May 27, 2007 (Skerries, Ireland) — Tony Martin (Ger) Thuringer Energy has won the 2007 FDB Insurance RAS today as Brian Kenneally (Irl) Meath Myhome.Ie /BDBC won the final Stage 8, Newcastle-Skerries + 2 laps on circuit, 174 kms. Canada’s Dominique Rollin (Kodak Gallery/Sierra Nevada) won the Points Classification, had three stage wins and finished 8th overall.

Kodak Gallery/Sierra Nevada Report

Canada’s Dominique Rollin of the Kodak Gallery Pro Cycling Team presented by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company briefly held the overall lead on the road in the final stage of the FBD Insurance Ras.

A week of hard racing took its toll on Rollin, however and he was overtaken in the final kilometers of the 8-stage race finishing 8th overall with three stage wins. Jesse Anthony finished Stage 8 with the race winner securing his 4th place overall placing. Today’s strong finish placed the team 3rd in the international overall team classification. Rollin won the overall points competition, capping a spectacular performance by the Kodak Gallery Pro Cycling Team, presented by Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

The final day of the Ras began with 16 riders within two minutes of the overall lead and a nervous anticipation in the air that was palpable. As the riders set off from Newcastle, Northern Ireland on their way to the suburbs of Dublin, rumors of gale force winds, hale and driving rain circulated among the teams and race organizers. From the start, the race favorites were very active. It wasn’t long before David McCann of the Irish National Team rode off the front of the field with two other riders.

As McCann’s advantage grew to nearly two minutes, Kodak Gallery rider, Dominique Rollin launched off the front of the field in pursuit of the leaders with dual stage winner Martin Ojavee of the Czech Republic. Determined to minimize his effort, Ojavee drafted Rollin forcing him to do the lion’s share of the work to bridge to the leaders. In an impressive demonstration of strength and determination, Rollin succeeded in catching McCann and his two breakaway partners. Not long thereafter, Rollin and McCann dropped the others and set off to win the stage on their own. At the time, Rollin held a 1:40 gap on the field containing the Yellow Jersey making him the leader on the road by a minute.

The anticipated weather never materialized. What did materialize was a strong, steady tailwind from the north. This did not help the efforts of McCann and Rollin who began losing their advantage on the large, exposed roads. As the pair approached the 10 kilometer finishing circuit in Skerries, Rollin hit the wall and began to fade. McCann’s advantage on the field began to drop, setting the stage for other riders to bridge to him.

As the race completed the first of three finishing circuits, Irishman Brain Kenneally closed down the gap and went clear of the leaders. After opening a gap solo, Kenneally’s lead was steadily narrowed by the rapidly closing field. In the end, Kenneally survived off the front by only a few meters. His stage win was hugely popular with the thousands of spectators who gathered to see the return of the Ras to Dublin. Rollin’s efforts throughout the week and day caught up with him as he finished slightly over a minute behind the lead group.

Looking back on the week, team director Kurt Stockton was thrilled, “We had a great week in Ireland. The guys finished very strong and improved every day. That’s important. Our riders exceeded all expectations – we came in hoping for a stage win and we got three and placed very well in the overall. Our riders showed they were clearly the strongest team in the race. Most importantly, it was great preparation for the events that are coming up in the USA.”

Team Highlights 2007 FBD Insurance Ras

– 3rd Place International Overall Team Classification
– Green Jersey for Overall Points Leader – Dominique Rollin
– 4th Place in Individual General Classification – Jesse Anthony
– Three stage wins – Dominique Rollin
– Two days in Race Leader’s Yellow Jersey – Jesse Anthony
– Team simultaneously held best Young Rider, KOM, Points and Yellow Jerseys
– 2nd in Best Young Rider – Jesse Anthony
– 2nd in King of the Mountains

Final Individual General Classification

– Jesse Anthony – 4th
– Dominique Rollin – 8th
– Mark Walters – 19th
– Ben Raby – 41st
– Josh Thornton – DNF (Stage-7, crashed out)

Results

1. Brian Kenneally (Irl) Meath Myhome.Ie/BDBC 3.58.22 (42.97 km/h)
2. Andrei Mustonen (Est) Kalev Chocolate
3. Glenn Bak (Den) Murphy & Gunn
4. Josef Soukup (Cze) Sparta Praha
5. Mark Walters (Can) Kodak Gallery/Sierra Nevada
6. Jesse Anthony (USA) Kodak Gallery/Sierra Nevada
7. Tomas Hruby (Cze) Sparta Praha
8. Zdenek Krizek (Cze) Sparta Praha
9. Jason Hegert (Aus) FRF Couriers NSWIS
10. Tony Martin (Ger) Thuringer Energy
11. Simon Jensen (Den) Vision Bikes
12. Ben Raby (USA) Kodak Gallery/Sierra Nevada
13. Yvo Kusters (Ned) Netherlands
14. Alain Van der Velde (Ned) Netherlands
15. Dan Bowman (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast
16. Paidi O’Brien (Irl) Murphy & Gunn
17. Markku Ainsalu (Est) Kalev Chocolate
18. Paul Griffin (Irl) Subway Eat Fresh
19. Robin Chaigneau (Ned) Netherlands
20. Benjamin Hill (Ger) Stevens-Von-Hacht
21. Derek Burke (Irl) Dublin Murphy & Gunn Newlyn
22. Peter McDonald (Aus) FRF Couriers NSWIS
23. Ricardo Van der Velde (Ned) Netherlands
24. Thomas Bendixen (Den) Vision Bikes
25. Mads Bugge (Den) Vision Bikes
26. Stephen Gallagher (Irl) Murphy & Gunn
27. Marcin Bialoblocki (GBr) Team Sportscover
28. Dominique Perras (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast
29. Adam Armstrong (Irl) Dublin Usher Insulations
30. Neil Delahaye (Irl) Dublin Usher Insulations
31. Ryan Roth (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast
32. Patrick Gretsch (Ger) Thuringer Energy
33. Isaac Speirs (Irl) Dublin Murphy & Gunn Newlyn
34. Ryan Bonser (GBr) Stena Line / Recycling
35. Chris Newton (GBr) Stena Line / Recycling
36. David McCann (Irl) Subway Eat Fresh
37. Wayne Randle (GBr) Team Sportscover
38. Roger Aiken (Irl) Armagh Big Picture Dev
39. Rory Wyley (Irl) Tipperary Dan Morrissey
40. Mark Lovatt (GBr) Team Sportscover
41. Petr Pucelik (Cze) Sparta Praha
42. Alo Jakin (Est) Kalev Chocolate 0.17
43. Silvar Kibur (Est) Kalev Chocolate 0.29
44. Matthew Ward (Irl) Dublin Usher Insulations 0.49
45. Sean Lacey (Irl) Dublin Murphy & Gunn Newlyn 0.5
46. Miceál Concannon (Irl) Kerry Earl Of Desmond
47. Justin Spinelli (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast
48. Ben Pochee (GBr) Surrey
49. Dominique Rollin (Can) Kodak Gallery/Sierra Nevada
50. Scott McDonald (Irl) Meath Myhome.Ie/BDBC
51. Stephen O’Sullivan (Irl) Meath Myhome.Ie/BDBC
52. Peter Herzig (Aus) FRF Couriers NSWIS
53. Patrick Moriarty (Irl) Cork Omega Designs Ltd
54. John Charlsworth (GBr) Team Sportscover
55. Conor Murphy (Irl) Dublin Usher Insulations
56. Michael Johansen (Den) Vision Bikes
57. Ondrej Pavek (Cze) Sparta Praha
58. Dennis Kreder (Ned) Netherlands 1.04
59. Eugene Moriarty (Irl) Meath Myhome.Ie/BDBC 1.11
60. Raymond Clarke (Irl) Tipperary Dan Morrissey
61. Mick Mulcahy (Irl) Kildare Murphy Surveys
62. Michael Fitzgerald (Irl) Tipperary Dan Morrissey
63. Ashley Brown (GBr) Team Sportscover 4.33
64. Martyn Irvine (Irl) Subway Eat Fresh 4.4
65. David Brennan (Irl) Kerry Earl Of Desmond
66. Brendan Brooks (Aus) FRF Couriers NSWIS
67. Dermot Nally (Irl) Subway Eat Fresh
68. Brian Ahern (Irl) Dublin DTC Orwell Wheelers
69. Ciaran Cassidy (Irl) Meath M.Donnelly Cycleways
70. Paul Wright (GBr) North England West Pennine 5.28
71. Robin Kelly (Irl) Waterford Comeragh CC
72. Alan Carey (Irl) Dublin Usher Insulations 5.33
73. Johannes Sickmuller (Ger) Stevens-Von-Hacht
74. Craig Sweetman (Irl) Meath M.Donnelly Cycleways
75. Peter Hey (GBr) North England West Pennine
76. Brian Taaffe (Irl) Meath M.Donnelly Cycleways
77. Padraig Marrey (Irl) Dublin Murphy & Gunn Newlyn
78. Kevin Donagher (Irl) Dublin DTC Orwell Wheelers
79. Matthew Green (GBr) Surrey
80. Aidan Crowley (Irl) Meath Myhome.Ie/BDBC
81. Mark Nestor (Irl) Dublin Murphy & Gunn Newlyn
82. Daire McCaughley (Irl) Armagh Big Picture Dev
83. Ronan McLaughlin (Irl) Down Mar Properties
84. Michael Butler (Irl) Kerry Earl Of Desmond
85. Chris Jory (Aus) FRF Couriers NSWIS
86. Adrian Hederman (Irl) Meath M.Donnelly Cycleways
87. Paul Vaughan (Irl) Kildare Murphy Surveys 5.38
88. Jonathan Gormley (Irl) Down Mar Properties
89. Nathan Jones (Aus) Kildare Newbridge ReMax 5.41
90. Richard Eastham (GBr) North England West Pennine 8.54
91. Yannick Tiedt (Ger) Stevens-Von-Hacht 10.12
92. Toby Neave (GBr) Surrey 11.07
93. Michael O’Reilly (Irl) Cork Omega Designs Ltd
94. Paul Delahunty (NZl) Surrey 13.36
95. Tom Fanning (Irl) Waterford Comeragh CC
96. Conor McGrath (Irl) Waterford Comeragh CC
97. Sonke Thiel (Ger) Stevens-Von-Hacht
98. Chris Belsham (GBr) North England West Pennine
99. Frank O’Leary (Irl) Kildare Newbridge ReMax
100. Colm Bracken (Irl) Kildare Murphy Surveys
101. Nick Waite (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast
102. John O’Brien (Irl) Tipperary Dan Morrissey
103. René Birkenfeld (Ger) Stevens-Von-Hacht
104. Mart Ojavee (Est) Kalev Chocolate
105. Ben Lieberson (GBr) Cork Omega Designs Ltd 21.29
106. Colm Ahern (Irl) Dublin DTC Orwell Wheelers 21.35
107. Don Feighery (Irl) Waterford Comeragh CC
108. John-Paul Lyons (Irl) Dublin Eurocycles -Eurobaby 25.55
109. Thomas O’Flaherty (Irl) Kerry Earl Of Desmond 27.41
110. Hugh Mulhearne (Irl) Tipperary Dan Morrissey 31.07
111. Frank O’Connor (Irl) Meath M.Donnelly Cycleways 33.07
112. Dave McLoughlin (Irl) Dublin DTC Orwell Wheelers 33.59
113. Noel McGlynn (Irl) Kildare Murphy Surveys 35.36
114. Richard Simmonds (GBr) Surrey 43.35
115. Brendan Kirk (Irl) Down Mar Properties 44.27
116. Tony Kemp (Irl) Cork Omega Designs Ltd
117. Barry Mullin (Irl) Down Mar Properties
118. James Lattimore (Irl) Dublin Eurocycles -Eurobaby
DNF Mark Cassidy (Irl) Murphy & Gunn
DNF Graham Briggs (GBr) Stena Line / Recycling
DNF Marcel Barth (Ger) Thuringer Energy
DNF Nico Graf (Ger) Thuringer Energy
DNF Florian Frohn (Ger) Thuringer Energy
DNF Michael Hennessy (Irl) Cork Omega Designs Ltd
DNF Cormac O’Shea (Irl) Kildare Newbridge ReMax
DNF Frank Dunne (Irl) Waterford Comeragh CC
DNS Simon Kelly (Irl) Murphy & Gunn

Final GC

1. Tony Martin (Ger) Thuringer Energy 27.27.13
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. Chris Newton (GBr) Stena Line / Recycling 1.02
6. Stephen Gallagher (Irl) Murphy & Gunn 1.15
7. Brian Kenneally (Irl) Meath Myhome.Ie/BDBC 1.22
8. Dominique Rollin (Can) Kodak Gallery/Sierra Nevada 1.3
9. David McCann (Irl) Subway Eat Fresh 1.35
10. Patrick Gretsch (Ger) Thuringer Energy 1.43
11. Alain Van der Velde (Ned) Netherlands 1.44
12. Jason Hegert (Aus) FRF Couriers NSWIS
13. Yvo Kusters (Ned) Netherlands 1.52
14. Paul Griffin (Irl) Subway Eat Fresh
15. Ryan Roth (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast
16. Dan Bowman (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast 2.09
17. Peter Herzig (Aus) FRF Couriers NSWIS 2.34
18. Rory Wyley (Irl) Tipperary Dan Morrissey 2.44
19. Mark Walters (Can) Kodak Gallery/Sierra Nevada 2.56
20. Robin Chaigneau (Ned) Netherlands
21. Roger Aiken (Irl) Armagh Big Picture Dev 3.31
22. Justin Spinelli (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast 3.35
23. Glenn Bak (Den) Murphy & Gunn 3.45
24. Benjamin Hill (Ger) Stevens-Von-Hacht 4.38
25. Michael Johansen (Den) Vision Bikes 7.5
26. Dominique Perras (Can) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast 13.21
27. Thomas Bendixen (Den) Vision Bikes 13.59
28. Zdenek Krizek (Cze) Sparta Praha 15.45
29. Neil Delahaye (Irl) Dublin Usher Insulations 16.31
30. Josef Soukup (Cze) Sparta Praha 16.45
31. Markku Ainsalu (Est) Kalev Chocolate
32. Ondrej Pavek (Cze) Sparta Praha 17.35
33. Petr Pucelik (Cze) Sparta Praha 17.44
34. Sean Lacey (Irl) Dublin Murphy & Gunn Newlyn 18.15
35. Johannes Sickmuller (Ger) Stevens-Von-Hacht 18.4
36. Ricardo Van der Velde (Ned) Netherlands 18.49
37. Patrick Moriarty (Irl) Cork Omega Designs Ltd 20.23
38. Wayne Randle (GBr) Team Sportscover 22.03
39. Chris Jory (Aus) FRF Couriers NSWIS 22.18
40. Silvar Kibur (Est) Kalev Chocolate 22.32
41. Ben Raby (USA) Kodak Gallery/Sierra Nevada 22.51
42. Alo Jakin (Est) Kalev Chocolate 22.53
43. Brian Ahern (Irl) Dublin DTC Orwell Wheelers 23.19
44. Andrei Mustonen (Est) Kalev Chocolate 23.3
45. Marcin Bialoblocki (GBr) Team Sportscover 24.24
46. Dennis Kreder (Ned) Netherlands 24.43
47. Yannick Tiedt (Ger) Stevens-Von-Hacht 27.01
48. Simon Jensen (Den) Vision Bikes 27.2
49. Ryan Bonser (GBr) Stena Line / Recycling 27.26
50. Tomas Hruby (Cze) Sparta Praha 27.48
51. Stephen O’Sullivan (Irl) Meath Myhome.Ie/BDBC 28.28
52. Ashley Brown (GBr) Team Sportscover 33.01
53. René Birkenfeld (Ger) Stevens-Von-Hacht 35
54. Adam Armstrong (Irl) Dublin Usher Insulations 35.25
55. Isaac Speirs (Irl) Dublin Murphy & Gunn Newlyn 35.47
56. Mart Ojavee (Est) Kalev Chocolate 36.17
57. Mark Lovatt (GBr) Team Sportscover 36.22
58. Mick Mulcahy (Irl) Kildare Murphy Surveys 36.52
59. Conor Murphy (Irl) Dublin Usher Insulations 37.3
60. Mads Bugge (Den) Vision Bikes 38.54
61. John Charlsworth (GBr) Team Sportscover 39.24
62. Michael Fitzgerald (Irl) Tipperary Dan Morrissey 39.48
63. Brendan Brooks (Aus) FRF Couriers NSWIS 41.2
64. Matthew Ward (Irl) Dublin Usher Insulations 41.45
65. Dermot Nally (Irl) Subway Eat Fresh 41.57
66. Ben Pochee (GBr) Surrey 42.2
67. Derek Burke (Irl) Dublin Murphy & Gunn Newlyn 42.42
68. Alan Carey (Irl) Dublin Usher Insulations 44.12
69. David Brennan (Irl) Kerry Earl Of Desmond 45.54
70. Martyn Irvine (Irl) Subway Eat Fresh 48.32
71. Michael Butler (Irl) Kerry Earl Of Desmond 48.42
72. Scott McDonald (Irl) Meath Myhome.Ie/BDBC 50.12
73. John O’Brien (Irl) Tipperary Dan Morrissey 51.26
74. Sonke Thiel (Ger) Stevens-Von-Hacht 52.03
75. Matthew Green (GBr) Surrey 52.49
76. Nathan Jones (Aus) Kildare Newbridge ReMax 53.1
77. Paul Wright (GBr) North England West Pennine 55.35
78. Daire McCaughley (Irl) Armagh Big Picture Dev 57.25
79. Mark Nestor (Irl) Dublin Murphy & Gunn Newlyn 58.35
80. Miceál Concannon (Irl) Kerry Earl Of Desmond 58.58
81. Raymond Clarke (Irl) Tipperary Dan Morrissey 1.00.35
82. Nick Waite (USA) Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast 1.01.23
83. Ciaran Cassidy (Irl) Meath M.Donnelly Cycleways 1.01.57
84. Eugene Moriarty (Irl) Meath Myhome.Ie/BDBC 1.06.59
85. Paul Vaughan (Irl) Kildare Murphy Surveys 1.08.05
86. Ronan McLaughlin (Irl) Down Mar Properties 1.09.57
87. Padraig Marrey (Irl) Dublin Murphy & Gunn Newlyn 1.22.35
88. Aidan Crowley (Irl) Meath Myhome.Ie/BDBC 1.23.12
89. Kevin Donagher (Irl) Dublin DTC Orwell Wheelers 1.25.06
90. Craig Sweetman (Irl) Meath M.Donnelly Cycleways 1.25.22
91. Chris Belsham (GBr) North England West Pennine 1.33.16
92. Tom Fanning (Irl) Waterford Comeragh CC 1.35.50
93. Richard Eastham (GBr) North England West Pennine 1.39.36
94. Michael O’Reilly (Irl) Cork Omega Designs Ltd 1.42.31
95. Brian Taaffe (Irl) Meath M.Donnelly Cycleways 1.42.55
96. Conor McGrath (Irl) Waterford Comeragh CC 1.45.00
97. Hugh Mulhearne (Irl) Tipperary Dan Morrissey 1.49.33
98. Adrian Hederman (Irl) Meath M.Donnelly Cycleways 2.00.58
99. Paul Delahunty (NZl) Surrey 2.12.04
100. Richard Simmonds (GBr) Surrey 2.16.07
101. Colm Bracken (Irl) Kildare Murphy Surveys 2.17.23
102. Robin Kelly (Irl) Waterford Comeragh CC 2.34.28
103. Peter Hey (GBr) North England West Pennine 2.38.26
104. Frank O’Leary (Irl) Kildare Newbridge ReMax 2.52.12
105. Frank O’Connor (Irl) Meath M.Donnelly Cycleways 2.54.35
106. Jonathan Gormley (Irl) Down Mar Properties 3.01.21
107. Toby Neave (GBr) Surrey 3.05.19
108. Noel McGlynn (Irl) Kildare Murphy Surveys 3.10.01
109. James Lattimore (Irl) Dublin Eurocycles -Eurobaby 3.17.19
110. Thomas O’Flaherty (Irl) Kerry Earl Of Desmond 3.21.58
111. Don Feighery (Irl) Waterford Comeragh CC 3.38.59
112. Ben Lieberson (GBr) Cork Omega Designs Ltd 3.40.10
113. Colm Ahern (Irl) Dublin DTC Orwell Wheelers 3.40.30
114. Barry Mullin (Irl) Down Mar Properties 3.44.16
115. Dave McLoughlin (Irl) Dublin DTC Orwell Wheelers 3.55.20
116. John-Paul Lyons (Irl) Dublin Eurocycles -Eurobaby 4.04.50
117. Tony Kemp (Irl) Cork Omega Designs Ltd 4.36.50
118. Brendan Kirk (Irl) Down Mar Properties 4.52.34

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. Yvo Kusters (Ned) Netherlands 42
5. Tony Martin (Ger) Thuringer Energy 40