Stage 1 - August 27: Dublin - Waterford, 192km
Cavendish wins stage one of the Tour of Ireland
Mark Cavendish (Team Columbia) powered his way down the Quays at Waterford today to win stage one of the Tour of Ireland. The Isle of Man rider was too powerful for New Zealander Julian Dean (Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30) and Norwegian Alexander Kristoff (Joker-Bianchi) who came home at the head of a 60-man group all finishing in the same time.
Cavendish took a ten second bonus for the stage victory which also gave him the overall lead in the five-day race and he will wear the yellow jersey when the stage leaves Thurles tomorrow (Thursday 28th August).
Four riders had gone clear in the early stages of the race with Martyn Irvine (Pezula Racing) combining forces with Matt Wilson (Team Type 1), David George (MTN Energade) and Travis Meyer (SouthAustralia.com/SIS). The leading quartet had built an impressive lead of nearly eight minutes with the bunch apparently showing no interest.
Irvine had dropped off the pace on the first category climb of Mount Leinster after 120 kilometres with George, Meyer and Wilson driving their way up he climb with Wilson taking the maximum points over the summit. Wilson went on to claim top points on the climbs of Borris, Saddle Hill and Inistioge and pulled on the red jersey as the King of the Mountains leader at the end of the stage.
Team Columbia went to the head of the field with Team Garmin-Chipotle and Joker-Bianchi increasing the speed to pull back the leaders. The gap was down to less than four minutes with 70km remaining.
The leaders were finally reeled in with less than 10km to go and the sprinters' teams started jockeying for position as the finish line approached rapidly. Cavendish had time to sit up in celebration as he crossed the finish line in front of an appreciative crowd to add a stage win in Ireland to the four he won in the Tour de France this year.
Kristoff takes control of the An Post sponsored green sprinters' jersey after winning the first sprint of the day at Roundwood and finishing third on the stage.
The rest of the peloton finished in small groups with some riders finishing ten minutes or more behind the winner after the blistering pace in the second half of the stage took its toll.
Local rider Ciaran Power (Pezula Racing) finished safely in 19th place in his home town becoming the first Irish rider across the line. Irish champion Daniel Martin (Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30) finished in 24th place and still in contention for overall victory. Martin's team came down with a bout of food poisoning as they left the Tour of Portugal last week and Martin is expected to improve on the bike as the race progresses.
| PL | No. | Nat | Name | TM | Team | Time | @ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | GBR | Cavendish,Mark | THR | Team Columbia | 5h00'20" | |
| 2 | 15 | NZL | Dean,Julian | TSL | Garmin Chipotle H30 | 5h00'20" | |
| 3 | 141 | NOR | Kristoff,Alexander | TMB | Joker Bianchi Team | 5h00'20" | |
| 4 | 104 | NED | Van Poppel,Boy | RB3 | Rabobank | 5h00'20" | |
| 5 | 121 | GBR | Downing,Dean | RCR | Rapha Condor Recycling.co.uk | 5h00'20" | |
| 6 | 67 | BEL | De Schrooder,Kurt | SKT | An Post Sean Kelly Team | 5h00'20" | |
| 7 | 131 | GBR | Downing,Russell | POT | Pinarello CandiTV | 5h00'20" | |
| 8 | 54 | BEL | Maes,Nikolas | TSV | Topsport Vlaanderen | 5h00'20" | |
| 9 | 53 | BEL | Hovelijnck,Kurt | TSV | Topsport Vlaanderen | 5h00'20" | |
| 10 | 97 | AUS | Dempster,Zakkari | SAI | SouthAustralia.com/AIS | 5h00'20" | |
| 11 | 126 | GBR | Appleby,Dale | RCR | Rapha Condor Recycling.co.uk | 5h00'20" | |
| 12 | 45 | UKR | Kobzarenko,Valeriy | TT1 | Team Type 1 Cycling Team | 5h00'20" | |
| 13 | 83 | ESP | Mouron,Juan Francisco | KGZ | Karpin Galicia Cycling Team | 5h00'20" | |
| 14 | 57 | BEL | Renders,Sven | TSV | Topsport Vlaanderen | 5h00'20" | |
| 15 | 117 | RSA | van Heerden,Juan | MTN | MTN Energade | 5h00'20" | |
| 16 | 36 | ARG | Richeze,Max | CSF | CSF Group Navigare | 5h00'20" | |
| 17 | 27 | ITA | Graziato,Massimo | TCS | Tinkoff - Credit Systems | 5h00'20" | |
| 18 | 132 | GBR | Elliott,Malcom | POT | Pinarello CandiTV | 5h00'20" | |
| 19 | 152 | IRL | Power,Ciaran | PZR | Pezula | 5h00'20" | |
| 20 | 41 | MEX | Aldape,Moises | TT1 | Team Type 1 Cycling Team | 5h00'20" | |
| 21 | 154 | AUS | Jennings,Cameron | PZR | Pezula | 5h00'20" | |
| 22 | 122 | GBR | House,Kristian | RCR | Rapha Condor Recycling.co.uk | 5h00'20" | |
| 23 | 64 | GBR | Lloyd,Daniel | SKT | An Post Sean Kelly Team | 5h00'20" | |
| 24 | 12 | IRL | Martin,Dan | TSL | Garmin Chipotle H30 | 5h00'20" | |
| 25 | 14 | SWE | Backstedt,Magnus | TSL | Garmin Chipotle H30 | 5h00'20" | |
| 26 | 82 | ESP | Rabunal,Gonzalo | KGZ | Karpin Galicia Cycling Team | 5h00'20" | |
| 27 | 91 | AUS | Clarke,Simon | SAI | SouthAustralia.com/AIS | 5h00'20" | |
| 28 | 3 | AUS | Hansen,Adam | THR | Team Columbia | 5h00'20" | |
| 29 | 84 | ESP | Fernandez,Delio | KGZ | Karpin Galicia Cycling Team | 5h00'20" | |
| 30 | 56 | BEL | Nolf,Frederiek | TSV | Topsport Vlaanderen | 5h00'20" | |
| 31 | 105 | NED | Sinkeldam,Ramon | RB3 | Rabobank | 5h00'20" | |
| 32 | 23 | GER | Gottfried,Alexander | TCS | Tinkoff - Credit Systems | 5h00'20" | |
| 33 | 135 | GBR | Murray,Tom | POT | Pinarello CandiTV | 5h00'20" | |
| 34 | 46 | AUS | Wilson,Matt | TT1 | Team Type 1 Cycling Team | 5h00'20" | |
| 35 | 101 | BEL | Aernouts,Bart | RB3 | Rabobank | 5h00'20" | |
| 36 | 17 | AUS | Lowe,Trent | TSL | Garmin Chipotle H30 | 5h00'20" | |
| 37 | 124 | GBR | Partridge,Rob | RCR | Rapha Condor Recycling.co.uk | 5h00'20" | |
| 38 | 51 | BEL | Coenen,Johan | TSV | Topsport Vlaanderen | 5h00'20" | |
| 39 | 7 | CAN | Barry,Michael | THR | Team Columbia | 5h00'20" | |
| 40 | 63 | IRL | Gallagher,Stephen | SKT | An Post Sean Kelly Team | 5h00'20" | |
| 41 | 25 | ITA | Mazzanti,Luca | TCS | Tinkoff - Credit Systems | 5h00'20" | |
| 42 | 22 | RUS | Klimov,Serguei | TCS | Tinkoff - Credit Systems | 5h00'20" | |
| 43 | 94 | AUS | Walker,Johnnie | SAI | SouthAustralia.com/AIS | 5h00'20" | |
| 44 | 95 | AUS | Semple,Adam | SAI | SouthAustralia.com/AIS | 5h00'20" | |
| 45 | 142 | NOR | Nordhaug,Lars Petter | TMB | Joker Bianchi Team | 5h00'20" | |
| 46 | 33 | ITA | Tomei,Francesco | CSF | CSF Group Navigare | 5h00'20" | |
| 47 | 74 | IRL | Aiken,Roger | IRL | Irish National Team | 5h00'20" | |
| 48 | 4 | ITA | Pinotti,Marco | THR | Team Columbia | 5h00'20" | |
| 49 | 32 | ITA | Priamo,Matteo | CSF | CSF Group Navigare | 5h00'20" | |
| 50 | 11 | GBR | Millar,David | TSL | Garmin Chipotle H30 | 5h00'20" | |
| 51 | 102 | BEL | Adams,Joeri | RB3 | Rabobank | 5h00'20" | |
| 52 | 123 | GBR | Greenwood,Ben | RCR | Rapha Condor Recycling.co.uk | 5h00'20" | |
| 53 | 5 | ITA | Possoni,Morris | THR | Team Columbia | 5h00'20" | |
| 54 | 116 | RSA | Evans,Kevin | MTN | MTN Energade | 5h00'20" | |
| 55 | 92 | AUS | Sulzberger,Wesley | SAI | SouthAustralia.com/AIS | 5h00'20" | |
| 56 | 65 | GBR | Fleeman,Daniel | SKT | An Post Sean Kelly Team | 5h00'20" | |
| 57 | 62 | IRL | Cassidy,Mark | SKT | An Post Sean Kelly Team | 5h00'20" | |
| 58 | 24 | RUS | Chernetskiy,Ilya | TCS | Tinkoff - Credit Systems | 5h00'20" | |
| 59 | 111 | RSA | MacDonald,Neil | MTN | MTN Energade | 5h00'20" | |
| 60 | 146 | NOR | Wilman,Frederik | TMB | Joker Bianchi Team | 5h00'20" | |
| 61 | 6 | CZE | Rabon,Frantisek | THR | Team Columbia | 5h00'33" | @13" |
| 62 | 147 | NOR | Sommerseth,Stian | TMB | Joker Bianchi Team | 5h00'33" | @ s/t |
| 63 | 106 | NED | Rabou,Thomas | RB3 | Rabobank | 5h00'42" | @22" |
| 64 | 103 | NED | Berkhout,Thomas | RB3 | Rabobank | 5h00'42" | @ s/t |
| 65 | 34 | ARG | Bongiorno,Ruben | CSF | CSF Group Navigare | 5h00'48" | @28" |
| 66 | 31 | ITA | Savini,Filippo | CSF | CSF Group Navigare | 5h01'13" | @53" |
| 67 | 93 | AUS | Meyer,Travis | SAI | SouthAustralia.com/AIS | 5h01'13" | @ s/t |
| 68 | 71 | IRL | McCann,David | IRL | Irish National Team | 5h01'53" | @01'33" |
| 69 | 55 | BEL | Neyens,Maarten | TSV | Topsport Vlaanderen | 5h10'00" | @09'40" |
| 70 | 52 | BEL | De Haes,Kenny | TSV | Topsport Vlaanderen | 5h10'00" | @ s/t |
| 71 | 87 | ESP | Paleo,Alejandro | KGZ | Karpin Galicia Cycling Team | 5h10'00" | @ s/t |
| 72 | 85 | ESP | Fernandez,Alberto | KGZ | Karpin Galicia Cycling Team | 5h10'00" | @ s/t |
| 73 | 114 | RSA | Thomson,Jay | MTN | MTN Energade | 5h10'00" | @ s/t |
| 74 | 43 | AUS | Calabria,Fabio | TT1 | Team Type 1 Cycling Team | 5h10'00" | @ s/t |
| 75 | 144 | NOR | Bohler,Joachim | TMB | Joker Bianchi Team | 5h10'00" | @ s/t |
| 76 | 2 | AUT | Eisel,Bernard | THR | Team Columbia | 5h10'00" | @ s/t |
| 77 | 16 | NED | Maaskant,Martijn | TSL | Garmin Chipotle H30 | 5h10'00" | @ s/t |
| 78 | 156 | SWE | Ericsson,Fredrik | PZR | Pezula | 5h10'00" | @ s/t |
| 79 | 153 | GBR | Page,Kieran | PZR | Pezula | 5h10'00" | @ s/t |
| 80 | 107 | BEL | Van Staeyen,Michael | RB3 | Rabobank | 5h10'00" | @ s/t |
| 81 | 61 | IRL | O'Brien,Paidi | SKT | An Post Sean Kelly Team | 5h10'00" | @ s/t |
| 82 | 136 | GBR | Williams,Peter | POT | Pinarello CandiTV | 5h10'00" | @ s/t |
| 83 | 127 | GBR | Holt,Simon | RCR | Rapha Condor Recycling.co.uk | 5h10'00" | @ s/t |
| 84 | 47 | TRI | Abraham,Emile | TT1 | Team Type 1 Cycling Team | 5h10'00" | @ s/t |
| 85 | 42 | UKR | Surutkovych,Alex. | TT1 | Team Type 1 Cycling Team | 5h10'00" | @ s/t |
| 86 | 35 | ARG | Richeze,Mauro | CSF | CSF Group Navigare | 5h10'00" | @ s/t |
| 87 | 133 | IRL | Roche,Andy | POT | Pinarello CandiTV | 5h10'00" | @ s/t |
| 88 | 72 | IRL | Griffen,Paul | IRL | Irish National Team | 5h10'00" | @ s/t |
| 89 | 145 | NOR | Vold,Svein Erik | TMB | Joker Bianchi Team | 5h10'00" | @ s/t |
| 90 | 155 | SWE | Wetterhall,Alex | PZR | Pezula | 5h11'55" | @11'35" |
| 91 | 113 | RSA | Woolcock,Waylon | MTN | MTN Energade | 5h12'51" | @12'31" |
| 92 | 125 | GBR | Briggs,Graham | RCR | Rapha Condor Recycling.co.uk | 5h12'51" | @ s/t |
| 93 | 137 | GBR | Kipling,Mathew | POT | Pinarello CandiTV | 5h12'51" | @ s/t |
| 94 | 81 | ESP | Troncoso,Ramon | KGZ | Karpin Galicia Cycling Team | 5h12'51" | @ s/t |
| 95 | 96 | AUS | King,Matt | SAI | SouthAustralia.com/AIS | 5h12'51" | @ s/t |
| 96 | 66 | BEL | Lisabett,Kenny | SKT | An Post Sean Kelly Team | 5h12'51" | @ s/t |
| 97 | 143 | NOR | Stokstad,Ingar | TMB | Joker Bianchi Team | 5h13'31" | @13'11" |
| 98 | 76 | IRL | Concannon,Miceal | IRL | Irish National Team | 5h13'31" | @ s/t |
| 99 | 75 | IRL | Lacey,Sean | IRL | Irish National Team | 5h13'31" | @ s/t |
| 100 | 18 | AUS | Sutton,Chris | TSL | Garmin Chipotle H30 | 5h13'31" | @ s/t |
| 101 | 157 | IRL | Irvine,Martyn | PZR | Pezula | 5h13'31" | @ s/t |
| 102 | 151 | IRL | O'Loughlin,David | PZR | Pezula | 5h13'31" | @ s/t |
| 103 | 86 | ESP | Abal,David | KGZ | Karpin Galicia Cycling Team | 5h13'31" | @ s/t |
| 104 | 73 | IRL | Healion,Paul | IRL | Irish National Team | 5h13'31" | @ s/t |
| 105 | 26 | ITA | Riccio,Bernardo | TCS | Tinkoff - Credit Systems | 5h13'31" | @ s/t |
| 106 | 112 | RSA | George,David | MTN | MTN Energade | 5h25'10" | @24'50" |
| 107 | 77 | IRL | O'Sullivan,Stephen | IRL | Irish National Team | 5h25'10" | @ s/t |
| 108 | 134 | GBR | Davis,Lee | POT | Pinarello CandiTV | 5h27'35" | @27'15" |
Did Not Finish: 44-Chadwick.G, 115-Potgieter.B
Stage 1 Photos
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