Tiffany Keep powers to Rás na mBan stage success

South African Tiffany Keep of the Team Hutchinson-Brother UK team produced a powerful finish in Co Kilkenny on Thursday to win the second stage of Rás na mBan.

Keep held off Dutch pair Noa Jansen and Manon de Boer in an uphill sprint in the Rower village to take the victory.

Linda Kelly was was the best of the home competitors, leapfrogging Wednesday's stage winner Mia Griffin in the Best Irish Rider classification.

Griffin, of Team Ireland, crossed the line 35 seconds down on Keep, with fourth-placed Rixt Hoogland of NWVG-Uplus becoming the new overall race leader.

The Netherlands rider will wear the magenta jersey for tomorrow's 104km third stage from Portlaoise to Mountrath, featuring the mountain pass of The Cut.