DAVID LOUIS SUTTON of the Spanish Brocar-Ale team won today’s FBD Insurance stage 2 honours of the Rás Tailteann in a solo effort that also put him in the Cycling Ireland supported yellow jersey of race leader.
Second over the line, 11 seconds later was William Perret (Team Spellman Dublin Port) who also claimed the Bective Stud sponsored County rider stage and overall award, followed by Michael Chadwick (Team Embark Bikestrong) in third, 54 seconds after the winner.
Matthew Teggart of the Cycling Ulster team now wears the City Break Apartments green points jersey.
The Cycling Ireland King of the Hills was retained by Dean Harvey (Team Ireland) and the Spin11 U23 leader is Matthew Devins (Team Trinity Racing). William Perret (Team Spellman Dublin Port) also picked up the Festina watch daily county rider prize.
Today’s stage 2 of Rás Tailteann 2022 saw the riders faced with a 154.8km journey from Horse and Jockey to Castleisland.
After stage victory yesterday, race leader Matthew Teggart wore the yellow jersey into stage 2. Rory Townsend, who finished second in stage 1 would wear the Citybreak green jersey, Matteo Cigala the county riders Bective Stud blue jersey, Adam Stenson the stage winners FBD Insurance red jersey and Dean Harvey the KOM leaders Cycling Ireland polka dot jersey.
When the flag dropped at 11:05, the race took off at a blistering pace averaging 50 km/hr during the first 30 minutes of racing.
The first break of the day came at 15km when Daire Feeley, Cork: Velo Revolution, Kevin McCambridge, Trinity Racing, and Mark Shannon, Clare: Burren CC went clear building a gap of 15s over the peloton.
The peloton weren’t long to react and the race came back together going through Tipperary town. After back to back crashes going through Tipperary town, a group of 12 riders went clear.
The leaders continued to work well together, building a maximum gap of 1’40 over the chasing peloton, being led by Team Ireland and Cycling Sheffield.
Approaching Crags Cave, the breakaway fragmented as four riders went clear – Feeley, Sutton, Chadwick and Perrett – holding a gap of 30s over the chasing peloton. Going over the steep incline at Crags Cave, the breakaway split up as Sutton made his bid for victory.
Race leader Teggart made one last attempt to bridge the gap to the leaders on the climb but proved unsuccessful as Sutton romped home for victory in Castleisland.
The Castleisland today also honoured the 50th anniversary of the winner of the Rás in 1972, the legendary Kerry rider John Mangan from Killorglin.
The race continues tomorrow with stage 3, a 172.1km journey from Newcastlewest to Lisdoonvarna.
Report courtesy of Rás Tailteann
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