Lars Petter Nordhaug (left, Joker/Bianchi) won the final stage, but Russell Downing (right, Candi TV / Marshalls Pasta) rode a smart aggressive race over the three day tour to take the overall GC win.
In a rainy day that saw numerous attacks from numerous riders and teams and only 47 of the 104 starters finish the stage, the stage came down to a six person assault on the final circuit.  Stuart O’Grady (Saxo Bank), who had been on a breakaway with Jay Thomson (MTN Cycling) since the 80km mark, was caught by defending champion Marco Pinotti, Craig Lews (both Columbia-HTC), Karsten Kroon, Matti Breschel (both Saxo Bank), Nordhaug and Downing.
With rain cascading down the 25% gradient on the final circuit, organizers canceled the final lap, but they didn’t cancel the spirit of Downing.  On the final circuit, he attacked, with Nordhaug coming along, and opened as much as a 33 second gap on the chasers.  Nordhaug ended up taking the stage, but they both crossed the line with arms in the air.
Lance Armstrong and Mark Cavendish, among many others, pulled out of the race due to the poor conditions. Photo Gallery from Graham Watson is up (including the pic above) on his site.  Hit ‘more’ for stage and overall results…
2009 TOUR OF IRELAND STAGE 3 STANDINGS – FINAL
1. Petter Nordhaug Lars (NOR), Joker Bianchi, 4:00:10
2. Russell Downing (GBR), Candi TV-Marshalls Pasta
3. Matti Breschel (DEN), Team Saxo Bank, at 0:33
4. Craig Lewis (USA), Team Columbia-HTC
5. Alexander Kolobnev (RUS), Team Saxo Bank
6. Mathias Frank (SUI), BMC Racing Team
7. Steven Kruijswijk (NED), Rabobank
8. Marco Pinotti (ITA), Team Columbia-HTC
9. Karsten Kroon (NED), Team Saxo Bank
10. Denys Kostyuk (UKR), ISD-Neri
11. Jakob Fuglsang (DEN), Team Saxo Bank, at 0:42
12. Kristian House (GBR), Rapha Condor Cycling Team, at 0:51
13. Jason Mccartney (USA), Team Saxo Bank
14. Andrey Grivko (UKR), ISD-Neri
15. Florian Stalder (SUI), BMC Racing Team
16. Philip Deignan (IRL), Cervélo TestTeam
17. Luis Rubiera Jose (ESP), Astana
18. Michael Schar (SUI), Astana, at 1:02
19. Davide Appollonio (ITA), Cervélo TestTeam, at 1:07
20. Christoff Van Heerden (RSA), Mtn Cycling
21. Malcolm Elliott (GBR), Candi TV-Marshalls Pasta
22. Dale Appleby (GBR), Candi TV-Marshalls Pasta
23. Danilo Wyss (SUI), BMC Racing Team
24. Matt Wilson (AUS), Team Type 1, at 2:10
25. Sam Bennett (IRL), Irish National Team, at 2:43
26. Robert Partridge (GBR), Team Halfords, at 2:46
27. Ian Wilkinson (GBR), Team Halfords
28. Roger Hammond (GBR), Cervélo TestTeam
29. Gabriel Rasch (NOR), Cervélo TestTeam
30. Steven Van Vooren (BEL), An Post Sean Kelly Team
31. Mark O’Brien (AUS), Australian National Team, at 2:51
32. Peter Williams (GBR), Candi TV-Marshalls Pasta, at 5:38
33. Timothy Roe (AUS), Australian National Team
34. Pierpaolo De Negri (ITA), ISD-Neri, at06:20
35. Frantisek Rabon (CZE), Team Columbia-HTC, at 6:43
36. Paul Griffin (IRL), Irish National Team, at 7:27
37. Antonio Cruz (USA), BMC Racing Team, at 8:01
38. Stian Remme (NOR), Joker Bianchi, at 8:23
39. Ramon Sinkeldam (NED), Rabobank
40. Mark Mcnally (GBR), Team Halfords
41. Juan Van Heerden (RSA), Mtn Cycling
42. Ian Mcleod (RSA), Mtn Cycling, at 8:35
43. Chris Newton (GBR), Rapha Condor Cycling Team, at 10:06
44. Stuart O’Grady (AUS), Team Saxo Bank, at 13:44
45. Asle Arvesen Kurt (NOR), Team Saxo Bank
46. Alexander Kristoff (NOR), Joker Bianchi, at 20:50
47. G Sortveit Sondre (NOR), Joker Bianchi
2009 TOUR OF IRELAND OVERALL CLASSIFICATION STANDINGS – FINAL
1. Russell Downing (GBR), Candi TV-Marshalls Pasta, 14:18:03
2. Petter Nordhaug Lars (NOR), Joker Bianchi, at 0:23
3. Matti Breschel (DEN), Team Saxo Bank, at 0:43
4. Alexander Kolobnev (RUS), Team Saxo Bank, at 0:45
5. Marco Pinotti (ITA), Team Columbia-HTC, at 0:49
6. Mathias Frank (SUI), BMC Racing Team, at 1:03
7. Craig Lewis (USA), Team Columbia-HTC, at 1:05
8. Steven Kruijswijk (NED), Rabobank, at 1:06
9. Denys Kostyuk (UKR), Isd-Neri, s.t.
10. Jakob Fuglsang (DEN), Team Saxo Bank, s.t.
11. Karsten Kroon (NED), Team Saxo Bank, s.t.
12. Philip Deignan (IRL), Cervélo Test Team, at 1:08
13. Andrey Grivko (UKR), Isd-Neri, at 1:21
14. Florian Stalder (SUI), BMC Racing Team, at 1:24
15. Kristian House (GBR), Rapha Condor Cycling Team, at 3:17
16. Gabriel Rasch (NOR), Cervélo Test Team, at 3:19
17. Jason Mccartney (USA), Team Saxo Bank, at 3:20
18. Luis Rubiera Jose (ESP), Astana, s.t.
19. Michael Schar (SUI), Astana, at 3:31
20. Christoff Van Heerden (RSA), Mtn Cycling, at 3:36
21. Malcolm Elliott (GBR), Candi TV-Marshalls Pasta, s.t.
22. Davide Appollonio (ITA), Cervélo Test Team, s.t.
23. Danilo Wyss (SUI), BMC Racing Team, s.t.
24. Matt Wilson (AUS), Team Type 1, at 4:39
25. Sam Bennett (IRL), Irish National Team, at 5:12
26. Ian Wilkinson (GBR), Team Halfords, at 5:15
27. Steven Van Vooren (BEL), An Post Sean Kelly Team, s.t.
28. Roger Hammond (GBR), Cervélo Test Team, s.t.
29. Robert Partridge (GBR), Team Halfords, s.t.
30. Mark O’brien (AUS), Australian National Team, at 5:20
31. Timothy Roe (AUS), Australian National Team, at 8:07
32. Frantisek Rabon (CZE), Team Columbia-HTC, at 9:38
33. Antonio Cruz (USA), BMC Racing Team, at 10:30
34. Ramon Sinkeldam (NED), Rabobank, at 10:52
35. Mark Mcnally (GBR), Team Halfords, s.t.
36. Juan Van Heerden (RSA), Mtn Cycling, s.t.
37. Stian Remme (NOR), Joker Bianchi, s.t.
38. Ian Mcleod (RSA), Mtn Cycling, at 11:04
39. Chris Newton (GBR), Rapha Condor Cycling Team, at 12:35
40. Pierpaolo De Negri (ITA), Isd-Neri, at 13:01
41. Stuart O’grady (AUS), Team Saxo Bank, at 14:10
42. Dale Appleby (GBR), Candi TV-Marshalls Pasta, at 15:41
43. Asle Arvesen Kurt (NOR), Team Saxo Bank, at 16:13
44. Peter Williams (GBR), Candi TV-Marshalls Pasta, at 20:12
45. Paul Griffin (IRL), Irish National Team, at 22:01
46. Alexander Kristoff (NOR), Joker Bianchi, at 23:12
47. G Sortveit Sondre (NOR), Joker Bianchi, at 23:19
