Cycling Reports |
FBD Milk Ras 2001 By Cian Lynch
Stage 1, Sunday 29th May 20, 2001 - Navan - Ballaghadereen, 155 kms.
Enjoy ! Race Report New team kit, great team, a new ranking for the FBD Milk Ras, weather picking up, bike checked, cleaned - the list goes on and on….. Having collected our FBD package (race numbers, cap, t-shirt and bike number ) we were set for an early night - pasta in the house and bed ( pints and cigars for me, just to get me in the mood ). Now I know there are those of you who will tut-tut at that, but I'm a workin' man, and that's my perogative… The family is always a big part of the Ras. Parents, brothers, sisters, friends and others take the opportunity to come out and wish you luck - I hope that they aren't under the illusion that every weekend we compete against such impressive riders …. I even spotted an old Triathlon friend, Anne Lane, whose husband Eddie, a European Champion Triathlete himself, has taken on the unenviable role of managing a team competing in the Ras. It's a great opportunity to take a couple of photographs, they'll be produced in years to come, no doubt. There is also a great splash of colour in the bunch as all the new gear, sorry, team kit, arrives and lads are resplendent in same. For our part, Iarnrod Eireann came on board, and sponsored us for the Ras. It meant a new kit, and a lot less stress in that the accommodation and meals were going to be paid for also. The start in Navan was something of a spectacular, given that we have used West County Hotel as the roll out point for the last number of years. Bands playing, local scouts out to help out, plenty of Civil Defence and you know you're in for a good time. Of course, the fact that the St. Patricks Day Parade was taking place in the City Centre was reason enough to relocate. On down through the town, and we roll gently out of Navan. Having spent the parade at the back, it was time to move up the bunch. With 190 riders in the bunch, it was the largest we have competed in for a while. The flag drops - bang - the hammer goes down. What a job that was. Having rested the whole week, I began to question why, as we hammered along roads I haven't cycled around in a while. As we approached Bohermeen, there was a usual lineout, and it appeared that nothing was going to go away, such was the speed. With the first hot spot at Delvin, the bunch surely had a few amongst it with intentions towards a couple of ( not so ) handy seconds in the bag. Hammer still down and I see a body take off up the road, whilst behind it settles, giving whoever it was an opportunity to gain vital seconds. It wasn't until a couple of miles up the road that I heard Cass had taken the prime - nice one Cass ! The fox! Given the quality of riders this year, and Cass still manages to take it out of the bag …. On up the road towards Mullingar, and I decide to have a pop off the front. Of course, as I go on the right, Brian Lennon has a dozen lined out behind him on the left. Fortunately he sits up and I swing around the roundabout onto the Mullingar Roundabout with a slight gap - Such is the encouragement from the crowd at that point, hearing your name shouted out, never getting a chance to look up and see who it is, the hair standing up on the back of your neck, when a lad from the Wirsbo Team comes around me on the 11, I duck in behind him, not for long though - one of the Telekom riders recognized the obvious threat ( ! ) and closed the door, as me 'oul pal Pep would say. Up that big long straight heading for Longford and I considered going back for a bottle. What with the lineouts, I knock that idea on the head. One of the Great Britain team had a disagreement with a Merc on the right hand side of the road, and as he struggled to get up on his feet, doing a good impersonation of a new born baby, the bunch wound its way around the scene. Lineouts and shouts of left, right, brakes on, off, cat-eyes being avoided - all part of the excitement, non? Still not much happening until we approach Longford, where a couple of small groups tap off the front. While I was sitting up near enough to the front, I wasn't in the mood for busting a gut trying to get across. Paddy Moriarty takes the opportunity though, and manages rightly enough to cross to gap. And then the closedown. It does not take long to figure out who has riders up and who doesn't. J.P. Hilliard wheels up alongside and asks me " surely there is some team the does not have a rider up the road ? ", I wait a while before answering " we don't! ". The pace was very slack for a while, and any attempt to move up the road was negated by interested parties. The Dutch team floated a few riders around the front to ward off chases. Martin O'Loughlin tried a couple of times, to no avail. The pace started picking up as the Great Britain team made a move towards the front, and the South African HSBC team took the lead and started chasing, maybe a little late, I thought, and then knew well, as the lineouts began in earnest. We literally hammered over the KOH, Cat 3's - at one stage doing 27 mph over the second. The couple of jumps earlier on began to take their toal as I was getting it hard ( does that in any way explain the pain you go through in a lineout like that? ). With a couple of riders sitting up, the riders behind began to come around, never a good sign, so I thought that I might take a breather, take up the rear of the group - Colm Bracken passed, Shane Prendergast passed and then no-one, thanks very much Shane, no " Last Man", no nothing, only yours truly disillusioned and pissed off, as I taper off the back. Chris Newton had punctured, and having replaced it, came by me like a train ( and me sponsored by Iarnrod Eireann, Irish Rail ) Shortly afterwards he sat up, maybe his head was punctured as well, he was not enjoying his return to Ireland …. The chasing group approached, the last still had their heads down, so I sat in and chatted to Johnny Carroll and Paul Reid amongst others. Up ahead, the group that had stayed ahead for the guts of 40 miles were reeled in with 2k to go. In the ensuing approach to the finish, Dave McCann showed his class, taking the bunch by surprise, well some of them anyway, and win the stage by 3 seconds. One of the Telekom boys took the bunch gallop. Cass, you cute divil', ends up second overall on G.C by virtue of his hot spot bonuses, and Mark Scanlon and Morgan Fox took high placings on the stage also. Paul told me afterwards that he was near enough to the front, but got completely swamped in the gallop. Martin, Willie and Kieran finished up with the lead group, and I'd say we were 5 minutes down. I'll have to get Valerie to work her magic on my back, it's a bit sore. Otherwise, nothing unusual - we'll try and get into the routine for the week - sambos at 4:15'ish, dinner at 6:00 and a rub in and around that, sleep as much as possible. Enough for now. I look forward to the cross winds and high speeds tomorrow ! P.S. - Rider of the day, No. 5, Ian Jeremiah, who pissed a few people off. Swinging around the bunch, from one side to the other, and then using the hand of God, tapping lads on the side, moving through. Use of excessive force though, resulting in Martin giving him the first verbal warning of the week, something about " Keep your hands off me, good friend, if you don't mind, Thanking You in advance…." Or I'll put you into that ditch as quick as you want ….mmmmm….. |
First
things first - Welcome to my diary of the FBD Milk Ras 2001. I hope it
entertains and enlightens, giving you an insight into how the racing proceeds
over the course of the week, how the team gets on, who's doing something,
nothing or anything and whether or not I manage to get a placing on a stage. If
you have any questions or worthwhile comments, you can mail me at