The 2009 Tour of Ireland kicked off this morning with a 196.40 kms / 122.13 mile stage. Due to finincial concerns the 2009 Tour will only be a three day stage race instead of the usual five. Sixteen teams are competing over the 576km course that started today from County Wicklow and finishing in Cork city on Sunday.
Lance Armstrong, one of the biggest names in this years race, last raced in Ireland in 1992 in his first year as a professional cyclist. Also riding this year is Mark Cavendish, the renouned sprinter from team Columbia-HTC. Click HERE for a list of all teams and their riders in the 2009 Tour of Italy.
Stage One Results after the break…
British cyclist Russell Downing, team CandiTV-Marshall’s Pasta, won the opening stage and took the yellow jersey today in Waterford. He finished two seconds ahead of team Saxo Bank duo Alexandr Kolobnev and Matti Breschel.
Lance Armstrong, still riding for Astana, finished in the main group at 23rd only 16 seconds behind the leader. Mark Cavendish finished 68th, 2:12 off the pace.
STAGE ONE RESULTS
| 1 | Russell Downing (GBr) Candi TV – Marshalls Pasta | 5:10:37 | |
| 2 | Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Saxo Bank | 0:00:01 | |
| 3 | Matti Breschel (Den) Saxo Bank | ||
| 4 | Philip Deignan (Irl) Cervélo TestTeam | ||
| 5 | Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Astana | ||
| 6 | Marco Pinotti (Ita) Columbia-HTC | ||
| 7 | Frederik Wilman (Nor) Joker Bianchi | ||
| 8 | Oleksandr Kvachuk (Ukr) ISD | ||
| 9 | Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Saxo Bank | 0:00:07 | |
| 10 | Denys Kostyuk (Ukr) ISD | 0:00:16 | |
| 11 | Igor Abakoumov (Bel) ISD | ||
| 12 | Mathias Frank (Swi) BMC Racing Team | ||
| 13 | Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Rabobank | ||
| 14 | Gabriel Rasch (Nor) Cervélo TestTeam | ||
| 15 | Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Joker Bianchi | ||
| 16 | Craig Lewis (USA) Columbia-HTC | ||
| 17 | Florian Stalder (Swi) BMC Racing Team | ||
| 18 | Daniel Lloyd (GBr) Cervélo TestTeam | ||
| 19 | Karsten Kroon (Ned) Saxo Bank | ||
| 20 | Andriy Grivko (Ukr) ISD | ||
| 21 | Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana | ||
| 22 | Stuart O’Grady (Aus) Saxo Bank | ||
| 23 | Lance Armstrong (USA) Astana | ||
| 24 | Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Joker Bianchi | 0:02:12 | |
| 25 | Michael Van Staeyen (Bel) Rabobank | ||
| 26 | Davide Appollonio (Ita) Cervélo TestTeam | ||
| 27 | Mark McNally (GBr) Team Halfords | ||
| 28 | Graham Briggs (GBr) Candi TV – Marshalls Pasta | ||
| 29 | Andrew Tennant (GBr) Team Halfords | ||
| 30 | Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Rabobank | ||
| 31 | Robert Partridge (GBr) Team Halfords | ||
| 32 | Michael Matthews (Aus) Australian National Team | ||
| 33 | Ian Wilkinson (GBr) Team Halfords | ||
| 34 | Leigh Howard (Aus) Australian National Team | ||
| 35 | Svein Vold (Nor) Joker Bianchi | ||
| 36 | Kristian House (GBr) Rapha Condor Cycling Team | ||
| 37 | Michael Schär (Swi) Astana | ||
| 38 | Jason McCartney (USA) Saxo Bank | ||
| 39 | Ian McLeod (Rsa) MTN Cycling | ||
| 40 | Malcolm Elliott (GBr) Candi TV – Marshalls Pasta | ||
| 41 | Christoff Van Heerden (Rsa) MTN Cycling | ||
| 42 | Vicente Reynes (Spa) Columbia-HTC | ||
| 43 | Simon Richardson (GBr) Rapha Condor Cycling Team | ||
| 44 | Darren Lapthorne (Aus) Rapha Condor Cycling Team | ||
| 45 | Sondre G Sortveit (Nor) Joker Bianchi | ||
| 46 | Ronan Mc Laughlin (Irl) An Post – Sean Kelly Team | ||
| 47 | Jesús Hernández (Spa) Astana | ||
| 48 | Mark O’Brien (Aus) Australian National Team | ||
| 49 | Benny De Schrooder (Bel) An Post – Sean Kelly Team | ||
| 50 | Jef Peeters (Bel) An Post – Sean Kelly Team | ||
| 51 | José Luis Rubiera (Spa) Astana | ||
| 52 | Valery Kobzarenko (Ukr) Team Type 1 | ||
| 53 | Niko Eeckhout (Bel) An Post – Sean Kelly Team | ||
| 54 | Matthew Wilson (Aus) Team Type 1 | ||
| 55 | Travis Meyer (Aus) Australian National Team | ||
| 56 | Roger Hammond (GBr) Cervélo TestTeam | ||
| 57 | Bartosz Huzarsky (Pol) ISD | ||
| 58 | Steven Van Vooren (Bel) An Post – Sean Kelly Team | ||
| 59 | David McCann (Irl) Irish National Team | ||
| 60 | Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team | ||
| 61 | Chris Newton (GBr) Rapha Condor Cycling Team | ||
| 62 | Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Saxo Bank | ||
| 63 | Stake Vegard Laengen (Nor) Joker Bianchi | ||
| 64 | Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Astana | ||
| 65 | Jetse Bol (Ned) Rabobank | ||
| 66 | Martijn Keizer (Ned) Rabobank | ||
| 67 | Martin Reimer (Ger) Cervélo TestTeam | ||
| 68 | Mark Cavendish (GBr) Columbia-HTC | ||
| 69 | Antonio Cruz (USA) BMC Racing Team | ||
| 70 | Martin Kohler (Swi) BMC Racing Team | ||
| 71 | Jack Bobridge (Aus) Australian National Team | ||
| 72 | Timothy Roe (Aus) Australian National Team | ||
| 73 | Sam Bennett (Irl) Irish National Team | ||
| 74 | Juan Van Heerden (Rsa) MTN Cycling | ||
| 75 | Stian Remme (Nor) Joker Bianchi | ||
| 76 | Thomas Frei (Swi) BMC Racing Team | ||
| 77 | Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Rabobank | ||
| 78 | David Fletcher (GBr) Team Halfords | ||
| 79 | Frantisek Rabon (Cze) Columbia-HTC | ||
| 80 | Nicholas Walker (Aus) Australian National Team | ||
| 81 | Bradley Potgieter (Rsa) MTN Cycling | 0:02:33 | |
| 82 | Adrien Niyonshuti (Rwa) MTN Cycling | ||
| 83 | Tom Southam (GBr) Rapha Condor Cycling Team | 0:05:20 | |
| 84 | Pierpaolo De Negri (Ita) ISD | 0:06:24 | |
| 85 | Paul Griffin (Irl) Irish National Team | 0:14:17 | |
| 86 | Kenny Lisabeth (Bel) An Post – Sean Kelly Team | ||
| 87 | Philip Lavery (Irl) Irish National Team | ||
| 88 | Sean Downey (Irl) Irish National Team | ||
| 89 | Robert Hayles (GBr) Team Halfords | ||
| 90 | Peter Williams (GBr) Candi TV – Marshalls Pasta | ||
| 91 | Fabio Calabria (Aus) Team Type 1 | ||
| 92 | Dean Downing (GBr) Rapha Condor Cycling Team | ||
| 93 | James Sampson (GBr) Candi TV – Marshalls Pasta | ||
| 94 | Morris Possoni (Ita) Columbia-HTC | ||
| 95 | Dale Appleby (GBr) Candi TV – Marshalls Pasta | ||
| 96 | Jackson Stewart (USA) BMC Racing Team | ||
| 97 | Jay Thomson (Rsa) MTN Cycling | ||
| 98 | Dan Craven (Nam) Rapha Condor Cycling Team | ||
| 99 | Shawn Milne (Usa) Team Type 1 | ||
| 100 | Mark Cassidy (Irl) An Post – Sean Kelly Team | ||
| 101 | Maurice Vrijmoed (Ned) Rabobank | ||
| 102 | Andrew Roche (Irl) Candi TV – Marshalls Pasta | ||
| 103 | Martyn Irvine (Irl) Irish National Team | ||
| 104 | Jeremy Hunt (GBr) Cervélo TestTeam | ||
| 105 | Ken Hanson (Usa) Team Type 1 | ||
| 106 | Michael Creed (Usa) Team Type 1 | ||
| 107 | Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Columbia-HTC | ||
| 108 | Ino Ilesic Aldo (Slo) Team Type 1 | 0:21:10 | |
| DNF | Ed Clancy (GBr) Team Halfords |
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION AFTER STAGE ONE
| 1 | Russell Downing (GBr) Candi TV – Marshalls Pasta | 5:10:27 | |
| 2 | Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Saxo Bank | 0:00:05 | |
| 3 | Matti Breschel (Den) Saxo Bank | 0:00:07 | |
| 4 | Philip Deignan (Irl) Cervélo TestTeam | 0:00:11 | |
| 5 | Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Astana | ||
| 6 | Marco Pinotti (Ita) Columbia-HTC | ||
| 7 | Frederik Wilman (Nor) Joker Bianchi | ||
| 8 | Oleksandr Kvachuk (Ukr) ISD | ||
| 9 | Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Saxo Bank | 0:00:17 | |
| 10 | Andriy Grivko (Ukr) ISD | 0:00:24 | |
| 11 | Daniel Lloyd (GBr) Cervélo TestTeam | 0:00:25 | |
| 12 | Denys Kostyuk (Ukr) ISD | 0:00:26 | |
| 13 | Igor Abakoumov (Bel) ISD | ||
| 14 | Mathias Frank (Swi) BMC Racing Team | ||
| 15 | Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Rabobank | ||
| 16 | Gabriel Rasch (Nor) Cervélo TestTeam | ||
| 17 | Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Joker Bianchi | ||
| 18 | Craig Lewis (USA) Columbia-HTC | ||
| 19 | Florian Stalder (Swi) BMC Racing Team | ||
| 20 | Karsten Kroon (Ned) Saxo Bank | ||
| 21 | Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana | ||
| 22 | Stuart O’Grady (Aus) Saxo Bank | ||
| 23 | Lance Armstrong (USA) Astana | ||
| 24 | Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Joker Bianchi | 0:02:18 | |
| 25 | Frantisek Rabon (Cze) Columbia-HTC | ||
| 26 | Kristian House (GBr) Rapha Condor Cycling Team | 0:02:19 | |
| 27 | Michael Van Staeyen (Bel) Rabobank | 0:02:22 | |
| 28 | Davide Appollonio (Ita) Cervélo TestTeam | ||
| 29 | Mark McNally (GBr) Team Halfords | ||
| 30 | Graham Briggs (GBr) Candi TV – Marshalls Pasta | ||
| 31 | Andrew Tennant (GBr) Team Halfords | ||
| 32 | Ramon Sinkeldam (Ned) Rabobank | ||
| 33 | Robert Partridge (GBr) Team Halfords | ||
| 34 | Michael Matthews (Aus) Australian National Team | ||
| 35 | Ian Wilkinson (GBr) Team Halfords | ||
| 36 | Leigh Howard (Aus) Australian National Team | ||
| 37 | Svein Vold (Nor) Joker Bianchi | ||
| 38 | Michael Schär (Swi) Astana | ||
| 39 | Jason McCartney (USA) Saxo Bank | ||
| 40 | Ian McLeod (Rsa) MTN Cycling | ||
| 41 | Malcolm Elliott (GBr) Candi TV – Marshalls Pasta | ||
| 42 | Christoff Van Heerden (Rsa) MTN Cycling | ||
| 43 | Vicente Reynes (Spa) Columbia-HTC | ||
| 44 | Simon Richardson (GBr) Rapha Condor Cycling Team | ||
| 45 | Darren Lapthorne (Aus) Rapha Condor Cycling Team | ||
| 46 | Sondre G Sortveit (Nor) Joker Bianchi | ||
| 47 | Ronan Mc Laughlin (Irl) An Post – Sean Kelly Team | ||
| 48 | Jesús Hernández (Spa) Astana | ||
| 49 | Mark O’Brien (Aus) Australian National Team | ||
| 50 | Benny De Schrooder (Bel) An Post – Sean Kelly Team | ||
| 51 | Jef Peeters (Bel) An Post – Sean Kelly Team | ||
| 52 | José Luis Rubiera (Spa) Astana | ||
| 53 | Valery Kobzarenko (Ukr) Team Type 1 | ||
| 54 | Niko Eeckhout (Bel) An Post – Sean Kelly Team | ||
| 55 | Matthew Wilson (Aus) Team Type 1 | ||
| 56 | Travis Meyer (Aus) Australian National Team | ||
| 57 | Roger Hammond (GBr) Cervélo TestTeam | ||
| 58 | Bartosz Huzarsky (Pol) ISD | ||
| 59 | Steven Van Vooren (Bel) An Post – Sean Kelly Team | ||
| 60 | David McCann (Irl) Irish National Team | ||
| 61 | Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC Racing Team | ||
| 62 | Chris Newton (GBr) Rapha Condor Cycling Team | ||
| 63 | Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Saxo Bank | ||
| 64 | Stake Vegard Laengen (Nor) Joker Bianchi | ||
| 65 | Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Astana | ||
| 66 | Jetse Bol (Ned) Rabobank | ||
| 67 | Martijn Keizer (Ned) Rabobank | ||
| 68 | Martin Reimer (Ger) Cervélo TestTeam | ||
| 69 | Mark Cavendish (GBr) Columbia-HTC | ||
| 70 | Antonio Cruz (USA) BMC Racing Team | ||
| 71 | Martin Kohler (Swi) BMC Racing Team | ||
| 72 | Jack Bobridge (Aus) Australian National Team | ||
| 73 | Timothy Roe (Aus) Australian National Team | ||
| 74 | Sam Bennett (Irl) Irish National Team | ||
| 75 | Juan Van Heerden (Rsa) MTN Cycling | ||
| 76 | Stian Remme (Nor) Joker Bianchi | ||
| 77 | Thomas Frei (Swi) BMC Racing Team | ||
| 78 | Dennis Van Winden (Ned) Rabobank | ||
| 79 | David Fletcher (GBr) Team Halfords | ||
| 80 | Nicholas Walker (Aus) Australian National Team | ||
| 81 | Bradley Potgieter (Rsa) MTN Cycling | 0:02:43 | |
| 82 | Adrien Niyonshuti (Rwa) MTN Cycling | ||
| 83 | Tom Southam (GBr) Rapha Condor Cycling Team | 0:05:30 | |
| 84 | Pierpaolo De Negri (Ita) ISD | 0:06:34 | |
| 85 | Jay Thomson (Rsa) MTN Cycling | 0:14:24 | |
| 86 | Paul Griffin (Irl) Irish National Team | 0:14:27 | |
| 87 | Kenny Lisabeth (Bel) An Post – Sean Kelly Team | ||
| 88 | Philip Lavery (Irl) Irish National Team | ||
| 89 | Sean Downey (Irl) Irish National Team | ||
| 90 | Robert Hayles (GBr) Team Halfords | ||
| 91 | Peter Williams (GBr) Candi TV – Marshalls Pasta | ||
| 92 | Fabio Calabria (Aus) Team Type 1 | ||
| 93 | Dean Downing (GBr) Rapha Condor Cycling Team | ||
| 94 | James Sampson (GBr) Candi TV – Marshalls Pasta | ||
| 95 | Morris Possoni (Ita) Columbia-HTC | ||
| 96 | Dale Appleby (GBr) Candi TV – Marshalls Pasta | ||
| 97 | Jackson Stewart (USA) BMC Racing Team | ||
| 98 | Dan Craven (Nam) Rapha Condor Cycling Team | ||
| 99 | Shawn Milne (Usa) Team Type 1 | ||
| 100 | Mark Cassidy (Irl) An Post – Sean Kelly Team | ||
| 101 | Maurice Vrijmoed (Ned) Rabobank | ||
| 102 | Andrew Roche (Irl) Candi TV – Marshalls Pasta | ||
| 103 | Martyn Irvine (Irl) Irish National Team | ||
| 104 | Jeremy Hunt (GBr) Cervélo TestTeam | ||
| 105 | Ken Hanson (Usa) Team Type 1 | ||
| 106 | Michael Creed (Usa) Team Type 1 | ||
| 107 | Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Columbia-HTC | ||
| 108 | Ino Ilesic Aldo (Slo) Team Type 1 | 0:21:19 |
