The last stage of the Tour of Ireland belonged to Team Columbia but not previous leader Mark Cavendish. Italian Marco Pinotti, one of the nice guys of the peloton scooped the overall win with a fantastic last stage into Cork.

Columbia also took the stage through a marvelous breakaway from Frantisek Rabon who broke clear with second placed Fredrik Ericsson (Pezula Racing) and a larger group early on. The ascents of St Patrick’s Hill put paid to the rest of the group leaving these two riders to push ahead and fight out the win, tkane by Rabon with a gap of 15 seconds.

Race leader after stage 4, Russell Downing, spent most of the day chasing down attacks while trying to preserve his lead. Micheal Barry of Columbia and Julian Dean of Garmin Chipotle were two to try and get away but when Pinotti broke clear with 10km to go, Downing was spent.

The Italian is a popular rider, outspoken against doping and a long time rider at 32 years old. A triple Italian Time Trial champion, he took the final stage of the Tour of Italy this year. His finishing time 1 minute 4 seconds behind team mate Rabon was enough to give him the win. Downing finished 2nd with Julain Dean of Garmin in third.

Best of the Irish was Roger Aiken who finished in 20th on the stage and 22nd overall.

Results

1 Frantisek Rabon (Cze) Team Columbia                                                3.27.04 (40.60 km/h)
2 Fredrik Ericsson (Swe) Pezula Racing                                                  0.15
3 Marco Pinotti (Ita) Team Columbia                                                     1.04
4 Russel Downing (GBr) Pinarello Racing Team                                            1.37
5 Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Joker - Bianchi
6 Julian Dean (NZl) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30
7 Michael Barry (Can) Team Columbia
8 Simon Clarke (Aus) Southaustralia.com - AIS                                           1.40
9 Massimo Graziato (Ita) Tinkoff Credit Systems
10 Matthew Wilson (Aus) Team Type 1                                                         

Final general classification

1 Marco Pinotti (Ita) Team Columbia                                                 21.43.16
2 Russel Downing (GBr) Pinarello Racing Team                                            0.19
3 Julian Dean (NZl) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30                                        0.21
4 Matthew Wilson (Aus) Team Type 1                                                      0.33
5 Michael Barry (Can) Team Columbia                                                     0.36
6 Simon Clarke (Aus) Southaustralia.com - AIS                                           0.37
7 Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Joker - Bianchi
8 Gonzalo Rabuñal Ríos (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia                                            0.38
9 Nikolas Maes (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen                                                0.44
10 Kevin Evans (RSA) Team MTN                                                               

22 Roger Aiken (Irl) Irish National Team                                                5.09

34 Mark Cassidy (Irl) An Post - M. Donnelly - Grant Thornton - Sean Kelly Team         13.29

37 Ciarán Power (Irl) Pezula Racing                                                    17.02

52 Paidi O'Brien (Irl) An Post - M. Donnelly - Grant Thornton - Sean Kelly Team        35.10

54 Paul Griffen (Irl) Irish National Team                                              39.17

56 Miceal Concannon (Irl) Irish National Team                                          43.06
57 Stephen O'Sullivan (Irl) Irish National Team                                        56.52

Points classification

1 Russel Downing (GBr) Pinarello Racing Team                                              64 pts
2 Julian Dean (NZl) Team Garmin-Chipotle p/b H30                                          54
3 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Joker - Bianchi                                                45

Mountains classification

1 Matthew Wilson (Aus) Team Type 1                                                        87 pts
2 David George (RSA) Team MTN                                                             37
3 Fredrik Ericsson (Swe) Pezula Racing                                                    36

Young rider classification

1 Simon Clarke (Aus) Southaustralia.com - AIS                                       21.43.53
2 Lars Petter Nordhaug (Nor) Joker - Bianchi
3 Gonzalo Rabuñal Ríos (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia                                            0.01

Teams classification

1 Team Columbia                                                                     65.09.29
2 Tinkoff - Credit Systems                                                              2.36
3 Topsport Vlaanderen                                                                   3.01
4 SouthAustralia.com/AIS                                                               10.24
5 Team Type                                                                            10.37
6 An Post Sean Kelly Team                                                              12.21
7 Rabobank                                                                             12.37
8 Karpin Galicia Cycling Team                                                          19.25
9 MTN Energade                                                                         24.47
10 Joker Bianchi Team                                                                  32.07
11 Pezula                                                                              35.48
12 Rapha Condor Recycling.co.uk                                                        42.16
13 Irish National Team                                                               1.07.50