Stijn Vandenbergh (Unibet.com) arrived victorious into the city of Cork today
as the first stage of the Tour of Ireland completed 174km from Kilkenny. The
sun came out to greet the riders as they left Kilkenny Castle and stayed with
them throughout the stage.

23-year-old Vandenbergh had escaped with nine other riders after 60km of racing
in temperatures approaching 25 C. The group moved quickly into a four minute
lead with many of the key teams represented in the brave move.

When the break finally reached over ten minutes, the bunch was riding for eleventh
place as the race reached the outskirts of Cork city. The leaders were greeted
by thousands of cycle racing supporters on the first ascent of the 1-in-4 climb
of St Patrick’s Hill and the severity proved the be the divisive factor
in the race winning move. Vandenbergh attacked as they reached the summit for
the second time and the Belgian time-trialled his way to the finish to take
his first victory as a professional.

“I have problems with my gears on the hill,” said Vandenbergh:
“I couldn’t get into my 25 tooth sprocket and I was delayed. So
I stayed in the 23 sprocket on the second climb and didn’t try the 25.”

“Steep hills are normally not normally good for me,” continued
Vandenbergh: “But I was very strong today and attacked at the top. This
is my first year as a professional and it is my first professional victory.
I think I have a big chance of keeping the yellow jersey because I have a good
team and the stages are not too hard.”

Nicolas Roche (Irish National Team) was one of two non-finishers on the stage
suffering from saddle boil infection.

The races continues on Thursday on a 166km trek from Clonakilty to Killarney
with the climbs of the Healy Pass and Molls Gap included in the tough itinerary.

Website – www.tourofireland.ie

Stage 1 Stage Result
PL No. UCI Code Name TM Team Time @
1 25 BEL19840425 Vandenbergh,Stijn UNI Unibet.com 4h02’03"
2 3 USA19780111 Olson,Aaron TMO T-Mobile Team 4h02’17" @14"
3 95 AUS19861020 Sulzberger,Wesley SAI South Australia AIS 4h02’18" @15"
4 124 NOR19760408 Rasch,Gabriel TMB Team Maxbo-Bianchi 4h02’18" @ s/t
5 22 BEL19860606 Jacobs,Pieter UNI Unibet.com 4h02’18" @ s/t
6 72 SUI19720102 Beuchat,Roger LPR Team LPR 4h02’18" @ s/t
7 44 UKR19770705 Kobzarenko,Valeriy NAV Navigators Insurance Cycling 4h02’18"
@ s/t
8 56 USA19850110 Lewis,Craig TSL Team Slipstream 4h02’18" @ s/t
9 11 SWE19741026 Ljungqvist,Marcus CSC Team CSC 4h02’18" @ s/t
10 67 DEN19810607 Bak,Glenn SKT Murphy & Gunn 4h02’35" @32"
11 24 ESP19791002 Pasamontes,Luis UNI Unibet.com 4h15’18" @13’15"
12 18 DEN19840831 Breschel,Matti CSC Team CSC 4h15’18" @ s/t
13 75 ITA19790908 Maserati,Alessandro LPR Team LPR 4h15’35" @13’32"
14 156 CAN19790315 Dionne,Charles COL Colavita Sutter Home Cycling 4h15’35"
@ s/t
15 35 ITA19820320 Priamo,Matteo PAN Ceramica Panaria Navigare 4h15’35"
@ s/t
16 17 NED19760129 Kroon,Karsten CSC Team CSC 4h15’35" @ s/t
17 101 NED19880118 Van Poppel,Boy RB3 Rabobank 4h15’35" @ s/t
18 23 SWE19790115 Ljungblad,Jonas UNI Unibet.com 4h15’35" @ s/t
19 105 BEL19760617 Nys,Sven RB3 Rabobank 4h15’35" @ s/t
20 61 IRL19840213 O’Brien,Paudi SKT Murphy & Gunn 4h15’35" @ s/t
21 43 GBR19791006 House,Kristan NAV Navigators Insurance Cycling 4h15’35"
@ s/t
22 153 USA19830317 Guptill,Andy COL Colavita Sutter Home Cycling 4h15’35"
@ s/t
23 104 NED19880325 Keizer,Martijn RB3 Rabobank 4h15’35" @ s/t
24 102 NED19830727 Maaskant,Martijn RB3 Rabobank 4h15’35" @ s/t
25 151 IRL19730317 McCann,David COL Colavita Sutter Home Cycling 4h15’35"
@ s/t
26 106 NED19840914 Veelers,Toms RB3 Rabobank 4h15’35" @ s/t
27 103 NED19841122 Berkhout,Thomas RB3 Rabobank 4h15’35" @ s/t
28 21 AUS19781012 Cooke,Baden UNI Unibet.com 4h15’35" @ s/t
29 14 DEN19730430 Blaudzun,Michael CSC Team CSC 4h15’35" @ s/t
30 74 ITA19840301 Marzoli,Samuele LPR Team LPR 4h15’35" @ s/t
31 71 SLO19800808 Bozic,Borut LPR Team LPR 4h15’35" @ s/t
32 94 AUS19860423 Ford,Michael SAI South Australia AIS 4h15’35" @ s/t
33 45 UZB19810114 Lagutin,Sergey NAV Navigators Insurance Cycling 4h15’35"
@ s/t
34 133 GBR19800811 Lloyd,Daniel DFL DFL-Cyclingnews-Litespeed 4h15’35"
@ s/t
35 76 SUI19850403 Rossi,Nazareno LPR Team LPR 4h15’35" @ s/t
36 16 LUX19800415 Schleck,Frank CSC Team CSC 4h15’35" @ s/t
37 7 NED19831025 Beima,Marcel TMO T-Mobile Team 4h15’35" @ s/t
38 155 USA19820410 Vaillancourt,Daniel COL Colavita Sutter Home Cycling 4h15’35"
@ s/t
39 92 AUS19860718 Clarke,Simon SAI South Australia AIS 4h15’35" @ s/t
40 127 NOR19851031 Vold,Svein TMB Team Maxbo-Bianchi 4h15’35" @ s/t
41 2 AUT19810217 Eisel,Bernhard TMO T-Mobile Team 4h15’35" @ s/t
42 123 NOR19840514 Nordhaug,Lars Petter TMB Team Maxbo-Bianchi 4h15’35"
@ s/t
43 52 USA19820919 Friedman,Mike TSL Team Slipstream 4h15’35" @ s/t
44 6 GER19801124 Ziegler,Thomas TMO T-Mobile Team 4h15’35" @ s/t
45 15 DEN19830613 Bochmann,Lasse CSC Team CSC 4h15’35" @ s/t
46 132 GBR19821003 Fleeman,Daniel DFL DFL-Cyclingnews-Litespeed 4h15’35"
@ s/t
47 107 NED19871202 Van Winden,Dennis RB3 Rabobank 4h15’35" @ s/t
48 93 AUS19870927 Dempster,Zakkari SAI South Australia AIS 4h15’35" @ s/t
49 146 GBR19791027 Wilkinson,Richard PCA Plowman Craven Evans Cycles 4h15’35"
@ s/t
50 33 MEX19810814 Aldape Chavez,Moises PAN Ceramica Panaria Navigare 4h15’35"
@ s/t
51 77 ITA19840923 Traficante,Roberto LPR Team LPR 4h15’35" @ s/t
52 62 IRL19850323 Cassidy,Mark SKT Murphy & Gunn 4h15’35" @ s/t
53 12 LUX19850610 Schleck,Andy CSC Team CSC 4h15’35" @ s/t
54 53 USA19820124 McCarty,Patrick TSL Team Slipstream 4h15’35" @ s/t
55 117 GBR19850911 Partridge,Rob RCY Recycling 4h15’35" @ s/t
56 121 NOR19870517 Boasson Hagen,Edvald TMB Team Maxbo-Bianchi 4h15’35"
@ s/t
57 5 GBR19870525 Stannard,Ian TMO T-Mobile Team 4h15’35" @ s/t
58 152 USA19790217 Colby,Anthony COL Colavita Sutter Home Cycling 4h15’35"
@ s/t
59 47 AUS19781211 Day,Ben NAV Navigators Insurance Cycling 4h15’35" @ s/t
60 4 CZE19830926 Rabon,Frantisek TMO T-Mobile Team 4h15’35" @ s/t
61 126 NOR19800719 Bohler,Joachim TMB Team Maxbo-Bianchi 4h15’35" @ s/t
62 51 USA19790324 Pate,Danny TSL Team Slipstream 4h15’35" @ s/t
63 41 IRL19780429 O’Loughlin,David NAV Navigators Insurance Cycling 4h15’35"
@ s/t
64 111 GBR19730929 Newton,Christopher RCY Recycling 4h15’35" @ s/t
65 46 AUS19761017 Chadwick,Glen NAV Navigators Insurance Cycling 4h15’35"
@ s/t
66 145 GBR19830621 Richardson,Simon PCA Plowman Craven Evans Cycles 4h15’35"
@ s/t
67 73 ITA19840211 Marcato,Marco LPR Team LPR 4h15’35" @ s/t
68 125 NOR19850524 Sommerseth,Stian TMB Team Maxbo-Bianchi 4h15’35" @ s/t
69 27 DEN19870224 Vinther,Troels UNI Unibet.com 4h15’35" @ s/t
70 63 IRL19800709 Gallagher,Stephen SKT Murphy & Gunn 4h15’35" @ s/t
71 122 NOR19870705 Kristoff,Alexander TMB Team Maxbo-Bianchi 4h15’35" @
s/t
72 83 IRL19730212 Griffin,Paul IRL Irish National Team 4h15’35" @ s/t
73 87 IRL19750120 Keanelly,Brian IRL Irish National Team 4h15’35" @ s/t
74 112 GBR19850906 Bonser,Ryan RCY Recycling 4h15’35" @ s/t
75 37 ITA19850519 Tomei,Francesco PAN Ceramica Panaria Navigare 4h15’35"
@ s/t
76 154 USA19810304 Wren,Tyler COL Colavita Sutter Home Cycling 4h15’35"
@ s/t
77 116 GBR19881011 Bonser,Adam RCY Recycling 4h15’35" @ s/t
78 136 GBR19820108 Oliphant,Evan DFL DFL-Cyclingnews-Litespeed 4h15’35"
@ s/t
79 82 IRL19830907 Deignan,Philip IRL Irish National Team 4h15’35" @ s/t
80 113 GBR19880514 Diggle,Tom RCY Recycling 4h15’35" @ s/t
81 134 GBR19740305 Haynes,Hamish DFL DFL-Cyclingnews-Litespeed 4h15’35"
@ s/t
82 143 GBR19810424 Millard,James PCA Plowman Craven Evans Cycles 4h15’35"
@ s/t
83 141 GBR19760712 Gibb,Tony PCA Plowman Craven Evans Cycles 4h15’35" @
s/t
84 65 IRL19880905 Speirs,Isaac SKT Murphy & Gunn 4h15’35" @ s/t
85 55 USA19821114 Duggan,Timothy TSL Team Slipstream 4h15’35" @ s/t
86 97 AUS19870317 Walker,Johnnie SAI South Australia AIS 4h15’35" @ s/t
87 137 NZL19801006 Vennell,Jeremy DFL DFL-Cyclingnews-Litespeed 4h15’35"
@ s/t
88 34 ITA19820419 Colli,Daniele PAN Ceramica Panaria Navigare 4h15’35"
@ s/t
89 91 AUS19810704 Bates,Gene SAI South Australia AIS 4h15’35" @ s/t
90 84 IRL19860306 Burke,Derek IRL Irish National Team 4h16’10" @14’07"
91 114 GBR19880405 Holt,Simon RCY Recycling 4h16’19" @14’16"
92 86 IRL19801005 Nally,Dermot IRL Irish National Team 4h16’52" @14’49"
93 135 BEL19730123 Vanderaerden,Gert DFL DFL-Cyclingnews-Litespeed 4h16’52"
@ s/t
94 31 ARG19830307 Richeze,Maximiliano PAN Ceramica Panaria Navigare 4h17’05"
@15’02"
95 36 ITA19850502 Savini,Filippo PAN Ceramica Panaria Navigare 4h17’05"
@ s/t
96 54 USA19830413 MacGregor,Ian TSL Team Slipstream 4h17’05" @ s/t
97 85 IRL19850606 Irvine,Martyn IRL Irish National Team 4h17’05" @ s/t
98 157 USA19800830 Bergman,Adam COL Colavita Sutter Home Cycling 4h17’05"
@ s/t
99 66 IRL19740219 Fox,Morgan SKT Murphy & Gunn 4h17’05" @ s/t
100 142 NZL19720309 McCauley,Gordon PCA Plowman Craven Evans Cycles 4h17’06"
@15’03"
101 26 GBR19740312 Hunt,Jeremy UNI Unibet.com 4h17’06" @ s/t
102 115 GBR19830714 Briggs,Graham RCY Recycling 4h17’19" @15’16"
103 64 BEL19780621 Stofferis,Rieno SKT Murphy & Gunn 4h17’37" @15’34"
104 144 GBR19790422 Gaywood,Simon PCA Plowman Craven Evans Cycles 4h17’46"
@15’43"
105 131 BEL19780329 De Weerdt,Sven DFL DFL-Cyclingnews-Litespeed 4h17’46"
@ s/t
Non starters/finishers/eliminated Riders
Did Not Finish: 81-Roche.N, 147-McCallum.J
Did Not Start: 1-Burghhardt.M, 32-Bucciero.A, 42-Power.C, 57-Butterfield.T

Points
PL No. Name TM Pts
1 25 Vandenbergh,S UNI 20
2 3 Olson,A TMO 14
3 95 Sulzberger,W SAI 14
4 72 Beuchat,R LPR 12
5 124 Rasch,G TMB 12
6 22 Jacobs,P UNI 12
7 11 Ljungqvist,M CSC 10
8 18 Breschel,M CSC 9
9 44 Kobzarenko,V NAV 9
10 67 Bak,G SKT 9
11 56 Lewis,C TSL 8
12 23 Ljungblad,J UNI 5
13 24 Pasamontes,L UNI 5
14 102 Maaskant,M RB3 3
15 75 Maserati,A LPR 3
16 61 O’Brien,P SKT 2
17 71 Bozic,B LPR 2
18 156 Dionne,C COL 2
19 35 Priamo,M PAN 1
20 55 Duggan,T TSL 1

Team General Classification
PL Name Time
1 Unibet.com 12h19’39"
2 Team CSC @ 13’32"
3 T-Mobile Team @ 13’48"
4 Team LPR @ 13’49"
5 Navigators Insurance Cycling = s/t
6 South Australia AIS = s/t
7 Team Maxbo-Bianchi = s/t
8 Team Slipstream = s/t
9 Murphy & Gunn @ 14’06"
10 Rabobank @ 27’06"
11 Colavita Sutter Home Cycling = s/t
12 Ceramica Panaria Navigare = s/t
13 DFL-Cyclingnews-Litespeed = s/t
14 Recycling = s/t
15 Plowman Craven Evans Cycles = s/t
16 Irish National Team = s/t