Lance Armstrong was one of the riders who could have challenged Russell Downing for overall victory at the Tour of Ireland on Sunday but the Texan preferred to pull out before tackling St Patrick’s Hill. The sudden turn onto the steep Baker’s Road on the outskirts of Cork surprised Armstrong and, with his back playing up, he opted to head to the Astana bus after first time through the finish.

It was his last road race of the 2009 season. It was also the first race he failed to finish apart from the Vuelta Castilla y Leon where he crashed and broke his collarbone. After the Tour of Ireland, Armstrong flew to Dublin to attend the Livestrong Global Cancer Summit organised by his foundation.

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[Source: Cycling Weekly]

Russell Downing (Candi TV-Marshalls Pasta) rode a swashbuckling final stage from Bantry to Cork today, partnering Lars Petter Nordhaug (Joker Bianchi) in a final, decisive breakaway. The Norwegian took the stage victory, while the overall victory in the 2009 Tour of Ireland fell to Yorkshireman Downing on his 31st birthday. There was none of the heartache Downing felt last year when he lost the yellow jersey to Marco Pinotti (Columbia-HTC) on the final day. Downing was the convincing race winner in a display of aggressive riding and strength. Brave Nordhaug was a worthy stage winner as the only rider to be able to hold onto Downing’s wheel as he selected to attack the field who had been taking pot shots at him by attacking all around the tough Cork circuit.

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[Source:  tourofireland.ie ]