May 26, 2007 (Newcastle, Northern Ireland) — Canada’s Dominique Rollin of the Kodak Gallery Pro Cycling Team presented by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company won Stage 7 of the FBD Insurance Ras today in Newcastle, Northern Ireland. The main field finished together, leaving the general classification unchanged with Jesse Anthony in 4th and Rollin in 5th overall at 36 and 40 seconds respectively.

The stage covered 107 miles from Derry southeast across Northern Ireland to Newcastle, where under cold gray skies, Dominique Rollin again showed the field that he is the strongest man in the Ras. Despite repeated efforts throughout the stage by a number of teams, no breakaways were able to get an advantage on the field. A number of local Irish riders were very eager to capture a stage win and chased down every breakaway. This eagerness combined with a lack of wind or challenging terrain, kept the stage very even. The stage is now set for a thrilling final stage on Sunday.

Riding in the best young rider jersey, Jesse Anthony captured the first of the day’s two King of the Mountain (KOM) climbs. Teammate Ben Raby took the second and despite their combined efforts, Ricardo Van der Velde of the Netherlands has amassed too large a lead in the contest for Anthony to regain the KOM leader’s jersey that he held early on.

The low point in the day for the Kodak Gallery Pro Cycling Team came just 12 miles into the race when a rider from the Irish Murphy & Gunn Team lost control of his bike and fell at the front of the peloton. Kodak Gallery rider, Josh Thornton, who was riding immediately behind the rider ran into him and flipped over his handle bars and landed on his head. Fortunately, Thornton was wearing his Bell Sweep helmet which absorbed the impact. To ensure Thornton’s safety, team director, Kurt Stockton made the immediate decision to send him in the ambulance for evaluation, thereby disqualifying him from the remainder of the Ras. After the stage, Thornton was feeling much better, but was deeply disappointed about having to abandon the race and his teammates’ pursuit of the yellow jersey.

Reflecting on the ups and downs of the stage, team director, Kurt Stockton said, “Dominique is riding like a true champion! When you win three out of seven stages in a major international stage race it says a lot. We’re here to win and at this point we have 174 kilometers left to race. Our singular focus is to claw back the 37 seconds we need to take home the yellow jersey. Our guys were very active today, but without any difficult conditions or terrain, there was no chance to get away. We’re going to really miss Josh on the road in the final stage on Sunday, but most importantly I am just glad he is o.k. after his crash.”

Results

1. Dominique Rollin (Can) Kodak Gallery/Sierra Nevada 3.38.53 (42.84 km/h)
2. Mart Ojavee (Est) Kalev Chocolate
3. Ondrej Pavek (Cze) Sparta Praha
4. Marcel Barth (Ger) Thuringer Energy
5. Benjamin Hill (Ger) Stevens-Von-Hacht
6. Robin Chaigneau (Ned) Netherlands
7. Tomas Hruby (Cze) Sparta Praha
8. Ricardo Van der Velde (Ned) Netherlands
9. Aidan Crowley (Irl) Meath Myhome.Ie/BDBC
10. Jesse Anthony (USA) Kodak Gallery/Sierra Nevada
11. Paul Wright (GBr) North England West Pennine
12. Tony Martin (Ger) Thuringer Energy
13. Silvar Kibur (Est) Kalev Chocolate
14. Glenn Bak (Den) Murphy & Gunn
15. Paidi O’Brien (Irl) Murphy & Gunn
16. Graham Briggs (GBr) Stena Line / Recycling
17. Josef Soukup (Cze) Sparta Praha
18. Alo Jakin (Est) Kalev Chocolate
19. David McCann (Irl) Subway Eat Fresh
20. Yvo Kusters (Ned) Netherlands
21. René Birkenfeld (Ger) Stevens-Von-Hacht
22. Derek Burke (Irl) Dublin Murphy & Gunn Newlyn
23. Sean Lacey (Irl) Dublin Murphy & Gunn Newlyn
24. Chris Belsham (GBr) North England West Pennine
25. Dominique Perras (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast
26. Alain Van der Velde (Ned) Netherlands
27. Dan Bowman (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast
28. Simon Jensen (Den) Vision Bikes
29. Peter McDonald (Aus) FRF Couriers NSWIS
30. Mark Cassidy (Irl) Murphy & Gunn
31. Mark Nestor (Irl) Dublin Murphy & Gunn Newlyn
32. Mark Walters (Can) Kodak Gallery/Sierra Nevada
33. Patrick Gretsch (Ger) Thuringer Energy
34. Chris Jory (Aus) FRF Couriers NSWIS
35. Jason Hegert (Aus) FRF Couriers NSWIS
36. Zdenek Krizek (Cze) Sparta Praha
37. Stephen Gallagher (Irl) Murphy & Gunn
38. Ashley Brown (GBr) Team Sportscover
39. Ryan Bonser (GBr) Stena Line / Recycling
40. Dennis Kreder (Ned) Netherlands
41. Roger Aiken (Irl) Armagh Big Picture Dev
42. Ronan McLaughlin (Irl) Down Mar Properties
43. Matthew Green (GBr) Surrey
44. Justin Spinelli (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast
45. Ben Raby (USA) Kodak Gallery/Sierra Nevada
46. Brian Kenneally (Irl) Meath Myhome.Ie/BDBC
47. Peter Herzig (Aus) FRF Couriers NSWIS
48. Mick Mulcahy (Irl) Kildare Murphy Surveys
49. Martyn Irvine (Irl) Subway Eat Fresh
50. Matthew Ward (Irl) Dublin Usher Insulations
51. Neil Delahaye (Irl) Dublin Usher Insulations
52. Andrei Mustonen (Est) Kalev Chocolate
53. Markku Ainsalu (Est) Kalev Chocolate
54. Peter Hey (GBr) North England West Pennine
55. Chris Newton (GBr) Stena Line / Recycling
56. Thomas Bendixen (Den) Vision Bikes
57. Nico Graf (Ger) Thuringer Energy
58. Frank O’Leary (Irl) Kildare Newbridge ReMax
59. Yannick Tiedt (Ger) Stevens-Von-Hacht
60. Michael Butler (Irl) Kerry Earl Of Desmond
61. Paul Griffin (Irl) Subway Eat Fresh
62. Ryan Roth (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast
63. Nick Waite (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast
64. Stephen O’Sullivan (Irl) Meath Myhome.Ie/BDBC
65. Sonke Thiel (Ger) Stevens-Von-Hacht
66. Florian Frohn (Ger) Thuringer Energy
67. Brian Ahern (Irl) Dublin DTC Orwell Wheelers
68. Conor Murphy (Irl) Dublin Usher Insulations
69. Brendan Brooks (Aus) FRF Couriers NSWIS
70. Isaac Speirs (Irl) Dublin Murphy & Gunn Newlyn
71. Alan Carey (Irl) Dublin Usher Insulations
72. Kevin Donagher (Irl) Dublin DTC Orwell Wheelers
73. Johannes Sickmuller (Ger) Stevens-Von-Hacht
74. Wayne Randle (GBr) Team Sportscover
75. John Charlsworth (GBr) Team Sportscover
76. Adam Armstrong (Irl) Dublin Usher Insulations
77. Mads Bugge (Den) Vision Bikes
78. Michael Fitzgerald (Irl) Tipperary Dan Morrissey
79. John O’Brien (Irl) Tipperary Dan Morrissey
80. Dermot Nally (Irl) Subway Eat Fresh
81. Daire McCaughley (Irl) Armagh Big Picture Dev
82. Ciaran Cassidy (Irl) Meath M.Donnelly Cycleways
83. Rory Wyley (Irl) Tipperary Dan Morrissey
84. Mark Lovatt (GBr) Team Sportscover
85. Raymond Clarke (Irl) Tipperary Dan Morrissey
86. Patrick Moriarty (Irl) Cork Omega Designs Ltd
87. Miceál Concannon (Irl) Kerry Earl Of Desmond
88. Paul Vaughan (Irl) Kildare Murphy Surveys
89. Brian Taaffe (Irl) Meath M.Donnelly Cycleways 0.35
90. Petr Pucelik (Cze) Sparta Praha 0.43
91. Ben Pochee (GBr) Surrey 0.49
92. Nathan Jones (Aus) Kildare Newbridge ReMax 0.51
93. Adrian Hederman (Irl) Meath M.Donnelly Cycleways 1.01
94. Marcin Bialoblocki (GBr) Team Sportscover 1.48
95. Colm Bracken (Irl) Kildare Murphy Surveys
96. Frank O’Connor (Irl) Meath M.Donnelly Cycleways 2.05
97. Michael Johansen (Den) Vision Bikes 2.37
98. Scott McDonald (Irl) Meath Myhome.Ie/BDBC 2.4
99. Michael Hennessy (Irl) Cork Omega Designs Ltd
100. David Brennan (Irl) Kerry Earl Of Desmond
101. Richard Eastham (GBr) North England West Pennine 3.03
102. Colm Ahern (Irl) Dublin DTC Orwell Wheelers 10
103. Jonathan Gormley (Irl) Down Mar Properties 12.04
104. Noel McGlynn (Irl) Kildare Murphy Surveys 12.08
105. Cormac O’Shea (Irl) Kildare Newbridge ReMax 12.12
106. Simon Kelly (Irl) Murphy & Gunn 12.3
107. Padraig Marrey (Irl) Dublin Murphy & Gunn Newlyn 21.58
108. Thomas O’Flaherty (Irl) Kerry Earl Of Desmond 30.57
109. Robin Kelly (Irl) Waterford Comeragh CC 33.2
110. Hugh Mulhearne (Irl) Tipperary Dan Morrissey
111. James Lattimore (Irl) Dublin Eurocycles -Eurobaby
112. Frank Dunne (Irl) Waterford Comeragh CC
113. Craig Sweetman (Irl) Meath M.Donnelly Cycleways
114. John-Paul Lyons (Irl) Dublin Eurocycles -Eurobaby
115. Paul Delahunty (NZl) Surrey
116. Richard Simmonds (GBr) Surrey
117. Brendan Kirk (Irl) Down Mar Properties 42.19
118. Ben Lieberson (GBr) Cork Omega Designs Ltd
119. Tony Kemp (Irl) Cork Omega Designs Ltd
120. Conor McGrath (Irl) Waterford Comeragh CC
121. Tom Fanning (Irl) Waterford Comeragh CC
122. Toby Neave (GBr) Surrey
123. Dave McLoughlin (Irl) Dublin DTC Orwell Wheelers
124. Michael O’Reilly (Irl) Cork Omega Designs Ltd
125. Don Feighery (Irl) Waterford Comeragh CC
126. Barry Mullin (Irl) Down Mar Properties
127. Eugene Moriarty (Irl) Meath Myhome.Ie/BDBC 42.57

GC after Stage 7

1. Tony Martin (Ger) Thuringer Energy 23.28.51
2. Paidi O’Brien (Irl) Murphy & Gunn 0.17
3. Peter McDonald (Aus) FRF Couriers NSWIS 0.24
4. Jesse Anthony (USA) Kodak Gallery/Sierra Nevada 0.36
5. Dominique Rollin (Can) Kodak Gallery/Sierra Nevada 0.4
6. Mark Cassidy (Irl) Murphy & Gunn 0.44
7. Chris Newton (GBr) Stena Line / Recycling 1.02
8. Stephen Gallagher (Irl) Murphy & Gunn 1.15
9. Brian Kenneally (Irl) Meath Myhome.Ie/BDBC 1.22
10. David McCann (Irl) Subway Eat Fresh 1.35
11. Patrick Gretsch (Ger) Thuringer Energy 1.43
12. Alain Van der Velde (Ned) Netherlands 1.44
13. Jason Hegert (Aus) FRF Couriers NSWIS
14. Peter Herzig (Aus) FRF Couriers NSWIS
15. Yvo Kusters (Ned) Netherlands 1.52
16. Paul Griffin (Irl) Subway Eat Fresh
17. Ryan Roth (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast
18. Dan Bowman (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast 2.09
19. Rory Wyley (Irl) Tipperary Dan Morrissey 2.44
20. Justin Spinelli (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast 2.45
21. Florian Frohn (Ger) Thuringer Energy 2.52
22. Robin Chaigneau (Ned) Netherlands 2.56
23. Mark Walters (Can) Kodak Gallery/Sierra Nevada
24. Roger Aiken (Irl) Armagh Big Picture Dev 3.31
25. Glenn Bak (Den) Murphy & Gunn 3.45
26. Benjamin Hill (Ger) Stevens-Von-Hacht 4.38
27. Michael Johansen (Den) Vision Bikes 7
28. Marcel Barth (Ger) Thuringer Energy 12.31
29. Johannes Sickmuller (Ger) Stevens-Von-Hacht 13.07
30. Dominique Perras (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast 13.21
31. Thomas Bendixen (Den) Vision Bikes 13.59
32. Zdenek Krizek (Cze) Sparta Praha 15.45
33. Neil Delahaye (Irl) Dublin Usher Insulations 16.31
34. Ondrej Pavek (Cze) Sparta Praha 16.45
35. Josef Soukup (Cze) Sparta Praha
36. Chris Jory (Aus) FRF Couriers NSWIS
37. Markku Ainsalu (Est) Kalev Chocolate
38. Yannick Tiedt (Ger) Stevens-Von-Hacht 16.49
39. Sean Lacey (Irl) Dublin Murphy & Gunn Newlyn 17.25
40. Petr Pucelik (Cze) Sparta Praha 17.44
41. Brian Ahern (Irl) Dublin DTC Orwell Wheelers 18.39
42. Ricardo Van der Velde (Ned) Netherlands 18.49
43. Patrick Moriarty (Irl) Cork Omega Designs Ltd 19.33
44. Graham Briggs (GBr) Stena Line / Recycling 20.1
45. Nico Graf (Ger) Thuringer Energy 20.17
46. René Birkenfeld (Ger) Stevens-Von-Hacht 21.24
47. Wayne Randle (GBr) Team Sportscover 22.03
48. Silvar Kibur (Est) Kalev Chocolate
49. Alo Jakin (Est) Kalev Chocolate 22.36
50. Mart Ojavee (Est) Kalev Chocolate 22.41
51. Ben Raby (USA) Kodak Gallery/Sierra Nevada 22.51
52. Andrei Mustonen (Est) Kalev Chocolate 23.3
53. Dennis Kreder (Ned) Netherlands 23.39
54. Marcin Bialoblocki (GBr) Team Sportscover 24.24
55. Simon Jensen (Den) Vision Bikes 27.2
56. Ryan Bonser (GBr) Stena Line / Recycling 27.26
57. Stephen O’Sullivan (Irl) Meath Myhome.Ie/BDBC 27.38
58. Tomas Hruby (Cze) Sparta Praha 27.48
59. Ashley Brown (GBr) Team Sportscover 28.28
60. Adam Armstrong (Irl) Dublin Usher Insulations 35.25
61. Mick Mulcahy (Irl) Kildare Murphy Surveys 35.41
62. Isaac Speirs (Irl) Dublin Murphy & Gunn Newlyn 35.47
63. Mark Lovatt (GBr) Team Sportscover 36.22
64. Brendan Brooks (Aus) FRF Couriers NSWIS 36.4
65. Conor Murphy (Irl) Dublin Usher Insulations
66. Dermot Nally (Irl) Subway Eat Fresh 37.17
67. John O’Brien (Irl) Tipperary Dan Morrissey 37.5
68. Sonke Thiel (Ger) Stevens-Von-Hacht 38.27
69. John Charlsworth (GBr) Team Sportscover 38.34
70. Michael Fitzgerald (Irl) Tipperary Dan Morrissey 38.37
71. Alan Carey (Irl) Dublin Usher Insulations 38.39
72. Mads Bugge (Den) Vision Bikes 38.54
73. Matthew Ward (Irl) Dublin Usher Insulations 40.56
74. David Brennan (Irl) Kerry Earl Of Desmond 41.14
75. Ben Pochee (GBr) Surrey 41.3
76. Derek Burke (Irl) Dublin Murphy & Gunn Newlyn 42.42
77. Michael Butler (Irl) Kerry Earl Of Desmond 43.09
78. Martyn Irvine (Irl) Subway Eat Fresh 43.52
79. Matthew Green (GBr) Surrey 47.16
80. Nathan Jones (Aus) Kildare Newbridge ReMax 47.29
81. Nick Waite (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast 47.47
82. Scott McDonald (Irl) Meath Myhome.Ie/BDBC 49.22
83. Paul Wright (GBr) North England West Pennine 50.07
84. Simon Kelly (Irl) Murphy & Gunn 51.08
85. Daire McCaughley (Irl) Armagh Big Picture Dev 51.52
86. Mark Nestor (Irl) Dublin Murphy & Gunn Newlyn 53.02
87. Ciaran Cassidy (Irl) Meath M.Donnelly Cycleways 57.17
88. Miceál Concannon (Irl) Kerry Earl Of Desmond 58.08
89. Raymond Clarke (Irl) Tipperary Dan Morrissey 59.24
90. Paul Vaughan (Irl) Kildare Murphy Surveys 1.02.27
91. Ronan McLaughlin (Irl) Down Mar Properties 1.04.24
92. Eugene Moriarty (Irl) Meath Myhome.Ie/BDBC 1.05.48
93. Padraig Marrey (Irl) Dublin Murphy & Gunn Newlyn 1.17.02
94. Aidan Crowley (Irl) Meath Myhome.Ie/BDBC 1.17.39
95. Hugh Mulhearne (Irl) Tipperary Dan Morrissey 1.18.26
96. Kevin Donagher (Irl) Dublin DTC Orwell Wheelers 1.19.33
97. Chris Belsham (GBr) North England West Pennine 1.19.40
98. Craig Sweetman (Irl) Meath M.Donnelly Cycleways 1.19.49
99. Tom Fanning (Irl) Waterford Comeragh CC 1.22.14
100. Cormac O’Shea (Irl) Kildare Newbridge ReMax 1.27.28
101. Richard Eastham (GBr) North England West Pennine 1.30.42
102. Conor McGrath (Irl) Waterford Comeragh CC 1.31.24
103. Michael O’Reilly (Irl) Cork Omega Designs Ltd
104. Richard Simmonds (GBr) Surrey 1.32.32
105. Brian Taaffe (Irl) Meath M.Donnelly Cycleways 1.37.22
106. Michael Hennessy (Irl) Cork Omega Designs Ltd 1.53.32
107. Adrian Hederman (Irl) Meath M.Donnelly Cycleways 1.55.25
108. Paul Delahunty (NZl) Surrey 1.58.28
109. Colm Bracken (Irl) Kildare Murphy Surveys 2.03.47
110. Frank O’Connor (Irl) Meath M.Donnelly Cycleways 2.21.28
111. Robin Kelly (Irl) Waterford Comeragh CC 2.29.00
112. James Lattimore (Irl) Dublin Eurocycles -Eurobaby 2.32.52
113. Peter Hey (GBr) North England West Pennine 2.32.53
114. Noel McGlynn (Irl) Kildare Murphy Surveys 2.34.25
115. Frank O’Leary (Irl) Kildare Newbridge ReMax 2.38.36
116. Toby Neave (GBr) Surrey 2.54.12
117. Thomas O’Flaherty (Irl) Kerry Earl Of Desmond 2.54.17
118. Jonathan Gormley (Irl) Down Mar Properties 2.55.43
119. Barry Mullin (Irl) Down Mar Properties 2.59.49
120. Don Feighery (Irl) Waterford Comeragh CC 3.17.24
121. Ben Lieberson (GBr) Cork Omega Designs Ltd 3.18.41
122. Colm Ahern (Irl) Dublin DTC Orwell Wheelers 3.18.55
123. Dave McLoughlin (Irl) Dublin DTC Orwell Wheelers 3.21.21
124. John-Paul Lyons (Irl) Dublin Eurocycles -Eurobaby 3.38.55
125. Frank Dunne (Irl) Waterford Comeragh CC 3.50.08
126. Tony Kemp (Irl) Cork Omega Designs Ltd 3.52.23
127. Brendan Kirk (Irl) Down Mar Properties 4.08.07

Points Classification

1. Dominique Rollin (Can) Kodak Gallery/Sierra Nevada 83 pts
2. Mart Ojavee (Est) Kalev Chocolate 44
3. Paidi O’Brien (Irl) Murphy & Gunn 43
4. Marcel Barth (Ger) Thuringer Energy 42
5. Yvo Kusters (Ned) Netherlands 39
6. Ricardo Van der Velde (Ned) Netherlands 39
7. Mark Cassidy (Irl) Murphy & Gunn 36
8. Tony Martin (Ger) Thuringer Energy 34
9. Stephen Gallagher (Irl) Murphy & Gunn 30
10. Peter McDonald (Aus) FRF Couriers NSWIS 29
11. Nico Graf (Ger) Thuringer Energy 26
12. Paul Griffin (Irl) Subway Eat Fresh 25