David McCann wins final stage and Gediminas Bagdonas retains overall lead in 2011 An Post Ras
Asian Giant Kenda Cycling team’s David McCann won the eighth and final stage of 2011 An Post Ras between Kildare to Skerries on Sunday, May 29. Gediminas Bagdonas retained his overall leader’s yellow jersey.
The 38-year-old David McCann took a total of 2 hours, 58 minutes and 57 seconds to cover the distance of 133 kilometres.
Recently, McCann was in overall second place in Tour de Taiwan and also grabbed overall second spot in Tour of Jelajah Malaysia. He won Irish National Time Trial Championship in 2010.
Shane Archbold of New Zealand National team was runner-up with 14 seconds behind David. Dean Windsor of Britain Rapha Condor finished in the third spot, while race leader, Gediminas Bagdonas was in the 18th place.
With 7 kilometres to go, the group of four riders made their first break, including Oleksandr Sheydyk, Anatoliy Pakhtusov, Casey Munro and Andrew Roche. All of them gained an advantage and built a gap from the peloton.
Three riders were caught by the peloton and Oleksandr won the first climb of the day. David McCan was in good form and won the second climb. Tobyn Horton of Britain Motorpoint pulled away from the bunch and took the advantage of three minutes.
But after few kilometres, Tobyn was caught by the peloton, leaving McCann to battle it out. In the final climb, Irish rider, David McCann had good legs and managed to cross the finish-line ahead of the other cyclists.
Belgium An Post Sean Kelly team’s Gediminas Bagdonas retained his overall classification with a timing of 30 hours, 39 minutes and 48 seconds. Ukraine ISD-Lampre team’s Anatoliy Sheydyk was the runner-up with 32 seconds behind Bagdonas.
Anatoliy's team-mate, Oleksandr Sheydyk grabbed third place with a difference of 1 minute and 13 seconds. The stage winner David McCann was in 14th place with 8 minutes and 49 seconds adrift.
After winning the overall lead Bagdonas said, "It’s been so hard this week. I’ve been the leader for six days and I could not have done this without my team. I have to thank them; they all worked so hard for me on each of those days. I am so happy now, this
is my biggest win and it’s great that it is in Ireland."
New Zealand rider Shane Archbold won the point classification and Oleksandr Sheydyk retained his mountain classification.
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