya Chernetskiy (Rus) Tinkoff Credit Systems 41 Boy Van Poppel (Ned) Rabobank Continental 42 Paul Griffin (Irl) Irish National Team 43 Juan Francisco Mourón Doldán (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia 44 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Joker - Bianchi 45 Malcolm Elliott (GBr) Pinarello Racing Team 46 Maarten Neyens (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen 47 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team Columbia 48 Sven Renders (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen 49 Frantisek Rabon (Cze) Team Columbia 50 Trent Lowe (Aus) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 51 Fabio Calabria (Aus) Team Type 1 52 Robert Partridge (GBr) Rapha Condor - Recycling.co.uk 53 Cameron Jennings (Aus) Pezula Racing 54 Ciarán Power (Irl) Pezula Racing 55 Dale Appleby (GBr) Rapha Condor - Recycling.co.uk 56 Thomas Berkhout (Ned) Rabobank Continental 57 Miceal Concannon (Irl) Irish National Team 11.08 58 Zakkari Dempster (Aus) Southaustralia.com - AIS 59 Johnny Walker (Aus) Southaustralia.com - AIS 60 Neil MacDonald (RSA) Team MTN 61 Lee Davis (GBr) Pinarello Racing Team 62 Alejandro Paleo Mosquera (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia 63 Magnus Backstedt (Swe) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 64 Martijn Maaskant (Ned) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 65 Bart Aernouts (Bel) Rabobank Continental 66 Mauro Abel Richeze (Arg) CSF Group Navigare 67 Travis Meyer (Aus) Southaustralia.com - AIS 68 Matthew Kipling (GBr) Pinarello Racing Team 16.19 69 Alex Wetterhall (Swe) Pezula Racing 70 Martyn Irvine (Irl) Pezula Racing 71 Sean Lacey (Irl) Irish National Team 72 Jay Thomson (RSA) Team MTN 73 Andrew Roche (Irl) Pinarello Racing Team 74 Peter Williams (GBr) Pinarello Racing Team 75 Joachim Bøhler (Nor) Joker - Bianchi 76 Juan Van Heerden (RSA) Team MTN 77 Stephen O'Sullivan (Irl) Irish National Team 78 Paul Healion (Irl) Irish National Team 79 Francesco Tomei (Ita) CSF Group Navigare 17.23 80 Emile Abraham (Tri) Team Type 1 81 Kenny Lisabeth (Bel) An Post - M. Donnelly - Grant Thornton - Sean Kelly Team 82 Dean Downing (GBr) Rapha Condor - Recycling.co.uk 83 Simon Holt (GBr) Rapha Condor - Recycling.co.uk 84 Kenny De Haes (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen 85 Frederick Nolf (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen 86 Michael Van Staeyen (Bel) Rabobank Continental 87 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team Columbia 88 Benny De Schrooder (Bel) An Post - M. Donnelly - Grant Thornton - Sean Kelly Team 89 Matthew King (Aus) Southaustralia.com - AIS 90 Bernardo Riccio (Ita) Tinkoff Credit Systems 91 Paidi O'Brien (Irl) An Post - M. Donnelly - Grant Thornton - Sean Kelly Team 92 Svein Vold (Nor) Joker - Bianchi 93 Frederik Wilmann (Nor) Joker - Bianchi 94 Graham Briggs (GBr) Rapha Condor - Recycling.co.uk DNF Ruben Bongiorno (Arg) CSF Group Navigare DNF Moises Aldape Chavez (Mex) Team Type 1 DNF David Abal Diego (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia DNF David O'Loughlin (Irl) Pezula Racing DNF Kieran Page (GBr) Pezula Racing DNS David McCann (Irl) Irish National Team DNS Ben Greenwood (GBr) Rapha Condor - Recycling.co.uk Sprints Patrickswell 1 Russel Downing (GBr) Pinarello Racing Team 5 pts 2 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team Columbia 3 3 Maximiliano Richeze Ariel (Arg) CSF Group Navigare 2 4 Alexander Gottfried (Ger) Tinkoff Credit Systems 1 Athea 1 Magnus Backstedt (Swe) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 5 pts 2 Peter Williams (GBr) Pinarello Racing Team 3 3 Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) Southaustralia.com - AIS 2 4 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Joker - Bianchi 1 Dingle 1 Russel Downing (GBr) Pinarello Racing Team 5 pts 2 Julian Dean (NZl) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 3 3 Simon Clarke (Aus) Southaustralia.com - AIS 2 4 Marco Pinotti (Ita) Team Columbia 1 Mountains Cat 1: Connor Pass 1 David George (RSA) Team MTN 15 pts 2 Matthew Wilson (Aus) Team Type 1 12 3 Marco Pinotti (Ita) Team Columbia 10 4 Kevin Evans (RSA) Team MTN 8 5 Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Joker - Bianchi 6 6 Mark Cassidy (Irl) An Post - M. Donnelly - Grant Thornton - Sean Kelly Team 4 7 Michael Barry (Can) Team Columbia 2 8 David Millar (GBr) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 1 Cat 2: Mount Eagle 1 Matthew Wilson (Aus) Team Type 1 10 pts 2 David George (RSA) Team MTN 7 3 Ilya Chernetskiy (Rus) Tinkoff Credit Systems 4 4 Michael Barry (Can) Team Columbia 2 5 Luca Mazzanti (Ita) Tinkoff Credit Systems 1 Teams 1 Topsport Vlaanderen 12.59.48 2 Tinkoff - Credit Systems 3 Team Columbia 4 An Post Sean Kelly Team 2.04 5 Team Type 1 Cycling Team 4.10 6 SouthAustralia.com/AIS 5.09 7 Joker Bianchi Team 8.35 8 Garmin Chipotle H30 9.34 9 Rabobank 10 Karpin Galicia Cycling Team 10.39 11 MTN Energade 11.13 12 CSF Group Navigare 11.38 13 Pinarello CandiTV 17.10 14 Pezula 15 Rapha Condor Recycling.co.uk 21.20 16 Irish National Team 23.53 General classification after stage 4 1 Russel Downing (GBr) Pinarello Racing Team 18.14.54 2 Julian Dean (NZl) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 0.02 3 Matthew Wilson (Aus) Team Type 1 0.11 4 Gonzalo Rabuñal Ríos (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia 0.12 5 Kurt Hovelijnck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen 0.13 6 Daniel Lloyd (GBr) An Post - M. Donnelly - Grant Thornton - Sean Kelly Team 0.15 7 Simon Clarke (Aus) Southaustralia.com - AIS 8 Nikolas Maes (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen 0.18 9 Valery Kobzarenko (Ukr) Team Type 1 10 Michael Barry (Can) Team Columbia 11 Luca Mazzanti (Ita) Tinkoff Credit Systems 12 Alexander Gottfried (Ger) Tinkoff Credit Systems 13 Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Joker - Bianchi 14 Serguei Klimov (Rus) Tinkoff Credit Systems 15 Marco Pinotti (Ita) Team Columbia 16 Johan Coenen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen 17 Kevin Evans (RSA) Team MTN 18 Dan Fleeman (GBr) An Post - M. Donnelly - Grant Thornton - Sean Kelly Team 19 Thomas Rabou (Ned) Rabobank Continental 0.40 20 Maximiliano Richeze Ariel (Arg) CSF Group Navigare 1.12 21 Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) Southaustralia.com - AIS 1.16 22 Joeri Adams (Bel) Rabobank Continental 1.17 23 David Millar (GBr) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 24 Mark Cassidy (Irl) An Post - M. Donnelly - Grant Thornton - Sean Kelly Team 2.22 25 Stian Sommerseth (Nor) Joker - Bianchi 3.35 26 Kristian House (GBr) Rapha Condor - Recycling.co.uk 4.28 27 Stephen Gallagher (Irl) An Post - M. Donnelly - Grant Thornton - Sean Kelly Team 28 Roger Aiken (Irl) Irish National Team 29 Adam Semple (Aus) Southaustralia.com - AIS 30 Morris Possoni (Ita) Team Columbia 4.33 31 Filippo Savini (Ita) CSF Group Navigare 6.19 32 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team Columbia 8.17 33 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Joker - Bianchi 8.44 34 Boy Van Poppel (Ned) Rabobank Continental 8.53 35 Malcolm Elliott (GBr) Pinarello Racing Team 36 Ciarán Power (Irl) Pezula Racing 37 Juan Francisco Mourón Doldán (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia 38 Massimo Graziato (Ita) Tinkoff Credit Systems 39 Thomas Murray (GBr) Pinarello Racing Team 40 Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Rabobank Continental 41 Dale Appleby (GBr) Rapha Condor - Recycling.co.uk 42 Cameron Jennings (Aus) Pezula Racing 43 Ilya Chernetskiy (Rus) Tinkoff Credit Systems 44 Trent Lowe (Aus) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 45 Matteo Priamo (Ita) CSF Group Navigare 46 Robert Partridge (GBr) Rapha Condor - Recycling.co.uk 47 Thomas Berkhout (Ned) Rabobank Continental 9.15 48 Magnus Backstedt (Swe) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 11.23 49 Zakkari Dempster (Aus) Southaustralia.com - AIS 11.26 50 Johnny Walker (Aus) Southaustralia.com - AIS 51 Bart Aernouts (Bel) Rabobank Continental 52 Sven Renders (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen 11.57 53 Travis Meyer (Aus) Southaustralia.com - AIS 12.16 54 Alexandr Surutkovych (Ukr) Team Type 1 14.08 55 Neil MacDonald (RSA) Team MTN 14.30 56 Ramón Troncoso Sobrino (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia 14.53 57 Juan Van Heerden (RSA) Team MTN 16.36 58 Dean Downing (GBr) Rapha Condor - Recycling.co.uk 17.41 59 Francesco Tomei (Ita) CSF Group Navigare 60 Frederick Nolf (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen 61 Fabio Calabria (Aus) Team Type 1 18.33 62 Fredrik Ericsson (Swe) Pezula Racing 18.39 63 Frederik Wilmann (Nor) Joker - Bianchi 19.17 64 Maarten Neyens (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen 19.20 65 Martijn Maaskant (Ned) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 21.06 66 Mauro Abel Richeze (Arg) CSF Group Navigare 67 Benny De Schrooder (Bel) An Post - M. Donnelly - Grant Thornton - Sean Kelly Team 21.27 68 Frantisek Rabon (Cze) Team Columbia 21.35 69 Paul Griffin (Irl) Irish National Team 23.52 70 David George (RSA) Team MTN 25.10 71 Joachim Bøhler (Nor) Joker - Bianchi 26.15 72 Peter Williams (GBr) Pinarello Racing Team 73 Alejandro Paleo Mosquera (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia 26.31 74 Michael Van Staeyen (Bel) Rabobank Continental 27.15 75 Kenny De Haes (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen 27.21 76 Emile Abraham (Tri) Team Type 1 77 Svein Vold (Nor) Joker - Bianchi 78 Paidi O'Brien (Irl) An Post - M. Donnelly - Grant Thornton - Sean Kelly Team 79 Simon Holt (GBr) Rapha Condor - Recycling.co.uk 80 Miceal Concannon (Irl) Irish National Team 27.41 81 Matthew Kipling (GBr) Pinarello Racing Team 29.08 82 Jay Thomson (RSA) Team MTN 29.21 83 Andrew Roche (Irl) Pinarello Racing Team 84 Paul Healion (Irl) Irish National Team 29.48 85 Sean Lacey (Irl) Irish National Team 86 Kenny Lisabeth (Bel) An Post - M. Donnelly - Grant Thornton - Sean Kelly Team 30.12 87 Graham Briggs (GBr) Rapha Condor - Recycling.co.uk 88 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team Columbia 30.42 89 Alex Wetterhall (Swe) Pezula Racing 31.16 90 Martyn Irvine (Irl) Pezula Racing 32.49 91 Bernardo Riccio (Ita) Tinkoff Credit Systems 36.05 92 Stephen O'Sullivan (Irl) Irish National Team 41.27 93 Matthew King (Aus) Southaustralia.com - AIS 41.31 94 Lee Davis (GBr) Pinarello Racing Team 41.45 Points classification 1 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team Columbia 57 pts 2 Russel Downing (GBr) Pinarello Racing Team 52 3 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Joker - Bianchi 45 4 Julian Dean (NZl) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 44 5 Boy Van Poppel (Ned) Rabobank Continental 26 6 Kenny De Haes (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen 23 7 Nikolas Maes (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen 22 8 Kurt Hovelijnck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen 20 9 Michael Van Staeyen (Bel) Rabobank Continental 20 10 Matthew Wilson (Aus) Team Type 1 19 11 Simon Clarke (Aus) Southaustralia.com - AIS 17 12 Ciarán Power (Irl) Pezula Racing 17 13 Fredrik Ericsson (Swe) Pezula Racing 15 14 Daniel Lloyd (GBr) An Post - M. Donnelly - Grant Thornton - Sean Kelly Team 15 15 Maximiliano Richeze Ariel (Arg) CSF Group Navigare 15 16 Zakkari Dempster (Aus) Southaustralia.com - AIS 15 17 Gonzalo Rabuñal Ríos (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia 14 18 Bernardo Riccio (Ita) Tinkoff Credit Systems 14 19 Dean Downing (GBr) Rapha Condor - Recycling.co.uk 13 20 Luca Mazzanti (Ita) Tinkoff Credit Systems 11 21 Benny De Schrooder (Bel) An Post - M. Donnelly - Grant Thornton - Sean Kelly Team 10 22 Kenny Lisabeth (Bel) An Post - M. Donnelly - Grant Thornton - Sean Kelly Team 10 23 Johan Coenen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen 9 24 Malcolm Elliott (GBr) Pinarello Racing Team 9 25 Joachim Bøhler (Nor) Joker - Bianchi 8 26 Valery Kobzarenko (Ukr) Team Type 1 7 27 Sven Renders (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen 7 28 Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Joker - Bianchi 6 29 Magnus Backstedt (Swe) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 5 30 Martyn Irvine (Irl) Pezula Racing 5 31 Alexander Gottfried (Ger) Tinkoff Credit Systems 5 32 Dale Appleby (GBr) Rapha Condor - Recycling.co.uk 5 33 Travis Meyer (Aus) Southaustralia.com - AIS 5 34 Juan Van Heerden (RSA) Team MTN 5 35 David George (RSA) Team MTN 5 36 Mauro Abel Richeze (Arg) CSF Group Navigare 4 37 Juan Francisco Mourón Doldán (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia 3 38 Peter Williams (GBr) Pinarello Racing Team 3 39 Emile Abraham (Tri) Team Type 1 3 40 Serguei Klimov (Rus) Tinkoff Credit Systems 2 41 Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) Southaustralia.com - AIS 2 42 Michael Barry (Can) Team Columbia 1 43 Marco Pinotti (Ita) Team Columbia 1 44 Morris Possoni (Ita) Team Columbia 1 45 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team Columbia 1 Mountains classification 1 Matthew Wilson (Aus) Team Type 1 79 pts 2 David George (RSA) Team MTN 37 3 Travis Meyer (Aus) Southaustralia.com - AIS 21 4 Simon Clarke (Aus) Southaustralia.com - AIS 12 5 Fredrik Ericsson (Swe) Pezula Racing 12 6 Johan Coenen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen 10 7 Marco Pinotti (Ita) Team Columbia 10 8 Kevin Evans (RSA) Team MTN 9 9 Mark Cassidy (Irl) An Post - M. Donnelly - Grant Thornton - Sean Kelly Team 8 10 Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team Columbia 8 11 Martyn Irvine (Irl) Pezula Racing 8 12 Kurt Hovelijnck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen 7 13 Daniel Lloyd (GBr) An Post - M. Donnelly - Grant Thornton - Sean Kelly Team 7 14 Michael Barry (Can) Team Columbia 7 15 Alexandr Surutkovych (Ukr) Team Type 1 7 16 Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Joker - Bianchi 6 17 Filippo Savini (Ita) CSF Group Navigare 4 18 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team Columbia 4 19 Ilya Chernetskiy (Rus) Tinkoff Credit Systems 4 20 David Millar (GBr) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 2 21 Kristian House (GBr) Rapha Condor - Recycling.co.uk 2 22 Morris Possoni (Ita) Team Columbia 2 23 Luca Mazzanti (Ita) Tinkoff Credit Systems 1 24 Stian Sommerseth (Nor) Joker - Bianchi 1 25 Sven Renders (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen 1 26 Frantisek Rabon (Cze) Team Columbia 1 Young rider classification 1 Gonzalo Rabuñal Ríos (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia 18.15.06 2 Simon Clarke (Aus) Southaustralia.com - AIS 0.03 3 Nikolas Maes (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen 0.06 4 Alexander Gottfried (Ger) Tinkoff Credit Systems 5 Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Joker - Bianchi 6 Thomas Rabou (Ned) Rabobank Continental 0.28 7 Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) Southaustralia.com - AIS 1.04 8 Joeri Adams (Bel) Rabobank Continental 1.05 9 Mark Cassidy (Irl) An Post - M. Donnelly - Grant Thornton - Sean Kelly Team 2.10 10 Stian Sommerseth (Nor) Joker - Bianchi 3.23 11 Adam Semple (Aus) Southaustralia.com - AIS 4.16 12 Morris Possoni (Ita) Team Columbia 4.21 13 Filippo Savini (Ita) CSF Group Navigare 6.07 14 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team Columbia 8.05 15 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Joker - Bianchi 8.32 16 Boy Van Poppel (Ned) Rabobank Continental 8.41 17 Juan Francisco Mourón Doldán (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia 18 Massimo Graziato (Ita) Tinkoff Credit Systems 19 Thomas Murray (GBr) Pinarello Racing Team 20 Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Rabobank Continental 21 Dale Appleby (GBr) Rapha Condor - Recycling.co.uk 22 Ilya Chernetskiy (Rus) Tinkoff Credit Systems 23 Trent Lowe (Aus) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30 24 Robert Partridge (GBr) Rapha Condor - Recycling.co.uk 25 Thomas Berkhout (Ned) Rabobank Continental 9.03 26 Zakkari Dempster (Aus) Southaustralia.com - AIS 11.14 27 Johnny Walker (Aus) Southaustralia.com - AIS 28 Travis Meyer (Aus) Southaustralia.com - AIS 12.04 29 Alexandr Surutkovych (Ukr) Team Type 1 13.56 30 Juan Van Heerden (RSA) Team MTN 16.24 31 Francesco Tomei (Ita) CSF Group Navigare 17.29 32 Frederick Nolf (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen 33 Fabio Calabria (Aus) Team Type 1 18.21 34 Frederik Wilmann (Nor) Joker - Bianchi 19.05 35 Maarten Neyens (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen 19.08 36 Mauro Abel Richeze (Arg) CSF Group Navigare 20.54 37 Frantisek Rabon (Cze) Team Columbia 21.23 38 Peter Williams (GBr) Pinarello Racing Team 26.03 39 Michael Van Staeyen (Bel) Rabobank Continental 27.03 40 Kenny De Haes (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen 27.09 41 Svein Vold (Nor) Joker - Bianchi 42 Paidi O'Brien (Irl) An Post - M. Donnelly - Grant Thornton - Sean Kelly Team 43 Simon Holt (GBr) Rapha Condor - Recycling.co.uk 44 Miceal Concannon (Irl) Irish National Team 27.29 45 Jay Thomson (RSA) Team MTN 29.09 46 Alex Wetterhall (Swe) Pezula Racing 31.04 47 Martyn Irvine (Irl) Pezula Racing 32.37 48 Bernardo Riccio (Ita) Tinkoff Credit Systems 35.53 49 Matthew King (Aus) Southaustralia.com - AIS 41.19 Teams classification 1 Topsport Vlaanderen 54.45.36 2 Tinkoff - Credit Systems 3 Team Columbia 4 An Post Sean Kelly Team 2.04 5 Team Type 1 Cycling Team 4.10 6 SouthAustralia.com/AIS 5.09 7 Joker Bianchi Team 8.35 8 Garmin Chipotle H30 9.34 9 Rabobank 10 Karpin Galicia Cycling Team 10.39 11 MTN Energade 11.13 12 CSF Group Navigare 11.38 13 Pinarello CandiTV 17.10 14 Rapha Condor Recycling.co.uk 21.20 15 Pezula 26.50 16 Irish National Team 35.06
