The Ras Tailteann begins with a stage from Dunboyne to Longford, and the first of three expected battles for the sprinters, to decide this Irish race.
Three riders into the first move:
Sirironnachai
Yechezkel
Mollema
Plenty of riders from other teams also tried to attack, but Podium Ambition were all over their attempts, determined to limit the breakaway to just 3 riders - and so it would be.
Time bonuses are big money in flat stage races, and the sprints offer 3, 2 and 1 second respectively. A good chance for a minor GC placing then, and in the one sprint of the day, Sirironnachai defeats Yechezkel.
Mollema was blown away at the sprint, but has a better chance at the day's KoM sprint. The winner of this has the jersey for two days guaranteed, and the Dutchman began the aggression.
Poor tactics ultimately, and Sirironnachai played it better to win this one as well - the weaker Yechezkel also managing to come through for 2nd.
Carrefour, Podium Ambition and Krafterk were the most interested in chasing down the breakaway. Only Kraftwerk brought the full complement of 8 riders to this race - 6 for the other two - which could limit the chasing capabilities.
But the capture was neatly made with 6km to go, as Kurth and then Castroviejo put in some strong final turns in the peloton to close it down.
Carrefour then immediately switched to leadout made, with riders dominating the front, and the train building of Bercz and Feiereisen for Lo Cicero.
Following that were:
Guarnieri
Goss
Keukeleire
Vantomme
Roelandts
Podium Ambition following, with the surprising order of Ewan in second, surrounded by Ivanov and Nelson. Stauff and Mohs behind him, then also Cavendish - separated from his teammates, with Kreder leading Willwohl. Guerao is there too, but not really looking involved, neither Drapac,
That second branch does not get any more organised, while Kraftwerk's Maikin is forward alongside the Carrefour train.
Nelson launches a long sprint! Ewan decides not to follow, after Willwohl initially blocks his path.
Nelson goes in the front, and while Carrefour stay relaxed with their 3 man train still, the race is erupting behind them - and Goss has got the jump on Guarnieri.
Goss sweeps past the Carrefour train and aims himself at the slipstream of Nelson, while Guarnieri also now has to dodge around Maikin. Feiereisen now sprinting alongside Vantomme.
They've all drifted over to the right but there's not a lot of space there. Ewan sees a gap between Feiereisen and Vantomme, while Keukeleire picks the other side. Lo Cicero is now behind Ewan, while Cavendish is stuck behind him, Roelandts and Stauff.
Nelson starts to struggle with the line nearing in, and Goss takes the lead.
Matthew Goss wins Stage 1! The line coming just in time for Nelson who clings on to 2nd, with Ewan just missing out in 5th - it is Vantomme 3rd and surprisingly Feiereisen 4th.
Keukeleire 6th then Lo Cicero, Willwohl is the best Kraftwerk rider for 8th, with Stauff 9th, and Guarnieri getting it directionally wrong and only able to take 10th. Roelandts is 11th, out of shot Guerao is 12th, with Cavendish just 13rd. Mohs never really involved and only 16th.
Ewan takes the U25 jersey, with Willwohl and Yechevkel the other young riders picking up bonus seconds today.
1
Matthew Goss
Indosat Ooredoo - ANZ
2h45'27
2
Ricki Nelson
Podium Ambition
s.t.
3
Maxime Vantomme
Netia - Vonin
s.t.
4
Kevin Feiereisen
Carrefour - ESPN
s.t.
5
Caleb Ewan
Podium Ambition
s.t.
6
Jens Keukeleire
GCN ProTeam
s.t.
7
Ivano Lo Cicero
Carrefour - ESPN
s.t.
8
Willi Willwohl
Kraftwerk Man Machine
s.t.
9
Andreas Stauff
cycleYorkshire
s.t.
10
Jacopo Guarnieri
Delvaux
s.t.
11
Jurgen Roelandts
Repsol - Netflix
s.t.
12
Óscar Guerao
SPAR - Shimano - SCG
s.t.
13
Mark Cavendish
Kraftwerk Man Machine
s.t.
14
Damion Drapac
Minions
s.t.
15
Roman Maikin
Kraftwerk Man Machine
s.t.
16
Erik Mohs
Fablok - Bank BGZ
s.t.
17
Remco Te Brake
Philips - Continental
s.t.
18
Pawel Franczak
Netia - Vonin
s.t.
19
Darshana Prasad
Ayubowan!
s.t.
20
Wesley Kreder
Kraftwerk Man Machine
s.t.
21
Patrick Bercz
Carrefour - ESPN
s.t.
22
Niccolo Bonifazio
Lierse SK - Pizza Ullo PCTeam
s.t.
23
Sebastian Lander
Ayubowan!
s.t.
24
Matti Manninen
Valio - DeLaval
s.t.
25
Ben King
Banco de Bogota
s.t.
26
Lasse Norman Hansen
Netia - Vonin
s.t.
27
Jan Dieteren
Philips - Continental
s.t.
28
Dan McLay
GCN ProTeam
s.t.
29
Fernando Gaviria
Lierse SK - Pizza Ullo PCTeam
s.t.
30
Andrea Guardini
Fablok - Bank BGZ
s.t.
31
Cheng Ji
Indosat Ooredoo - ANZ
s.t.
32
Stan Dewulf
Lierse SK - Pizza Ullo PCTeam
s.t.
33
Darijus Dzervus
DK Zalgiris
s.t.
34
Wouter Wippert
Rothaus - Aegon
s.t.
35
Morten Reckweg
Netia - Vonin
s.t.
36
Michal Schlegel
Adastra - Argon 18
s.t.
37
Jack Bauer
Rothaus - Aegon
s.t.
38
Aidis Kruopis
DK Zalgiris
s.t.
39
Jasper Ockeloen
Rothaus - Aegon
s.t.
40
Nihal Silva
Ayubowan!
s.t.
41
Alexander Krieger
Philips - Continental
s.t.
42
Barry Markus
Rothaus - Aegon
s.t.
43
Alexander Rybakov
Nordstrom - BioWare
s.t.
44
Nazir Jaser
Becherovka - Petrof
s.t.
45
Nicolay Cherkasov
Netia - Vonin
s.t.
46
Josh Atkins
Ayubowan!
s.t.
47
Marvin Orlando Angarita
Banco de Bogota
s.t.
48
Welle Jallays
Fablok - Bank BGZ
s.t.
49
Wen Hao Li
Carrefour - ESPN
s.t.
50
Csaba Palyi
Banco de Bogota
s.t.
51
JÃri Hochmann
Rothaus - Aegon
s.t.
52
Marildo Yzeiraj
Adastra - Argon 18
s.t.
53
Gatis Smukulis
Nordstrom - BioWare
s.t.
54
Jan Hopman
Nordstrom - BioWare
s.t.
55
Dmitriy Ignatiev
Fablok - Bank BGZ
s.t.
56
Jakub Mareczko
Lierse SK - Pizza Ullo PCTeam
s.t.
57
Robin Manulang
Indosat Ooredoo - ANZ
s.t.
58
Sergio Godoy
Banco de Bogota
s.t.
59
Adrian Richeze
Banco de Bogota
s.t.
60
Martyn Irvine
Kraftwerk Man Machine
s.t.
61
Noam Cohen
Fablok - Bank BGZ
s.t.
62
Michael Kurth
Kraftwerk Man Machine
s.t.
63
Tyler Farrar
Nordstrom - BioWare
s.t.
64
Troels Vinther
Valio - DeLaval
s.t.
65
Szymon Rekita
Netia - Vonin
s.t.
66
Jonathan Castroviejo
Carrefour - ESPN
s.t.
67
Ryan Anderson
Nordstrom - BioWare
s.t.
68
Max Losch
Banco de Bogota
s.t.
69
Westley Gough
Kraftwerk Man Machine
s.t.
70
Julius van den Berg
Ayubowan!
s.t.
71
Gunnar Dahl-Olsen
Netia - Vonin
s.t.
72
Jan Drago Petelin
Carrefour - ESPN
s.t.
73
Grzegorz Stepniak
Fablok - Bank BGZ
s.t.
74
Nic Hamilton
Nordstrom - BioWare
s.t.
75
Jelle Wallays
Banco de Bogota
s.t.
76
Sameera Chatarunga
Ayubowan!
s.t.
77
Maciej Bodnar
Rothaus - Aegon
s.t.
78
Stanislav Zaraliev
Adastra - Argon 18
s.t.
79
Amith Udaya Kumara
Ayubowan!
s.t.
80
Grega Bole
Adastra - Argon 18
s.t.
81
Leszek Plucinski
Banco de Bogota
s.t.
82
Isaac Speirs
Indosat Ooredoo - ANZ
s.t.
83
Nikolay Mihaylov
Adastra - Argon 18
s.t.
84
Madushanka Perera
Ayubowan!
s.t.
85
Stefan Hristov
Adastra - Argon 18
s.t.
86
Emils Liepins
Valio - DeLaval
s.t.
87
Dadi Suryadi
Indosat Ooredoo - ANZ
s.t.
88
Manuel Senni
Lierse SK - Pizza Ullo PCTeam
s.t.
89
Sasu Helme
Valio - DeLaval
s.t.
90
Jay Major
Minions
s.t.
91
Shaquille Sinclair
Minions
s.t.
92
Ronan Van Zandbeek
Philips - Continental
s.t.
93
Michal Kukrle
Adastra - Argon 18
s.t.
94
Borislav Ivanov
Podium Ambition
s.t.
95
Ajay Pandit Chhetri
SPAR - Shimano - SCG
s.t.
96
Michel Kreder
Delvaux
s.t.
97
Risto Aaltio
Valio - DeLaval
s.t.
98
Valentin Stoenchev
Adastra - Argon 18
s.t.
99
Olli Kulppi
Valio - DeLaval
s.t.
100
Wout Poels
Philips - Continental
s.t.
101
Bartosz Warchol
Indosat Ooredoo - ANZ
s.t.
102
Alvaro Hodeg
Delvaux
s.t.
103
Philip Lindau
Team B&O
s.t.
104
Lotto Petrus
Philips - Continental
s.t.
105
Martins Blums
DK Zalgiris
s.t.
106
Kim Marius Nielsen
Team B&O
s.t.
107
Lionel Coutinho
Rothaus - Aegon
s.t.
108
Adam De Vos
Podium Ambition
s.t.
109
Steven Burke
GCN ProTeam
s.t.
110
Maral-Erdene Batmunkh
Becherovka - Petrof
s.t.
111
Lukas Talacka
DK Zalgiris
s.t.
112
Bauke Mollema
Rothaus - Aegon
s.t.
113
Muhammad Imam Arifin
Indosat Ooredoo - ANZ
s.t.
114
Ryan Christensen
Repsol - Netflix
s.t.
115
Stefano Agostini
Repsol - Netflix
s.t.
116
Zydrunas Savickas
DK Zalgiris
s.t.
117
Nico Schinker
Minions
s.t.
118
Samuel Coronel
Becherovka - Petrof
s.t.
119
Pavel Potocki
GCN ProTeam
s.t.
120
Luke Durbridge
cycleYorkshire
s.t.
121
Scott Thwaites
cycleYorkshire
s.t.
122
Roy Goldstein
Fablok - Bank BGZ
s.t.
123
Andrei Nechita
Fablok - Bank BGZ
s.t.
124
Zdenek Stybar
Becherovka - Petrof
s.t.
125
Romain Feillu
Delvaux
s.t.
126
Soufiane Haddi
GCN ProTeam
s.t.
127
Sarawut Sirironnachai
SPAR - Shimano - SCG
s.t.
128
Mujtaba Hussein
GCN ProTeam
s.t.
129
Frantisek Sisr
Becherovka - Petrof
s.t.
130
Martin Toft Madsen
Team B&O
s.t.
131
Bjorn Selander
Minions
s.t.
132
Daniel Savini
Lierse SK - Pizza Ullo PCTeam
s.t.
133
Patryk Solinski
Team B&O
s.t.
134
Hussein Manfred
DK Zalgiris
s.t.
135
Bambang Suryadi
SPAR - Shimano - SCG
s.t.
136
Laureano Rosas
Minions
s.t.
137
Aviv Yechezkel
Valio - DeLaval
s.t.
138
Marco Corti
cycleYorkshire
s.t.
139
Kristian Vanderpool
Podium Ambition
s.t.
140
Takero Terasaki
Kraftwerk Man Machine
s.t.
141
Andres Paez
Repsol - Netflix
s.t.
142
Samuel Pökälä
Valio - DeLaval
s.t.
143
Ludvig Bengtsson
Team B&O
s.t.
144
Mantas Blekevicius
DK Zalgiris
s.t.
145
Lukas Postlberger
SPAR - Shimano - SCG
s.t.
146
Edwin Avila
Minions
s.t.
147
Jaime Roson
Repsol - Netflix
s.t.
148
Gorazd Per
Team B&O
s.t.
149
Jaroslav Kulhavy
Becherovka - Petrof
s.t.
150
Ziga Rucigaj
Becherovka - Petrof
s.t.
151
Alfdan De Decker
Team B&O
s.t.
152
Nawuti Liphongyu
SPAR - Shimano - SCG
s.t.
153
Milan Menten
Netia - Vonin
s.t.
154
Tareq Esmaeli
Minions
s.t.
155
Fabien Grellier
Delvaux
s.t.
156
Emilien Viennet
cycleYorkshire
s.t.
157
Elias Abou Rachid
Becherovka - Petrof
s.t.
158
Lucas Eriksson
Delvaux
s.t.
159
Michael Woods
cycleYorkshire
s.t.
160
Thibaut Pinot
GCN ProTeam
s.t.
161
Drew Morey
Podium Ambition
s.t.
162
Vladimiras Kokorevas
DK Zalgiris
s.t.
163
Cristian RodrÃguez
Repsol - Netflix
s.t.
164
Mathieu La Lavandier
Team B&O
s.t.
165
Dragan Jasovic
Control Team
+ 4'01
166
Sabelo Mngometulu
Control Team
s.t.
167
Husain Al Basri
Control Team
s.t.
GC
1
Matthew Goss
Indosat Ooredoo - ANZ
2h45'02
2
Ricki Nelson
Podium Ambition
+ 7
3
Maxime Vantomme
Netia - Vonin
+ 10
4
Kevin Feiereisen
Carrefour - ESPN
+ 13
5
Caleb Ewan
Podium Ambition
+ 15
6
Jens Keukeleire
GCN ProTeam
+ 17
7
Ivano Lo Cicero
Carrefour - ESPN
+ 19
8
Willi Willwohl
Kraftwerk Man Machine
+ 21
9
Sarawut Sirironnachai
SPAR - Shimano - SCG
+ 22
10
Andreas Stauff
cycleYorkshire
+ 23
11
Aviv Yechezkel
Valio - DeLaval
s.t.
12
Jacopo Guarnieri
Delvaux
+ 24
13
Bauke Mollema
Rothaus - Aegon
s.t.
14
Jurgen Roelandts
Repsol - Netflix
+ 25
15
Óscar Guerao
SPAR - Shimano - SCG
s.t.
16
Mark Cavendish
Kraftwerk Man Machine
s.t.
17
Damion Drapac
Minions
s.t.
18
Roman Maikin
Kraftwerk Man Machine
s.t.
19
Erik Mohs
Fablok - Bank BGZ
s.t.
20
Remco Te Brake
Philips - Continental
s.t.
Points
1
Matthew Goss
Indosat Ooredoo - ANZ
25
2
Ricki Nelson
Podium Ambition
20
3
Maxime Vantomme
Netia - Vonin
16
4
Kevin Feiereisen
Carrefour - ESPN
14
5
Caleb Ewan
Podium Ambition
12
6
Jens Keukeleire
GCN ProTeam
10
7
Ivano Lo Cicero
Carrefour - ESPN
9
8
Willi Willwohl
Kraftwerk Man Machine
8
9
Andreas Stauff
cycleYorkshire
7
10
Sarawut Sirironnachai
SPAR - Shimano - SCG
6
KoM
1
Sarawut Sirironnachai
SPAR - Shimano - SCG
6
2
Aviv Yechezkel
Valio - DeLaval
4
3
Bauke Mollema
Rothaus - Aegon
2
U25
1
Caleb Ewan
Podium Ambition
2h45'17 (1)
2
Willi Willwohl
Kraftwerk Man Machine
+ 6 (2)
3
Aviv Yechezkel
Valio - DeLaval
+ 8 (3)
4
Darshana Prasad
Ayubowan!
+ 10 (4)
5
Niccolo Bonifazio
Lierse SK - Pizza Ullo PCTeam
+ 10 (5)
6
Jan Dieteren
Philips - Continental
+ 10 (6)
7
Fernando Gaviria
Lierse SK - Pizza Ullo PCTeam
+ 10 (7)
8
Stan Dewulf
Lierse SK - Pizza Ullo PCTeam
+ 10 (8)
9
Michal Schlegel
Adastra - Argon 18
+ 10 (9)
10
Nihal Silva
Ayubowan!
+ 10 (10)
11
Nicolay Cherkasov
Netia - Vonin
+ 10 (11)
12
Marildo Yzeiraj
Adastra - Argon 18
+ 10 (12)
13
Jakub Mareczko
Lierse SK - Pizza Ullo PCTeam
+ 10 (13)
14
Szymon Rekita
Netia - Vonin
+ 10 (14)
15
Max Losch
Banco de Bogota
+ 10 (15)
Carrefour take the early Teams classification lead, narrowly ahead of Kraftwerk with Netia also close. More of a gap then back to Ayubowan, Lierse, Philips and Indosat. Finishing 2nd and 5th is not much help if the next rider is 94th, so this isn't going to be a classification Podium Ambition can fight for.