Craven triumphs in Dundalk

Faring well in one of the hottest days of the year thus far in Ireland, Namibian rider Dan Craven seized the first stage win and race leader's yellow jersey of this year's FBD Insurance Rás.

Craven (Rapha Condor Sharp) followed up his victory a fortnight ago in the Shay Elliott Memorial in Wicklow when he triumphed into Dundalk, outsprinting seven other riders to scoop a first for his career. In ended the day seven seconds ahead of stage runner-up Mark McNally (An Post M. Donnelly Grand Thornton Sean Kelly) in the overall standings, he did something he never achieved before.

"Having never worn a yellow jersey in a UCI tour before, this is great," he said. "I attacked twice in the last three kilometres; my last one was with virtually a kilometre to go and Mark McNally got my wheel. He was right behind me and then there was a gap to the third rider."

Some tactics then played out and these may well have won him the stage.

"As he caught me I swung over and it was one of those moments that if he sat up, we would have been swamped and none of us would have been on the podium. He basically realised that and kept going. I hooked on his wheel and he was on the front for 500 or 600 metres to go. I started my sprint way too late. I jumped and because had been on the front for 500 metres I was able to get around him again."

McNally was a little disappointed with how things worked out. "I haven't won a race this year, so I really want to get one. I was hoping for it today. It was disappointing not to get it, but it is one of those things - you have to think of the bigger picture," he explained. "I'm second overall, and that is a nice place to be. Anyway, we will see - it is a long race and it is still only the first day - there are a few hard days to come."

The 149-kilometre opening stage began in Dunboyne, the hometown of double FBD Rás winner Philip Cassidy and also the late Paul Healion, who won a stage in last year's race. The organisers paid tribute to the latter when the route took the peloton past his parent's house, then after about 10 kilometres of action, Craven and seven others pushed clear.

He and McNally were joined by McNally, Kit Gilham (Britain Sigmasport Specialised), Michael Singer (Austria Arbö KTM-Gebrüder Weis), David Pell (Australia Drapac Porsche), Masaaki Kikuchi (Japan - Nippo), Alexander Wetterhall (Sweden - Team Sprocket Pro) and Andrew Roche (Motorpoint Marshalls Pasta). Approximately 70 kilometres later Lucas Schadlich (Germany Thuringer Energie) and Luis Mas Bonet (Burgos 2016-Castilla y Leon) bridged across to make it 10.

While this group never pulled out a big lead, their strength plus the lack of an efficient chase behind meant the chasers never got back in touch.

Craven was clearly riding well, netting second in the sprint primes at Slane, Collon and Carlingford. He was pipped by Pell, Gilham and then McNally in those, but his overall consistency earned him more time in bonuses and increased the chances of him wearing yellow at the end of the day.

He didn't want to take any chances, though, zooming clear on the climb of Long Woman's Grave along with Pell and opening up a 25-second lead. And while they were later reeled in by most of their breakaway companions, he had enough oomph left to win the sprint, and thus the stage.

Liverpool's McNally went close to taking a big win for the Irish-sponsored An Post team, but got his timing a little wrong for the sprint. "I haven't won a race this year, so I was hoping for it today. It was disappointing not to get it, but you have to think of the bigger picture," he said, pointing out that he was second overall and thus in an extremely good position at the start of the race.

Adam Armstrong (Ireland Subway National Team) was the first home rider against the internationals, finishing in a 13-man group one minute 46 seconds back. He placed 18th, ending the day in the same time as last year's winner Simon Richardson (Britain Sigmasport Specialised) and former Irish road race champion David O'Loughlin (An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly).

How it unfolded

Under bright, blue skies, 153 riders gathered in Dunboyne prior to the start of the 2010 FBD Insurance Rás.

Luis Mas Bonet of the Spanish Burgos 2016-Castilla y Leon team was one of the first attackers and was in turn chased by Stephen Surdival (Mayo Castlebar Western Edge). They were each hauled back by the peloton, but a more successful move followed.

Approximately 10 kilometres into the 149-kilometre stage, eight riders went clear. These were Kit Gilham (Britain Sigmasport Specialised), Dan Craven (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp), Michael Singer (Austria Arbö KTM-Gebrüder Weis), David Pell (Australia Drapac Porsche), Mark McNally (Belgium An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly), Masaaki Kikuchi (Japan - Nippo), Alexander Wetterhall (Sweden - Team Sprocket Pro) and Ivan Meloro Coco (Burgos 2016-Castilla y Leon)

Meloro Coco suffered a rear wheel puncture shortly after then, slipping back, while 1997 FBD Rás winner Andrew Roche (Motorpoint Marshalls Pasta) jumped across and took his place.

They had opened a lead of half a minute and Vincente Grau Jorda (Burgos 2016-Castilla y Leon) recognised the danger. He tried to get across but failed to do so, as did Neil Delahaye (Ireland Subway National Team) and David O'Loughlin (Belgium An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly).

From that point on the break worked to build its lead. It had over a minute on the peloton at Slane, 33.1 kilometres after the start, where Pell beat Craven, Gilham and Roche for the joint KOM/sprint prime there.

Craven was second again at the next sprint, that in Collen (km 42.5), behind Gilham and ahead of Pell. The break was working well together while behind, the peloton broke into several groups. The nearest to the break was a minute back and comprised approximately 40 riders.

Two of those got clear and chased hard and shortly after the first passage over the finish line in Dundalk (km 76.9), Lucas Schadlich (Germany Thuringer Energie) and Luis Mas Bonet (Burgos 2016-Castilla y Leon) managed to get across and swell the break to ten riders.

McNally took the hot spot sprint in Carlingford (km 104.9) ahead of Craven and Gilham, then several minutes later the riders turned onto the second category climb of Long Woman's Grave.

There Craven and Pell attacked, climbing clear of the other riders and crossing the summit with a gap over Wetterhall and Gilham. Further back, Peter McDonald (Australia Drapac Porsche), Mark Cassidy (Belgium An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly), Alessio Signego (Japan - Nippo), Ben Greenwood (Britain Rapha Condor Sharp) and Neil Delahaye (Ireland Subway National Team) were chasing, but this group dropped to four when Delahaye lost contact.

Once on the plateau past the top, Craven and Pell opened up a 25-second lead over Wetterhall, Gilham, McNally, Kikuchi, Roche and Schadlich, and an even greater advantage over Singer and Mas Bonet, who were dropped. With 20 kilometres to go that duo were one minute 20 seconds back, while the McDonald/Cassidy group were reeled in by a large chase behind.

Fifteen kilometres from the finish, Craven and Pell were recaptured and the eight man group hurtled towards the finish. There were many attacks from the break but nothing gained much traction. Craven and McNally opened a slight gap inside the final kilometre and were the first two across the line, with Kikuchi, Roche, Schadalich, Wetterhall, Pell and Gilham all finishing in the same time.

John Degenkolb (Germany Thuringer Energie) led home the nearest chasers at one minute 46 seconds back, with Adam Armstrong (Ireland Subway National Team) best of the home riders in 18th. David O'Loughlin and Connor McConvey (An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly) were also in this group, as was last year's overall winner, Simon Richardson (Britain Sigmasport Specialized).

In all 69 riders finished within three minutes and 37 seconds of Craven. The gaps may sound large one day into an eight-day stage race but as previous editions of the FBD Rás have shown, big time gains and losses can be expected over the days ahead. The race is still wide open.

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