British rider Kate Richardson emerged the winner of the Rás na mBan in Kilkenny on Sunday, successfully avoiding mishap in wet, slippery conditions to take and then hold the lead on the two final stages.
The Alba Development Road Team rider began the day five seconds behind race leader Lieke van Zeelst (Greenmount Cycling Academy) but beat her by 5.13 seconds in the 2.5 kilometre morning time trial around the boundaries of the Kilkenny Castle grounds. She began the concluding criterium race with that 0.13 second gap in hand and stayed upright while many others crashed on the damp circuit.
The danger was highlighted by a fall which put the rider in fourth place, Zoe Langham (Pro-Noctic-Rotor-Redchilli Bikes), out of the race. Others to hit the deck were Ireland team riders Lara Gillespie and Eve McCrystal, with the latter injuring her arm and ultimately being a non-finisher.
McCrystal did however put in important work before going out of the race, with herself and Kelly Murphy playing an impressive role in helping Gillespie back after her crash. Gillespie had started the criterium aiming to win it, having become the first Irish stage winner in eight years on Wednesday and then following that up with more success on Saturday.
However the crash and subsequent chase depleted her energy and she had to be content with fourth in the sprint to the line. British rider Madelaine Leech (Cams-Basso) jumped clear on the final lap to finish three seconds clear.
Richardson placed ninth on the stage, one place in advance of rival Van Zeelst, winning overall. She also took the points, queen of the mountains and best young rider award. Gillespie was best Irishwoman overall in 11th.
The former junior European track champion is making impressive progress since her return from illness and injury, and is aiming for a strong track world championship campaign with Ireland next month.
Rás na mBan
Stage 5, Kilkenny time trial: 1 Kate Richardson (Alba Development Road Team) 2.5km in 3′34.23″, 2 M Leech (Cams-Basso) at 0.39″, 3 L Gillespie (Ireland) at 2″, 4 L van Zeelst (Greenmount Cycling Academy) at 5″, 5 S Betz (IBCT-RDL Team) at 6″, 6 D Shrosbree (Cams-Basso) at 7″, 7 E McCrystal (Ireland) at 9″, 8 S Lewis (Team LDN — Brother UK)
Best Irish-based rider: 1 Caoimhe O’Brien (Cycling Leinster) 3 mins 46.04 secs, 2 E Creighton (Cycling Ulster) at 2″, 3 A Tyler (Cycling Ulster) at 8″, 4 J Speers (Cycling Ulster) at 12″, 5 C McCarthy (Cyclincg Ireland Women’s Commission) at 13″
Best young rider: 1 Kate Richardson (Alba Development Road Team) 3 mins 34.23″, 2 M Leech (Cams-Basso) at 0.39″, 3 L Gillespie (Ireland) at 2″, 4 S Lewis (Brother UK Orientation Marketing), 5 A Morrice (Team LDN — Brother UK)
Stage 6 Kilkenny criterium: 1 Madelaine Leech (Cams-Basso) 37.8km in 58′09″, 2 L Lee (Team LDN-Brother UK) at 3″, 3 T Keep (Team LDN — Brother UK), 4 L Gillespie (Ireland), 5 J Finney (Cams-Basso), 6 E MacLean-Howell (Tofauti Everyone Active), 7 E McDermott (Team BoomPods), 8 A Mrugal (Cardinal-Classic Cycling) all same time
Best Irish-based rider: 1 Caoimhe O’Brien (Cycling Leinster) 58′12″, 2 D Harkeness (Cycling Ulster), 3 A O’Brien (Cycling Ireland Women’s Commission), 4 A Tyler (Cycling Ulster), 5 O Walsh (Cycling Ireland Women’s Commission) all same time
Best young rider: 1 Madelaine Leech (Cams-Basso) 37.8km in 58′09″, 2 T Keep (Team LDN — Brother UK) at 3″, 3 L Gillespie (Ireland), 4 E MacLean-Howell (Tofauti Everyone Active), 5 K Richardson (Alba Development Road Team) all same time
Team: 1 Cams-Basso 2 hours 54′33″, 2 Team LDN — Brother UK at 3″, 3 Team BoomPods, 4 Toufauti Everyone Active, 5 IBCT-RDL Team all same time
Final general classification: 1 Kate Richardson (Alba Development Road Team) 10 hours 5′31″, 2 L van Zeelst (Greenmount Cycling Academy) same time, 3 B Storrie (Cams-Basso) at 32″, 4 D Shrosbree (Cams-Basso) at 43″, 5 A Mrugal (Cardinal-Classic Cycling) same time, 6 M Wilkinson (Team BoomPods) at 50″, 7 M Yeoman (Tofauti Everyone Active) at 58″, 8 A Morrice (Team LDN-Brother UK) same time
Best Irish-based rider: 1 Amelia Tyler (Cycling Ulster) 9 hours 12′52″, 2 C O’Brien (Cycling Leinster) at 1 min 9″, 3 E Porter (UCD) at 3′37″, 4 C McCarthy (Cycling Ireland Women’s Commission) at 4′11″, 5 A O’Brien (Cycling Ireland Women’s Commission) at 6 mins
Womenscycling.ie best young rider overall: 1 Kate Richardson (Alba Development Road Team) 10 hours 5′31″, 2 M Yeoman (Tofauti Everyone Active) at 58″, 3 A Morrice (Team LDN — Brother UK) same time, 4 E Maclean-Howell (Tofauti Everyone Active) at 1 min, 5 L Gillespie (Ireland) at 1 min 14″
Best Irish domestic rider overall: 1 Amelia Tyler (Cycling Ulster) 10 hours 11′04″, 2 C O’Brien (Cycling Leinster) at 1′09″, 3 E Porter (UCD) at 3′49″, 4 C McCarthy (Cycling Ireland Womens’s Commission) at 4′24″, 5 A O’Brien (Cycling Ireland Women’s Commission) at 6 mins
Sport Ireland Points classification: 1 Kate Richardson (Alba Development Road Team) 37 points, 2 L Gillespie (Ireland) 27, 3 M Leech (Cams-Basso) 25, 4 L van Zeelst (Greenmount Cycling Academy) 22, 5 E McDermott (Team BoomPods) 19 IVCA Wicklow 200 Queen of the hills: 1 Kate Richardson (Alba Development Road Team) 47 points, 2 D Shrosbree (Cams-Basso) 46, 3 A Morrice (Team LDN-Brother UK) 26, 4 L van Zeelst (Greenmount Cycling Academy) 23, 5 B Storrie (Cams-Basso) 18
Team: 1 Cams-Basso 30 hours 18′31″, 2 Ireland at 4′30″, 3 Team BoomPods at 4′49″, 4 Toufaut Everyone Active at 4′54″, 5 IBCT-RDL team at 5′20″
Paddy Doran best Irish team: 1 Cycling Ulster 30 hours 53′17″, 2 Cycling Ireland Women’s Commission at 9′45″, 3 UCD at 18′02″, 4 Cycling Leinster at 46′54″, 5 Cycling Munster at 3 hours 11′55″
