Lara Gillespie surges to Rás na mBan stage victory

Lara Gillespie stormed to victory in Piltown, Co Kilkenny on Saturday, to earn her second stage win of this year's Rás na mBan.

Gillespie again showed her sprinting prowess to hold off challenges from Ellen McDermott of Team BoomPods and Cams-Basso's Maddie Leech, who crossed the line in second and third place respectively.

Overall race leader Lieke van Zeelst, guest riding for Greenmount Cycling Academy, finished safely in the lead group to consolidate her five-second lead over nearest rival Kate Richardson of the Alba Development Road Team.

A dry day was welcomed by riders assembling in Kilkenny for the start of the 89.5km stage, following the persistent rain showers on the three previous stages.

The change in weather also translated to the racing, with a highly aggressive start to the stage a marked change from the more attritional approach favoured before today.

The first attack came from Cycling Leinster's Caoimhe O'Brien, who launched a solo bid from kilometre zero. The Westmeath rider's gap grew to 18 seconds before the team of Pro-Noctis-Rotor-Redchilli Bikes moved to the front to rein her in after 10km.

An array of attacks and counter attacks ensued for the next 30km, with notable efforts from Georgia Whitehouse of IBCT-RDL Team, Cardinal-Classic Cycling's Florence Howden and Sara Rains, and Brother UK Orientation Marketing's Sophie Lewis.

Sensing an opportunity for a breakaway to succeed, Eve McCrystal was joined in a move by IBCT-RDL's Hayee Fuller, NWVG-Uplus's Rixt Hoogland and eventual third place finisher Maddie Leech.

The strong quartet quickly established a gap of 47 seconds over the main bunch ahead of the first ascent of the Templeorum Queen of the Mountains climb.

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