KENNEALLY TAKES RAS STAGE TWO

JUMPING clear in the final two kilometres, Brian Kenneally (My Home.ie) took the second stage of the FBD Insurance Ras in style to prove he has fully recovered from injuries sustained in a fall in the Shay Elliott Memorial last month.

The rider from Meath, who also took a stage of the Ras in 2000, is now third overall after his win, five seconds behind new leader Ricardo Van der Velde of the Netherlands.

Twenty-year-old Van der Velde moved up to the yellow jersey after overnight leader Mart Ojavee (Estonia-Kalev Chocolate) finished in the bunch at the end of the second stage.

"It is unbelievable to win," said Kenneally after the win. "I was in great form all season but got a knock a couple of weeks ago. It is great to get up to this level again."

Tuesday?s stage takes the riders on a 171-kilometre trek from Loughrea to Sligo, a course which includes the third category climb of Clogher More.

FBD Insurance Ras, Stage Two (Templemore to Loughrea).-

1 Brian Kenneally (Meath MyHome.ie) 147km in 3-22-21

2 Tony Martin (Germany-Thuringer Energy) at 2 secs

3 Ryan Roth (USA-Kelly Benefit Strageties)

4 Dominique Rollin (USA-Kodak Gallery)

5 René Birkenfeld (Germany-Stevens Von Hacht)

6 Paul Griffin (Ireland-Subway)

7 Peter McDonald (Australia-FRF Couriers)

8 Mark Cassidy (Ireland-Murphy and Gunn)

9 Yvo Kusters (Netherlands)

10 Ricardo Van der Velde (Netherlands) all same time