MARTIN DONNELLY JUNIOR TOUR 2005 - Stage 6
Partry to Castlebar
Joey
Bestebreurje Wins
By Tommy Campbell
Jul 17, 2005,
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| Tommy
Campbell reports from Castlebar |
They came to Ireland with no ambition of
creaming off the prizes, so said the Dutch manager, Henk Wintermans and
a regular visitor to Ireland for the Martin Donnelly Junior Tour,
"Our intention was to take one stage victory and maybe the team
prize. So we are over the moon with the win. The team worked well
together all week with good trust and team spirit, like a family. So
everything went like clockwork. I think this years' JT was one of the
best. I have been here for nine years. It was well-organised and roads
very safe and well marshalled. The move to Mayo this year was brilliant,
said Henk.
Well! They certainly tied up the JT with the likes of Joey Bestebreurje
who was an inspiration to all who took part in the Tour.
An unassuming young man who did his talking on the bike and boy! He just
got on with the job.
His opening time in the test against the watch on last Tuesday evening
at Turlough, close to Castlebar, did not the set the world on fire. Joey
was 35 seconds behind the race favourite and the hope of Ireland, Martin
Munroe who looked invincible on the night.
Bestebreurje came into his own on Wednesday when he was edged out in the
sprint by the superb sprint of Kanturk's Maurice O'Brien who withdrew
from the race on Saturday because of another engagement in Italy next
week.
A defining moment in the JT was to rear its head on Thursday when a lead
group went ahead of the bunch. This break included Adam Armstrong and
Fergus Keogh of the Irish team and within miles a transformation on the
leader board had taken place. Evidently there were frantic messages to
get the two Irish guys in particular to take their foot off the pedal.
The break stayed out front for over 32 miles but the junction was always
possible. On the run into Cong, Joey came alive by winning the stage,
thus announcing his arrival as a contender. Joey had pared off 10
seconds and was just outside of the top ten.
If Wednesday's stage caused anguish in various camps! We were again
treated to a gutsy display on Thursday by No. 1 on the programme, Adam
Armstrong.
This was the third attempt he was making to show that he had the
qualities to land the big prize from his viewpoint. The platform was
there as he escaped in a group of six including the bold Bestebreurje
and his travelling companion Willem Schwaner who it has to be said,
along with Urban Monks of the Down team were not in the least daunted by
taking on the bunch and burying themselves up the road. Also in the
train was Ciaran Cassidy guesting for Navan/Avonmore CC and Tom Diggle
of the British Cycling NW team. This sextet made all the running on a
day when unfortunately for the competitors, but the supporters were able
to view magnificent scenery out and around Achill where believe it or
not Visitors were non-existent! The lead got up to well over a minute
and the alarm bells went dingle dangle in the bunch. Such was the
determination that the only picture in their frame was to make it to the
line and a new leader would be on the throne that evening in Lough
Lannagh Village in Castlebar. Joey obliged with another stage, but the
big picture was emerging and on the penultimate day when the mix got
going that the Irish were left marooned. They tried to make inroads, but
the hill top finish evaporated the Irish hopes and gave a platform to
the Dutch to sleep well in their beds on Saturday night with the
formality of the flat road stage yesterday.
Thus, Joey Bestebreurje from the BMV Veldhoven Cycling Team in Holland
carved out a piece of history for himself when he claimed overall
victory in the Martin Donnelly Junior Tour yesterday. The event was held
for six days in Castlebar and surrounding towns. Bestebreurje along the
way won two stages and also finished runner-up in two, thus showing his
overall superiority. The Dutch competitor went into the lead on Friday
and from then on it was a formality. The Irish team had high hopes as
Martin Munroe who was the favourite for overall victory. Munroe nudged
ahead of everybody in the time trial. Then the surprise was, that his
team mate, Adam Armstrong went into yellow on Friday, but after that,
things went belly ache on their behalf and they have come away with
nothing to show, except, Munroe's stage win on the opener last Tuesday.
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| The
Photo Finish camera picture - courtesy of Frank Gibson &
Cycling Ireland |
The South African Neal Corbett just ahead
of Daniel Clifford and Jermiah O'Sullivan of Killorglin Credit Union CC
won yesterday's stage from Party to Castlebar. Such was closeness of the
sprint that the Killorglin guys, requested a look at the photo finish
picture, which proved that indeed it was close and unfortunately not in
their favour. Bestebreurje from Antwerp finished safely in the main pack
and acknowledging his success to all and sundry at the finish.
Final word from the organiser, Alice Sherrat, "Delighted we had an
excellent competition with fine young men who are an inspiration to our
sport.
Naturally I was concerned with the move to Castlebar from Waterford
where Pat Power made us feel welcome and was of tremendous help in
steadying the race for future years. Brendan Quigley stepped into Pat's
brief and truly made us welcome as did the local clubs and officials who
I am greatly indebted too for making us so welcome and going out of
their way to make us feel at home in their environment. As for next
year! Well, I have a backroom team who are second to none and we'll sit
down very soon and make our intentions known. Thanks to everyone who
came along and stood at the side of the road to give us encouragement
and particularly the Garda Siochana who were simply magnificent,"
said Alice.
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| The
strong BMV Veldhoven team kept the race together during the
final stage |
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| Race
Leader Joey Bestebreurje (BMV Veldhoven) |
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| Stage
6 finish was very close |
Martin Donnelly Junior Tour
Stage 6-Partry/Castlebar, 40 miles (Sponsored by M. Donnelly & Co.
Ltd.)
1 Neal Corbett (South Africa),
1hr.32mins.23secs;
2 Daniel Clifford (Killorglin Credit Union CC), same time;
3 Jermiah O'Sullivan (Killorglin Credit Union CC), st;
4 Alaister Carr (British Cycling WM), st;
5 Jonathan Bellis (British Cycling NW), st;
6 Tshepo Marmo (South Africa), st;
7 Shaun Rock (Ireland), st;
8 Anthony O'Boyle (Wales), st;
9 Niall Blakes (Down), st;
10 Michael Murray (Ulster), st.
Final Overall after 6 stages:
1 Joey Bestebreurje (BMV Veldhoven), 12.26.09;
2 M. Schwaner (BMV Veldhoven), @14secs;
3 C. Cassidy (Navan Avonmore CC), @17;
4 A. Armstrong (Ireland), @21;
5 T. Diggle, @32;
6 Bellis, same time;
7 Murray, @1.16;
8 R. McLoughlin (McNally Swords), @1.24;
9 D. Dyllan (Wales), @1.43;
10 M. Robinson (BMV Veldhoven), @1.46.
Points: Bestebreirje.
Mountains: D. Minne (South Africa).
1st Year Junior: Diggle.
Team: BMV Veldhoven.
Download
full results in PDF format c/o Seamus Shortall (RapidResults)
PICTURES
OF THE STAGE
Stage 6 starts in Partry with an 67Km
stage via Westport, Newport and finally finishing in Castlebar.
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| Final
stage start in Partry with the oldest and youngest women to
start the stage |
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| This
stage had to be changed from the original plan to avoid two
football matches |
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| On
homeground, Martin Munroe from Partry goes on the attack |
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| The
yellow jersey monitors the chase |
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| The
weather has been kind to us for the six days, letting the beauty
of Mayo break through |
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| The
yellow jerseys BMV Veldhoven team go to the front |
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| This
is fastest I've ever passed through Westport |
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| Yellow
jersey Joey Bestebreurtje looking good |
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| The
bunch is still together at the halfway point |
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| Another
rider on the attack as they cross the bridge in Newport |
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| The
BMV Veldhoven team is not letting anything away |
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| Another
attack this time by Adam Armstrong of the Stena Ireland team |
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| Only
10km to go for race leader Joey Bestebreurtje of the BMV
Veldhoven team |
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| And
the attacks continue |
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| The
BMV Veldhoven team bring one attack back and another rider goes
again |
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| Yet
another attack at 6Km to go |
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| Race
is back together at 4Km to go |
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| The
sprint at 100m go go |
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| A
very close finish which had to seperated by the photo-finish
camera |
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| Still
close after the line |
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| The
stage placings: 3rd Jermiah O'Sullivan (Killorglin CUCC), 1st
Neal Corbett (South Africa), 2nd Daniel Clifford (Killorglin
CUCC) with race organiser Alice Sherratt |
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| Race
Winner for 2005 Joey Bestebreurtje from Holland |
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| All
the jersey winners at the race reception in the Travellers
Friend Hotel |
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| The
jersey winners with race organisers Alice Sherratt and Brendan
Quigley |
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