Mulholland Celebrates 19th Birthday with Stage Win
Ed Clemens retained the leader’s yellow jersey in today’s Stage 2 of the Tour of the North supported by Ards and North Down Borough Council. The 84 miles’ stage was won by 19-year-old Declan Mullholland (Asea Wheelworx who beat Jake Hailes (Spirit Bikes) up the steep Windmill Hill finish in Portaferry. Glen Kinning (Kinning Cycles) was third at 7 seconds with Clemens fourth at 12 seconds down. Last year’s Tour winner David Watson (North Down CC) crossed the line in fifth place and remains in contention. Fraser Duncan (Asea Wheelworx) won three of the four King of the Mountains primes to take the lead in this classification. Duncan, Kinning, Paul McCarter (Donegal Bay CC) and Gareth McCullough (Newry Wheelers) had forged ahead on the first big loop of the Ards Peninsula and at one point they were three minutes clear of the yellow jersey who was in the main bunch. On the second of two 18 mile loops around Portaferry and Cloughey Clemens and his team mate Jake Hales led a spirited chase of the breakaway and reeled them in before the third climb up Windmill Hill to the finish where young Mulholland celebrated his 19th birthday with a memorable win. Clemens lead his team mate Hales by 51 seconds with Mulholland third at 52 seconds and Watson fourth at 1’18”. Mulholland leads the U23 competition.
After two stages in very windy conditions there are sizeable gaps in the general classification with five minutes covering the top twenty riders. The 84 remaining riders face a time trial on Sunday morning in Portaferry and Stage 4 is a 66 miles’ stage to the Castlereagh Hills and back to the finish in Donaghadee. (4.30pm)
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