Cycling: Taupo's Bevin losses yellow jersey

21 May 2014; Race leader Patrick Bevin, New Zealand National Team, reaches the peak of the category 1 Coomanaspic climb during Stage 4 of the 2014 An Post Rás. Charleville - Cahirciveen. Picture

Taupo cyclist Patrick Bevin has lost the yellow jersey on stage five of the An Post Ras Tour of Ireland.

A weakened New Zealand team were unable to match the ferocious pace this morning, as Patrick Bevin lost the tour leader's yellow jersey on stage five of the Tour of Ireland.

The New Zealand team were without leader and double Olympic medallist Marc Ryan, who withdrew with illness yesterday.

The depleted team were unable to cover the breaks on the 169km stage to Clonakilty on the coast of the North Atlantic near Cork.

With only three riders for protection, the New Zealand team switched focus for Bevin to retain his points classification jersey, which he extended to eight points, with the yellow jersey now with new tour leader Austrian Clemens Fankhauser.

Defending champion Marcin Bialoblocki (Britain Velosure Giordana) led a breakaway of 11 riders including Fankhauser over the line, finishing minutes ahead of the main bunch featuring Bevin.

There were a further five categorised climbs today following a brutal stage four, with Bevin and the New Zealand team suffering from tired legs.

Bevin was part of a 20-strong break that established a lead of 1min 20sec over the main field, bridged the gap briefly to the front before being dropped on the descent of the category two climb of Caha, along with 10 other riders.

Bialoblocki accelerated from the remaining group to claim the victory and push Bevin back to 13th place overall, now eight minutes down on the leader.

The New Zealand team will focus on protecting Bevin's lead in the points classification in the remaining three stages as the race moves north to its ultimate finish in Skerries near Dublin.

Bevin is part of the New Zealand team who are using the tour to prepare for endurance track events at the Commonwealth Games.