Credit Union Ras Mumhan - NE

Ireland, April 18-21, 2003

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Prologue - April 18: Killorglin, 2.6 miles

Dawson takes opening time trial

By Tommy Campbell, Irish Independent/Evening Herald/Sunday Independent

Kevin Dawson
Photo: © Gerry McManus

Kevin Dawson of the Life Repair CRT Cycling Team as defending champion of the Credit Union Ras Mumhan was last off the starting ramp of the 125 starters in 2.6-mile test against the clock in Killorglin, Co. Kerry yesterday afternoon. This was the first of four stages in the international cycling event and he duly obliged by posting the fastest time in conditions which were ideally suited to the slimly built but tall Englishman who excels at this type of event. The lab technician simply blitzed around the course, but prior to the start he said, "I'm concerned that the time trial is short. I would be happy if it was in excess of fifty miles, as I feel more comfortable when the distances are longer. The possibility of overshadowing me is on the cards."

At the finish it was a buoyant Dawson who was smiling like a Cheshire cat when he was told that he had came up trumps.

"It is a different ball game now. We will have to defend the jersey. The team is well capable of doing the business. Last year we were in similar circumstances and we just covered the moves. I know the climbs are daunting, but it is the same for everybody," said Kevin.

For over an hour it looked as though Raymond Clarke representing the Cycleways/ Lee Strand team could upset the odds. He had confounded all and sundry but he had not reckoned on Dawson who was last out of the blocks coming through to be the wearer of the leaders jersey when the stage two sets off from Killorglin this morning at 11 o'clock.

The three climbs at Ladies View, Molls Gap and Coomakista all category one ascents will certainly soften up the competitors on the 104 mile test which starts and finishes in the town which is world renowned for the Annual Puck Fair held the first week of August.

Race organiser, Sean O'Callaghan was very pleased with the turn out. "Conditions were ideal and the fact that we have so many overseas competitors has made the event a truly international event. Hopefully the weather holds up and that we have good racing over the next three days," said Sean.

Report by Shane Stokes

2002 winner Kevin Dawson (Life Repair CRT) started the defence of his Ras Mumhan title in the best possible way this evening when he won the 2.6 mile prologue time trial in Killorglin. The British rider sped around the course in a fine time of 5 minutes and 14 seconds, 4 seconds ahead of former national champion Ray Clarke of the Lee Strand-Cycleways team. Third place went to Denis Lynch, one second further back, who is home from racing in France and is guesting with the Tilechoice-Deeside team for duration of the tough four-day race.

The action continues tomorrow with a gruelling 101-mile slog over the hills of the Ring of Kerry. The Ras Mumhan is one of Ireland's most important stage races and this year features what is arguably the strongest-ever lineup for the event.

Photography

Images by Gerry McManus

Timmy Barry - the first rider to finish the prologue
Paddy Moriarty (Hibernian Team Ireland) on the way to fifth
Eddy O'Donoghue (Usher IRC) - one of six riders within 10 seconds of Dawson
Andy Roche (Isle of Man) - just five seconds down in fourth
Denis Lynch (Tilechoice) made the trip from France worthwhile to take third
Phil Cassidy won last year's prologue but was outside the top 10 this year
Eugene Moriarty is a previous winner of the Mumhan
Kevin Dawson (Life Repair CRT) kicked off his title defence by winning the prologue

Results

1 Kevin Dawson (Life Repair CRT)           5.14
2 R. Clarke (Lee Strand-Cycleways)         0.04
3 D. Lynch (Tylechoice-Deeside)            0.05
4 A. Roche (Isle of Man)
5 P. Moriarty (Hibernian Team Ireland)     0.07
6 E. O'Donoghue (Usher IRC)                0.08
7 P. Sheppard (Wales-4bikes on line.com)   0.12
8 T. Barry (Hibernian Team Ireland)        0.14
9 P. Doyle (Tilechoice-Deeside)            0.15
10 V. Gleeson (Hibernian Team Ireland)