MARTIN DONNELLY JUNIOR TOUR 2007 - Stage 6

Castlebar to Castlebar

M DONNELLY JUNIOR TOUR: STAGE 6 REPORT By Tommy Campbell  Irish Independent, Evening Herald, Sunday Independent Jul 15, 2007,   As the dust settles on yet another successful Junior Tour sponsored by Martin Donnelly in Lough Lanagh Village in Castlebar this evening! Alice Sherratt and her band of workers will in all probability be reminiscing about a 'JT' which had all the ingredients of a very successful event and dare I say a worthy winner in Niek van Geffen of the Tempo BMV Vedhoven team in Holland. And of course there'll be talk of what might have been, unfortunately the door is closed on 2007 and it is now confined to the history books. One thing will be certainly talked about is the manner of Geffen's win! The junior, who has ambitions to be a pro bike rider, has an escape clause if he fails to make the grade! He is going to be an economist and will in all probability be very successful in any walk of life that he cares to follow. Niek was never far off the lead from day one and slowly brought himself into the picture on day five when he won the 'Windy Gap' stage. Nick van Geffen of Tempo BMV Veldhoven in Holland added his name to the M.Donnelly Junior Tour Trophy yesterday when he won the event outright. This is the fourth occasion that the Dutch have triumphed in the event. Previous winners were Alain van Katwick (19997), Kai Reus (2003), Joey Bestebreiurite (2005). All four joined the paid ranks in cycling. Reus like Mark Scanlon who won the event in 1998 went on to win the World Junior Cycling Championships in Hamilton Canada and Valkenburgh, Holland. Sam Bennett of Stena-Ireland was second and Sam Webster of the Dave Raynor team came home in third place overall. The final stage which started and finished in Castlebar yesterday was won Scott Flynn of the Isle of Man ahead of Florent Boyer of Usher-Moy/VC la Pomme who made a break from the main field in the last 10kms of 106kms. Whilst Sam Bennett may not have won the overall, he distinguished himself winning the mountains jersey and was deprived of the First Year Junior Category jersey by the overall winner Geffen who has ambitions to ride the bike professionally or if that fails be an economist. If there was a prize for the gutsy display of attacking. Then! It would have to be Philip Lavery who day in day out put his nose in front and waited for the chasers to reel him in. Too often he was waiting for service on the side of the road to sort him because of mechanical trouble. M.Donnelly Junior Tour 6 Castlebar / Castlebar 1 Scott Flynn (Isle of Man), 2hrs.34mins.1secs; 2 F. Boyer (Usher-Moy/VC la Pomme), same time; 3 T. Scuba (Dave Raynor), @26secs; 4 T. Delotte (Usher-Moy/Vc la Pomme), st; 5 B.Stackdale (BC West Midlands), st; 6 A. Ponten (Tempo MBV Veldhoven), st; 7 L. Rinaldi (Usher-Moy/Vc la Pomme), st; 8 A. Lynch (Kanturk Credit Union CC), st; 9 B. Wilson (South Africa), st; 10 D. Gavin (Usher Irish Road Club), st. Points Winner : Florent Boyer, Mountains Winner : Sam Bennett and Overall winner and First year Junior: Nick van Geffen - Picture by Seamus Shortall Final Overall after six stages Overall after 5 stages 1 N. van Geffen, 13.00.035; 2 S. Bennett (Stena-Ireland), @29; 3 S. Webster (Dave Raynor) @36; 4 B. Ruan Tempo BMV Veldhoven) @49; 5 F. Boyer, (Usher-Moy/VC la Pomme), @2.35; 6 J. Albouy (Usher-Moy/VC la Pomme), @2.51; 7 K. Frend (BC West Midlands), @3.05; 8 D. Jeff (BC West Midlands), @3.12; 9 L. Lucas (Usher-Moy/VC la Pomme), @3.42; 10 A. Ponten (Tempo BMV Veldhoven), @4.03. First year Junior: N van Geffen Points: F. Boyer Mountains: S. Bennett Some pictures from today stage courtesy of Martin McNally The leaders pass through Knock Village with the Basilica in the background, no time for a prayer.- Picture by Martin McNally The chasing pack coming into Knock Village 50 secs down on the break - Picture by Martin McNally Stena Ireland team members Sam Bennett driving the break and Philip Lavery attacking to take the prime as the pass through Kilkelly - Picture by Martin McNally The chasing pack at high speed through Kilkelly - Picture by Martin McNally and still they come in an effort to chase down the break - Picture by Martin McNally A few of the Irish cyclists at the end of the bunch through Kilkelly - Picture by Martin McNally THE LAST WORD FROM THE RACE DIRECTOR: Alice Sherratt as race organiser would like to acknowledge the support of the stage sponsors; Ken Duff, Bray; Westport Town Council, Castlebar Town Council, Irish Veterans Cycling Association, Ballina Town Council, Leinster Cycling Federation, Usher Insulations. Martin Donnelly for the overall sponsorship, Stena Line, Terry Dolan, Cammi and Cycleways. The Gardai, Civil Defence, the Order of Malta, the Men of the West, the marshals, the officials, Lough Lanagh Village, Monaghan Motors Castlebar, Mayo County Council, Hanleys, Horkans and all who gave of their time to make the event what it is today, a Friendly event and the presence of Tommy Deveraux was a bonus to us ALL. To the competitors who made the race what it is today. May you be successful in your walk of life and may your wheels be always with you. If I have left anybody out, please bear with me.