With the final stage often settled in a bunch sprint, Orwell – Dundrum Town Centre rider Declan Byrne looks to have a good chance of winning the Bertoni Gorey 3 Day tomorrow. Comeragh CC rider Robin Kelly is his closest challenger, seven seconds back, while Sean Rock (McNally Swords), Isaac Speirs (Irish junior team) and Stephen Halpin (Irish junior team) are also within striking distance, lying 11, 13 and 18 secs off yellow, respectively.

Saturday’s opening 72 mile stage saw a break of four riders go clear before the prime line in Hacketstown. Speirs, Tom Shanahan (Limerick CC), Laurent Dumolin (Kanturk CU) and Sean Rock (McNally Swords) worked well together to build a maximum lead of 43 seconds, but these were mopped up by a speeding main bunch inside the final 3 miles. The resulting mass sprint saw Robert Kelly (Comeragh CC) beat Andre Lemke (Team TEC), Robert Murray (Limerick CC), David Duffy (St. Finbarr’s CC), Dave Rawlins (South Dublin CC), Colm Crawley (Stamullen M Donnelly) and 94 others in the dash to the line.

The action continued today with the customary 3.9 mile undulating time trial. Tony O’Malley (All Systems Dublin Wheelers) covered the distance in 7 mins 55 secs, beating Byrne by two seconds and Kelly by nine. Rock, Speirs and Halpin were 13, 15 and 20 seconds back. However as O’Malley had finished 10 minutes and 55 seconds back on the opening stage, this meant that Byrne wore yellow in the 60 mile afternoon stage.

This four lap road race saw a number of breaks go clear. Sean Rock and Adrian Pretorius (Leinster) were away on the final lap but in what was for him a frustrating replay of yesterday’s action, Rock and his breakaway companion were reeled in close to the finish. The stage was settled in another big bunch gallop, with Brendan Whelan (Lucan Staggs CC) proving quickest on this occasion. Colm Crawley (Stamullen M Donnelly), Robin Kelly (Comeragh CC), Andre Lemke (Team TEC), Russell Treacy (St. Finbarr’s CC) and David McQuaid (Polar SR) filled the top six places.

Byrne thus holds a seven second lead heading into the concluding 58 mile stage. Robin Kelly leads the points classification, Shanahan is well clear in the KOH contest, while Isaac Speirs is best junior. Orwell Dundrum TC are top team.

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Bertoni Gorey 3-Day Race:

Stage 1, Dublin – Gorey:

1, Robert Kelly (Comeragh CC) 72 miles in 2 hours 35 mins 32 secs (27.78 mph)
2, Andre Lemke (Team TEC) at 2 secs
3, Robert Murray (Limerick CC)
4, David Duffy (St. Finbarr’s CC)
5, Dave Rawlins (South Dublin CC)
6, Colm Crawley (Stamullen M Donnelly)
7, Fergus Keogh (Irish Junior Team)
8, John Feighery (Comeragh) all same time

KOH: T. Shanahan (Limerick CC) 9 pts


Stage 2, Gorey time trial:

1, Tony O’Malley (All Systems Dublin Wheelers) 3.9 miles in 7 mins 55 secs
2, Declan Byrne (Orwell Dundrum TC) 7 mins 57 secs
3, Robin Kelly (Comeragh) at 8 mins 6 secs
4, Sean Rock (McNally Swords) 8 mins 8 secs
5, Isaac Speirs (Irish Junior Team) 8 mins 10 secs
6, Stephen Halpin (Irish Junior Team) 8 mins 15 secs


Stage 3 – Gorey - Gorey:

1, Brendan Whelan (Lucan Staggs CC) 60 miles in 2 hours 32 mins 26 secs
2, Colm Crawley (Stamullen M Donnelly)
3, Robin Kelly (Comeragh CC)
4, Andre Lemke (Team TEC)
5, Russell Treacy (St. Finbarr’s CC)
6, David McQuaid (Polar SR) all same time


Overall after 3 stages:

1, Declan Byrne (Orwell Dundrum SC) 5 hours 15 mins 57 secs
2, Robin Kelly (Comeragh CC) at 7 secs
3, Sean Rock (McNally Swords) at 11 secs
4, Isaac Speirs (Irish junior team) at 13 secs
5, Stephen Halpin (Irish junior team) at 18 secs
6, Tom Shanahan (Limerick CC) at 20 secs
7, Linus Murphy (Polar SR) at 21 secs
8, Diarmuid Cronin (Irish junior team) at 25 secs
9, Alan Carey (Staggs Lucan) at 27 secs
10, John Duggan (Banteer) same time


Points:

1, Robin Kelly, 14 pts
2, Andre Lenke (Team Tec) 11
3, Brendan Whelan, 6

King of the Mountains:

1, Tom Shanahan (Limerick CC) 11
2, Sean Rock (McNally Swords) 6
3, Andre Engemann (St. Tiernans) 5

Junior:

1, Isaac Speirs, 5 hours 16 mins 10 secs
2, Stephen Halpin (Irish Junior Team) at 5 secs
3, Diarmuid Cronin (Irish Junior Team) at 12 secs


Teams:

1, Orwell Dundrum TC, 15 hours 49 mins 9 secs
2, Comeragh CC, at 11 secs
3, Polar SR, at 12 secs