Irishman Philip Deignan and German Martin Reimer lead the seven-man Cervélo TestTeam in the Sparkassen Münsterland Giro in Germany on Saturday. It's Deignan's first race since the World Championships and the Vuelta a España, where he won stage 18 to Avila.
Irish cycling had a considerable boost last week when Deignan won a stage and finished ninth overall in the Vuelta a España. Roche was Ireland's last Grand Tour stage winner (at La Bourboule, 1992 Tour de France) and the last Irishman to take a top 10 finish in a three-week race [ninth in the 1993 Giro d'Italia].He is delighted at Deignan's performance for two reasons: one, for the achievement itself, but also because it puts a talented rider back on track.
Philip Deignan has ended Ireland’s long wait for a top 10 finish at a Grand Tour by posting a ninth place overall in this year’s Tour of Spain which finished with a 110-kilometre trek from Rivas to Madrid today.
Philip Deignan yesterday recorded the best performance by an Irish cyclist in almost two decades when he finished ninth overall in the Vuelta Espana, as the three-week tour of Spain came to it's conclusion on a city-centre based circuit in Madrid.
By Shane Stokes in Madrid
Matching Stephen Roche’s 1993 performance in the Giro d’Italia, Philip Deignan yesterday became the first Irishman in 16 years to net a top-10 place in a Grand Tour.
Philip Deignan claimed Ireland’s first top-ten finish in a Grand Tour in 16 years today when he held on to ninth spot as the Vuelta a España came to a finish in Madrid. The Letterkenny man completed the three-week race 11 minutes and eight seconds behind victorious Spanish rider Alejandro Valverde.
Philip Deignan all but secured a top-10 overall finish in this year’s Tour of Spain yesterday when he placed a fine 13th on the last mountain stage of the race.
Philip Deignan held on to ninth spot in the overall standings at the Vuelta a Espana despite coming home in 40th spot in today’s penultimate stage, a 28-kilometre individual time-trial in Toledo.
By Tommy Campbell
Letterkenny's Philip Deignan enjoyed a double delight yesterday on the 18th stage of the Tour of Spain. In taking the stage victory, the 26-year-old catapulted himself into the top 10 in the overall standings, and rode into the history books. He became the first Irish rider to win a stage in a three-week grand tour since Irish legend Stephen Roche won a stage in the 1992 Tour de France.
Irishman Philip Deignan (Cervélo TestTeam) moved up to ninth place overall after beating Czech Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas) at the end of the 187km stage 18 of the 2009 Vuelta a España Thursday. Home favourite Alejandro Valverde held onto the overall lead with three days to go until the end of the race.
