Stage 4 - August 30: Limerick - Dingle, 186km
Downing takes the stage and the 'Geansai Bui' as Millar destroys the field in Kerry
Russell Downing (Pinarello CandiTV) put the hammer down in the last 200 metres to win stage four of the Tour of Ireland and wrestle the 'Geansai Bui' (yellow jersey) from the shoulders of Mark Cavendish (Team Columbia).
Today's stage from Limerick was a savage affair with Team Garmin-Chipotle's David Millar going into overdrive on the front and splitting the main field on the climb of the Conor Pass. Millar's effort saw Mark Cavendish stranded in a chasing group dangling 15 seconds behind and it looked like the two groups would rejoin but Millar pushed the throttle again over the top of the climb and it was game-over for Cavendish.
Downing had won the An Post sponsored intermediate sprints at Patrickswell and Dingle to earn six valuable bonus seconds ahead of Cavendish and Millar's teamate Julian Dean (Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30). Dean had started the day 20 seconds behind Cavendish and second place overall. Downing's ten second bonus for the stage win sees him yellow with a leading margin of only two seconds over Dean. Only Downing's best performance will do if the Yorkshireman wants to wear the yellow jersey after the killer stage from Killarney to Cork tomorrow. It will certainly be the biggest in the career of the former British road race champion.
The Team Garmin-Chipotle team were active all day with Magnus Backstedt in a three-man break with Peter Williamson (Pinarello CandiTV) and last year's best young rider Wesley Sulzberger (SouthAustralia.com). Backstedt made most of the running in the group and the lead grew to five until the Columbia team decided to bring their escape to a halt before they reached the Conor Pass. Millar's effort was superhuman on the tough ascent, with standing room only for hundreds of cycling fans who made the pilgrimage to the legendary category one Kerry climb. Only Matt Wilson (Team Type 1) dared to pass the Scotsman to take maximum points on the summit for the Irish Ferries sponsored King of the Mountains competition. Wilson now has an unassailable lead in the climbers' competition to ensure he will take the red jersey home to Melbourne, Australia next week.
Cavendish won't need any consolation with three stage wins and three fantastic Waterford Crystal trophies to take home to the Isle of Man, but he still leads in the An Post sponsored green jersey competition for sprinters by five points. He only needs to take two points in the sprints at Blarney and Cork tomorrow to win that competition outright. He is going to need a bigger mantle piece.
Gonzalo Rabunal (Karpin Galicia) finished a close second on the stage with Wilson in third place showing he can sprint too. Australian is third on GC too. There are now 18 riders split by only 18 seconds and it is all to play for on the final stage featuring the 25% climb of St Patrick's Hill in Cork City.
| PL | No. | Nat | Name | TM | Team | Time | @ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 131 | GBR | Downing,Russell | POT | Pinarello CandiTV | 4h19'56" | |
| 2 | 82 | ESP | Rabunal,Gonzalo | KGZ | Karpin Galicia Cycling Team | 4h19'56" | |
| 3 | 46 | AUS | Wilson,Matt | TT1 | Team Type 1 Cycling Team | 4h19'56" | |
| 4 | 91 | AUS | Clarke,Simon | SAI | SouthAustralia.com/AIS | 4h19'56" | |
| 5 | 25 | ITA | Mazzanti,Luca | TCS | Tinkoff - Credit Systems | 4h19'56" | |
| 6 | 64 | GBR | Lloyd,Daniel | SKT | An Post Sean Kelly Team | 4h19'56" | |
| 7 | 51 | BEL | Coenen,Johan | TSV | Topsport Vlaanderen | 4h19'56" | |
| 8 | 54 | BEL | Maes,Nikolas | TSV | Topsport Vlaanderen | 4h19'56" | |
| 9 | 15 | NZL | Dean,Julian | TSL | Garmin Chipotle H30 | 4h19'56" | |
| 10 | 142 | NOR | Nordhaug,Lars Petter | TMB | Joker Bianchi Team | 4h19'56" | |
| 11 | 53 | BEL | Hovelijnck,Kurt | TSV | Topsport Vlaanderen | 4h19'56" | |
| 12 | 23 | GER | Gottfried,Alexander | TCS | Tinkoff - Credit Systems | 4h19'56" | |
| 13 | 45 | UKR | Kobzarenko,Valeriy | TT1 | Team Type 1 Cycling Team | 4h19'56" | |
| 14 | 22 | RUS | Klimov,Serguei | TCS | Tinkoff - Credit Systems | 4h19'56" | |
| 15 | 7 | CAN | Barry,Michael | THR | Team Columbia | 4h19'56" | |
| 16 | 4 | ITA | Pinotti,Marco | THR | Team Columbia | 4h19'56" | |
| 17 | 147 | NOR | Sommerseth,Stian | TMB | Joker Bianchi Team | 4h19'56" | |
| 18 | 156 | SWE | Ericsson,Fredrik | PZR | Pezula | 4h19'56" | |
| 19 | 65 | GBR | Fleeman,Daniel | SKT | An Post Sean Kelly Team | 4h19'56" | |
| 20 | 116 | RSA | Evans,Kevin | MTN | MTN Energade | 4h19'56" | |
| 21 | 5 | ITA | Possoni,Morris | THR | Team Columbia | 4h19'56" | |
| 22 | 106 | NED | Rabou,Thomas | RB3 | Rabobank | 4h19'56" | |
| 23 | 112 | RSA | George,David | MTN | MTN Energade | 4h20'01" | @05" |
| 24 | 11 | GBR | Millar,David | TSL | Garmin Chipotle H30 | 4h20'55" | @59" |
| 25 | 92 | AUS | Sulzberger,Wesley | SAI | SouthAustralia.com/AIS | 4h20'55" | @ s/t |
| 26 | 102 | BEL | Adams,Joeri | RB3 | Rabobank | 4h20'55" | @ s/t |
| 27 | 36 | ARG | Richeze,Max | CSF | CSF Group Navigare | 4h20'55" | @ s/t |
| 28 | 62 | IRL | Cassidy,Mark | SKT | An Post Sean Kelly Team | 4h22'00" | @02'04" |
| 29 | 31 | ITA | Savini,Filippo | CSF | CSF Group Navigare | 4h22'00" | @ s/t |
| 30 | 81 | ESP | Troncoso,Ramon | KGZ | Karpin Galicia Cycling Team | 4h22'00" | @ s/t |
| 31 | 63 | IRL | Gallagher,Stephen | SKT | An Post Sean Kelly Team | 4h24'06" | @04'10" |
| 32 | 74 | IRL | Aiken,Roger | IRL | Irish National Team | 4h24'06" | @ s/t |
| 33 | 42 | UKR | Surutkovych,Alex. | TT1 | Team Type 1 Cycling Team | 4h24'06" | @ s/t |
| 34 | 122 | GBR | House,Kristian | RCR | Rapha Condor Recycling.co.uk | 4h24'06" | @ s/t |
| 35 | 95 | AUS | Semple,Adam | SAI | SouthAustralia.com/AIS | 4h24'06" | @ s/t |
| 36 | 27 | ITA | Graziato,Massimo | TCS | Tinkoff - Credit Systems | 4h28'31" | @08'35" |
| 37 | 32 | ITA | Priamo,Matteo | CSF | CSF Group Navigare | 4h28'31" | @ s/t |
| 38 | 105 | NED | Sinkeldam,Ramon | RB3 | Rabobank | 4h28'31" | @ s/t |
| 39 | 135 | GBR | Murray,Tom | POT | Pinarello CandiTV | 4h28'31" | @ s/t |
| 40 | 24 | RUS | Chernetskiy,Ilya | TCS | Tinkoff - Credit Systems | 4h28'31" | @ s/t |
| 41 | 104 | NED | Van Poppel,Boy | RB3 | Rabobank | 4h28'31" | @ s/t |
| 42 | 72 | IRL | Griffin,Paul | IRL | Irish National Team | 4h28'31" | @ s/t |
| 43 | 83 | ESP | Mouron,Juan Francisco | KGZ | Karpin Galicia Cycling Team | 4h28'31" | @ s/t |
| 44 | 141 | NOR | Kristoff,Alexander | TMB | Joker Bianchi Team | 4h28'31" | @ s/t |
| 45 | 132 | GBR | Elliott,Malcom | POT | Pinarello CandiTV | 4h28'31" | @ s/t |
| 46 | 55 | BEL | Neyens,Maarten | TSV | Topsport Vlaanderen | 4h28'31" | @ s/t |
| 47 | 1 | GBR | Cavendish,Mark | THR | Team Columbia | 4h28'31" | @ s/t |
| 48 | 57 | BEL | Renders,Sven | TSV | Topsport Vlaanderen | 4h28'31" | @ s/t |
| 49 | 6 | CZE | Rabon,Frantisek | THR | Team Columbia | 4h28'31" | @ s/t |
| 50 | 17 | AUS | Lowe,Trent | TSL | Garmin Chipotle H30 | 4h28'31" | @ s/t |
| 51 | 43 | AUS | Calabria,Fabio | TT1 | Team Type 1 Cycling Team | 4h28'31" | @ s/t |
| 52 | 124 | GBR | Partridge,Rob | RCR | Rapha Condor Recycling.co.uk | 4h28'31" | @ s/t |
| 53 | 154 | AUS | Jennings,Cameron | PZR | Pezula | 4h28'31" | @ s/t |
| 54 | 152 | IRL | Power,Ciaran | PZR | Pezula | 4h28'31" | @ s/t |
| 55 | 126 | GBR | Appleby,Dale | RCR | Rapha Condor Recycling.co.uk | 4h28'31" | @ s/t |
| 56 | 103 | NED | Berkhout,Thomas | RB3 | Rabobank | 4h28'31" | @ s/t |
| 57 | 76 | IRL | Concannon,Miceal | IRL | Irish National Team | 4h31'04" | @11'08" |
| 58 | 97 | AUS | Dempster,Zakkari | SAI | SouthAustralia.com/AIS | 4h31'04" | @ s/t |
| 59 | 94 | AUS | Walker,Johnnie | SAI | SouthAustralia.com/AIS | 4h31'04" | @ s/t |
| 60 | 111 | RSA | MacDonald,Neil | MTN | MTN Energade | 4h31'04" | @ s/t |
| 61 | 134 | GBR | Davis,Lee | POT | Pinarello CandiTV | 4h31'04" | @ s/t |
| 62 | 87 | ESP | Paleo,Alejandro | KGZ | Karpin Galicia Cycling Team | 4h31'04" | @ s/t |
| 63 | 14 | SWE | Backstedt,Magnus | TSL | Garmin Chipotle H30 | 4h31'04" | @ s/t |
| 64 | 16 | NED | Maaskant,Martijn | TSL | Garmin Chipotle H30 | 4h31'04" | @ s/t |
| 65 | 101 | BEL | Aernouts,Bart | RB3 | Rabobank | 4h31'04" | @ s/t |
| 66 | 35 | ARG | Richeze,Mauro | CSF | CSF Group Navigare | 4h31'04" | @ s/t |
| 67 | 93 | AUS | Meyer,Travis | SAI | SouthAustralia.com/AIS | 4h31'04" | @ s/t |
| 68 | 137 | GBR | Kipling,Mathew | POT | Pinarello CandiTV | 4h36'15" | @16'19" |
| 69 | 155 | SWE | Wetterhall,Alex | PZR | Pezula | 4h36'15" | @ s/t |
| 70 | 157 | IRL | Irvine,Martyn | PZR | Pezula | 4h36'15" | @ s/t |
| 71 | 75 | IRL | Lacey,Sean | IRL | Irish National Team | 4h36'15" | @ s/t |
| 72 | 114 | RSA | Thomson,Jay | MTN | MTN Energade | 4h36'15" | @ s/t |
| 73 | 133 | IRL | Roche,Andy | POT | Pinarello CandiTV | 4h36'15" | @ s/t |
| 74 | 136 | GBR | Williams,Peter | POT | Pinarello CandiTV | 4h36'15" | @ s/t |
| 75 | 144 | NOR | Bohler,Joachim | TMB | Joker Bianchi Team | 4h36'15" | @ s/t |
| 76 | 117 | RSA | van Heerden,Juan | MTN | MTN Energade | 4h36'15" | @ s/t |
| 77 | 77 | IRL | O'Sullivan,Stephen | IRL | Irish National Team | 4h36'15" | @ s/t |
| 78 | 73 | IRL | Healion,Paul | IRL | Irish National Team | 4h36'15" | @ s/t |
| 79 | 33 | ITA | Tomei,Francesco | CSF | CSF Group Navigare | 4h37'19" | @17'23" |
| 80 | 47 | TRI | Abraham,Emile | TT1 | Team Type 1 Cycling Team | 4h37'19" | @ s/t |
| 81 | 66 | BEL | Lisabett,Kenny | SKT | An Post Sean Kelly Team | 4h37'19" | @ s/t |
| 82 | 121 | GBR | Downing,Dean | RCR | Rapha Condor Recycling.co.uk | 4h37'19" | @ s/t |
| 83 | 127 | GBR | Holt,Simon | RCR | Rapha Condor Recycling.co.uk | 4h37'19" | @ s/t |
| 84 | 52 | BEL | De Haes,Kenny | TSV | Topsport Vlaanderen | 4h37'19" | @ s/t |
| 85 | 56 | BEL | Nolf,Frederiek | TSV | Topsport Vlaanderen | 4h37'19" | @ s/t |
| 86 | 107 | BEL | Van Staeyen,Michael | RB3 | Rabobank | 4h37'19" | @ s/t |
| 87 | 2 | AUT | Eisel,Bernard | THR | Team Columbia | 4h37'19" | @ s/t |
| 88 | 67 | BEL | De Schrooder,Benny | SKT | An Post Sean Kelly Team | 4h37'19" | @ s/t |
| 89 | 96 | AUS | King,Matt | SAI | SouthAustralia.com/AIS | 4h37'19" | @ s/t |
| 90 | 26 | ITA | Riccio,Bernardo | TCS | Tinkoff - Credit Systems | 4h37'19" | @ s/t |
| 91 | 61 | IRL | O'Brien,Paidi | SKT | An Post Sean Kelly Team | 4h37'19" | @ s/t |
| 92 | 145 | NOR | Vold,Svein Erik | TMB | Joker Bianchi Team | 4h37'19" | @ s/t |
| 93 | 146 | NOR | Wilman,Frederik | TMB | Joker Bianchi Team | 4h37'19" | @ s/t |
| 94 | 125 | GBR | Briggs,Graham | RCR | Rapha Condor Recycling.co.uk | 4h37'19" | @ s/t |
Did Not Finish: 34-Bongiorno.R, 41-Aldape.M, 86-Abal.D, 151-O'Loughlin.D, 153-Page.K
Did Not Start: 71-McCann.D, 123-Greenwood.B
Stage 4 Photos
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