Team Inishowen Gateway Hotel enjoyed a successful day on the fourth stage of the An Post Ras today.
Today’s stage was one of the hardest of the race, with eight categorised climbs including the first category coomanaspic with 20km to go.
After a very fast opening hour a break finally went clear and Ronan Mc Laughlin managed to get himself into the move.
The group was made up of twelve riders, but due to some of the riders being
only two minutes off the race lead, the group was never let build a lead greater than two minutes.
Ronan was feeling good and was one of the stronger riders in the group.
Coming into the final 40km and the the three big climbs of the day the groups lead was diminishing all the time.
The break got to the final climb, the first 1st category climb of this years Ras, with a
lead just under 1min and where caught just at the top of the climb by the riders remaining in the bunch.
This left thirty riders coming towards the finish in Cahersiveen to sprint for the win.
After a long hard day in the breakaway, Ronan had nothing left for the sprint and cramped quite badly when he tried to sprint.
He wasn’t able to take the county rider prize for the stage but did move up to second overall in the county rider classification, on the same time as the leader.
Ronan’s goal for the week was to podium in the county rider classification and is now in a great position to achieve this goal.
Rory also had a good day and finished in the second bunch, just ahead of Johns group.
These good placings mean the team is now 5th overall in the county team classification.
Tomorrow’s stage is another hilly affair with five categorised climbs over the 170km course from Caherciveen to Clonakilty.