Stage 6 - May 27: Abbeyleix - Rathdrum, 160 km     <Main Page >     <Previous Stage>     <Next Stage>

Newton defies gravity to win his third stage
By Shane Stokes in Rathdrum

FBD Insurance Rás race leader Chris Newton scored an important psychological blow against his opponents today when he won the sixth stage, a mainly flat 160 kilometre leg from Abbeyleix to Rathdrum. The GB - Recycling.co.uk rider exploded out of the bunch on the finishing climb, a steep 700 metre ascent, and carved out a five second gap over the chasing riders by the line.

Newton's attack was a devastating show of force and underlined his dominance heading into tomorrow's crucial mountain stage. Second was Norway - Sparebanken Vest rider Morten Hegreberg, with Nathan Mitchell (US TIAA CREF) and Irish rider Eugene Moriarty (Meath - Cycleways.com) next home.

Newton's closest rival Malcolm Elliott (Yorkshire - Trinity Capital) finished a further second back in sixth, conceding more time to his rival, while leading Irishman Tim Barry (Tipperary - Dan Morrissey) finished 11 seconds behind the stage winner. He consequently drops one place to fifth overall.

Today's leg was marked by a long-distance breakaway which, like Wednesday's fourth stage, could well have ended with a win for Irish rider Tommy Evans (Yorkshire - Trinity Capital). The 1996 Rás winner was part of a nine-man group which went clear approximately 55 kilometres into the race and built a two minute lead.

Also present in the break were Irishmen Brian Keane (Ireland - Grant Thornton) and Eddie O'Donoghue (Dublin - Team Murphy and Gunn), plus foreign riders Kristian House (Britain - Fujibikes.com), Duncan Urquhart, Evan Oliphant (both Scotland), Stuart Gillespie (US - TIAA CREF), Kenny Williams (US - Ventilux First Mortgage) and Chris Belsham (East England Angliasport).

Fatigued after the week's racing, Newton's GB Recycling.co.uk squad looked to be in trouble but got an unexpected dig-out from other teams in the race. The peloton gradually started to get back on terms with the break, prompting Evans, Evan Oliphant (Wales - Stena Line) and Chris Belsham (East England Angliasport) to strike for home. Evans then attacked the other two with about six kilometres remaining, but had just 15 seconds buffer at that point, and was caught by the peloton with four kilometres left. That set the scene for Newton's impressive surge and his third stage win of the race.

The FBD Insurance Rás continues tomorrow with the penultimate day of racing, a tough mountain stage featuring seven climbs. These include the first category ascents of Slieveman, Sally Gap and Luggala. Although Newton is just 14 seconds ahead of Elliott, he is in a confident frame of mind.

'I am looking forward to tomorrow,' Newton said. 'With the climbs it will simply be down to strength, and so the best guy should come out on top.'

1 Chris Newton (GBr) Recycling.co.uk 4.01.09
2 Morten Hegreberg (Nor) Sparebanken Vest 0.05
3 Nathan Mitchell (USA) TIAA-CREF
4 Eugene Moriarty (Irl) cycleways.com
5 Yanto Barker (GBr) Stena
6 Malcolm Elliott (GBr) Trinity Capital 0.06
7 John Tanner (GBr) Trinity Capital 0.11
8 Tim Barry (Irl) Dan Morrissey
9 Robin Sharman (GBr) Recycling.co.uk
10 Stephen Gallagher (Irl) Grant Thornton

General classification after stage 6

1 Chris Newton (GBr) Recycling.co.uk 22.01.49
2 Malcolm Elliott (GBr) Trinity Capital 0.14
3 Morten Hegreberg (Nor) Sparebanken Vest 2.21
4 Yanto Barker (GBr) Stena 2.42
5 Tim Barry (Irl) Dan Morrissey 2.43
6 Robin Sharman (GBr) Recycling.co.uk
7 Gabriel Rasch (Nor) Sparebanken Vest 2.59
8 Kevin Dawson (GBr) Trinity Capital 3.33
9 Stuart Gillespie (USA) TIAA-CREF 5.33

Points classification

1 Chris Newton (GBr) Recycling.co.uk 77 pts
2 Malcolm Elliott (GBr) Trinity Capital 67
3 Morten Hegreberg (Nor) Sparebanken Vest 56
4 Yanto Barker (GBr) Stena 45
5 John Tanner (GBr) Trinity Capital 34
6 Eugene Moriarty (Irl) cycleways.com 32
7 Tim Barry (Irl) Dan Morrissey 31
8 Roger Aiken (Irl) Safe Cycling 28
9 Robin Sharman (GBr) Recycling.co.uk 28
10 Rostislav Krotky (Cze) Elmarco KK 26