Myron Simpson wins fifth stage and Gediminas Bagdonas retains overall lead at 2011 An Post Ras
New Zealand National Team’s Myron Simpson won the fifth stage of 2011 An Post Ras on Thursday May 26. Gediminas Bagdonas retained his overall leader’s yellow jersey.
The race started in Castletownbere and ended at Blarney. In the final 3 kilometres, the 20-year-old Simpson attacked the peloton and took a total of 3 hours, 42 minute and 44 seconds to cover the distance of 156 kilometres.
Tobyn Horton of the Britain Motorpoint team was in second place with a difference of 4 seconds. Bastian Burgel of Germany Thuringer Energie finished third while overall leader Bagdonas was in the ninth place.
After winning the stage, Simpson told the media, "There were a few little attacks and the bunch was coming so I put my head down with three kilometres to go and thankfully I stayed ahead. I’m delighted; this is my biggest win from my first race on the road
this year."
He further added, "Shane (Archbold) has been unlucky, he’s been close, so it’s great to get the stage win for the team."
The stage started with lots of attack and several riders were involved in a crash. The winner of stage one, Dean Downing of Rapha Condor Sharp, held his team's car in the race due to which he was disqualified.
The group of twelve riders made first break of the day and all of them went clear after 15 kilometres. Adam Semple took a first climb of the day, ahead of Rhys Pollock and Hector Gonzalez.
Adam Semple maintained his speed in second, third and fourth climb of the day. But after 62 kilometres, two riders Lachlann Noriss and David O’Loughlin caught the other cyclists.
They were joined by the other four riders, including Simpson, Johannes Kahra, Dean Windsor and Tobyn Horton. All of them worked together and built a lead of four minutes.
In the final 25 kilometres, Noriss attacked the peloton and managed to stay out in the final 4 kilometres, but Simpson paced his speed up and managed to attack the peloton and cross the finish-line ahead of other cyclists.
Gediminas Bagdonas maintained his overall lead with the timing of 20 hours, 22 minutes and 3 seconds. Olesksandr Sheydyk was runner-up with 1 minute and 16 seconds behind Bagdonas.
The next stage will start in Blarney and end in Tramore. All the riders will cover a distance of 172 kilometres.
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