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Tour of Ulster Press Release McCann Wins Tour of Ulster Belfast’s David McCann (Giant Asia) won the 2005 edition of the Tour of Ulster after today’s final 70 mile stage from Strabane to Craigavon. The stage was won by Aidan Crowley (Cycleways) who lead home a 7 man group that slipped away on the run into the finish. The action started early with a 6 man group going clear after 2 miles into the stage, included in the group was Stephen O Sullivan (Cycleways) and Denis Lynch (Crannog Ireland) who dropped the rest of the group on the first KOM at 10.8 miles, with O Sullivan taking 1st at the prime, and it was the same at the 2nd KOM at 15.9 miles. The pair built up a maximum lead of 1 minute before being caught by the bunch just before Greencastle. The main bunch was very active all the way to the finish at Craigavon with various groups going off the front before the 7 man group escaped on the run into the finish. McCann finished at the front of the bunch to claim overall victory for the second time in the event with the last victory back in 1996. Eugene Moriarity (Cycleways) held on to his overnight advantage to claim victory in the Modern Tyres KOM Competition, while Ryan Connor (Ballymena / Scotts) won the Irish News Young Rider Competition (Under 23) and Carrick / Dan Morrissey won the team prize. Stage 4 Result PL Name
Team Time Deficit General Classification (G.C.) PL Name
Team GC
Time Deficit
2 Andrew Roche
Isle of Man 9h00'55" @ 39" Primes KOM Cat 2 at 10.8 miles PL
Name Pts KOM Cat 2 at 15.9 miles PL
Name Pts Modern Tyres KOM Competition PL
Name Pts Irish News Young Rider Overall (Under 23) PL
Name Deficit ------------------------------------------------------------- McCann Wins Stage 3 of Tour of Ulster Overnight race leader David McCann (Giant Asia) stamped his authority on the race today with stage victory in the 2 mile individual time trial in Strabane which was based around the Canal Basin circuit. He increased his lead by 12 seconds over Andrew Roche (Isle of Man) who finished 3rd on the stage and moved up 1 place to 2nd on G.C at 38 seconds. The Irish News Under 23 category leader Ryan Connor (Ballymena / Scotts) dropped 1 place on G.C. after finishing 6th to 3rd place overall. Stage 3 Result PL Name Team
Time Deficit
General Classification (G.C.) PL Name
Team GC
Time Deficit 2 Andrew
Roche
Isle of Man 6h09'50" @ 38" ----------------------------- Murphy Wins, McCann in Yellow after Stage 2 of Tour of Ulster Crannog Ireland’s Conor Murphy from Emyvale won today’s 2nd Stage of the Tour of Ulster from Craigavon to Strabane. Today’s tough stage featured no less than 3 major climbs and split the field apart, but at the end of the day it was Belfast’s David McCann (Giant Asia) who took over the race leaders yellow jersey.. The race got underway today from the Craigavon Watersports Centre for the 87 mile stage. A 6 man group formed just after 14 mile at Crumlin, the group included Murphy and Eugene Moriarity (Cycleways). Behind the main bunch split under the pressure on the first climb of the day. As the race headed for the second climb of the day the lead group had an advantage of over 2 minutes on the main bunch but the race was blown apart on the climb at Moneyneana. Murphy and Moriarity split the leading group and Murphy attacked Moriarty with 12 miles remaining to win on his own. Meanwhile McCann on the last climb and caught Moriarity on the run in to the finish and took 2nd place with Moriatity 3rd place.. However, this was enough to take over the race leader yellow jersey from Saturday’s stage winner John Dempsey (Carrick-Dan Morrissey). The King of the Hills leader is Eugene Moriarity who won all 3 of today’s climbs. The Tour of Ulster concludes tomorrow with a 2 mile Time Trial at 9.00am in Strabane based around the Canal Basin, followed by a 70 mile road stage from Strabane at 1.00pm and finishing at approx. 3.45pm in Craigavon.
Results Stage 2 Craigavon – Strabane 88 miles PL Name
Team Time Deficit 2 David McCann
Giant Asia 3h22'10" @ 40" 7 Brian Keane Dublin Whs/All
Systems 3h22'56" @ 01'26" Overall General Classification – after Stage 2 PL Name Team GC
Time Deficit KOM Cat 2 at Roguery Road PL Name Pts KOM Cat 1 at 58.3km PL Name Pts KOM Cat 2 at 73.1 km PL Name Pts Mountains Competition, Modern Tyres - Overall
PL Name Pts
------------------------------------------- Dempsey Wins Stage 1 of Tour of Ulster Tipperary’s John Dempsey riding for the Dan Morrissey team won today’s opening stage of the Tour of Ulster, in a 3 up sprint with 2nd place going to Belfast’s David Mc Cann / Giant Asia and 3rd place Banbridge’s Tommy Evans Planet X. The race got underway today from the Craigavon Watersports Centre for the 76 mile stage, and it wasn’t long before the action started, with a 14 man group (Tommy Evans / Planet X, John Dempsey / Dan Morrissey, Brian Truman / Dan Morrissey, Andrew Roche / Isle of Man, Andrew Cook / Isle of Man, Micheal Hennessey / Cork Select, Ben Morrow / East Antrim Audi, Philip Cassidy / Cycleways, Sean Lacey / West Clare Composite, Matthew Ward / Phoenix, Ryan Connor Connor / Ballymena Scoots, Greg Swinard / Usher IRC, Paul Mulligan / Crannog Ireland & David Mc Cann / Giant Asia) going clear after only 5 miles, with most of the big favourites present, they soon built up a lead of 1 minute lead on the chasing bunch. At the only KOH of the day outside Randalstown, Sean Lacey / West Clare Composite was first over the top and he will now wear the Modern Tyres leader jersey for tomorrow’s stage. The lead hovered around 1 minute until 25 miles to go when the lead group pulled away and opened the lead of over 4 minutes, then with 20 miles to go another 13 man group went off in pursuit of the leaders and by the time they reached the finish they had cut the advantage to 1 minute 55 seconds, with main bunch finishing over 7 minutes in arrears. At the finish Dempsey proved the strongest in the sprint, winning the stage and taking the first leaders yellow of this year’s event. The stage tomorrow starts in Craigavon (12.00 noon) and finishing in Strabane (3.30pm), and with the race going through the Sperrins, this will be a tough stage and Dempsey will have to work hard to defend his lead, with 12 riders within 9 seconds of his lead.
Stage Result PL Name Team Time Deficit 1 John
Dempsey Dan Morrissey 2h43'02"
5 Paul
Mulligan Crannog Ireland 2h43'11"
@ 09"
KOH Cat 2 at Roguery Road PL
Name Points 3 Andrew Roche 1pt
For further information, visit our website on www.tourofulster.com ------------------------------------------------------------------ Tour of Ulster 2005 This year the Tour of Ulster will take place on bank holiday weekend Saturday 30th April - Monday 2nd May 2005. The race will follow the below route and these are the approximate times in which the race will be passing through each of the towns. Stage 1. Saturday 30th April - start time 12 noon Start Craigavon (12.00), Moira (12.08), Glenavy (12.28), Crumlin (12.35), Antrim (12.56), Randalstown (13.07), Ballyronan (13.44), Coagh (13.58), Stewartstown (14.13), Portadown ( 14.53), Finish Craigavon (15.03) - 76 mile Stage 2. Sunday 1st May - start time 12 noon Start Craigavon (12.00), Moira (12.08), Glenavy (12.28), Crumlin (12.35), Antrim (12.56), Randalstown (13.07), Tobermore (13.57), Draperstown (14.06), Moneyneaney (14.12), Feeny (14.37), Claudy (14.49), Dunemana (15.11), Ballinskeagh (15.21), Finish Strabane. (15.31) - 88 miles Stage 3. Monday 2nd May - start time 9am Start Strabane Circuit Time Trial based on the Canal Basin - 2 miles Finish 10.45am Stage 4. Monday 2nd May - start time 1pm Start Strabane (13.01), Douglas Bridge (13.13), Plumbridge (13.36), Gortin (13.43), Rouskey (13.54), Greencastle (14.08), Cookstown (14.42), Tullyhogue (14.51), Stewartstown (14.57), Portadown (15.36), Finish Craigavon (15.46) - 69 miles For further information on the race, including a list of the competitors, please visit our website on www.tourofulster.com ---------------------------------------------
Paul Nugent, PR Officer, Tour of Ulster
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