Ras na mBan Cycling Race hits the roads of Laois
Ireland’s Premiere Women’s Cycling Race reaches Laois for Stage 3 today
| Riders will roll out from O’Moore Park in Portlaoise at 11:15 for a ceremonial start from the Laois County Council Complex at 11:18, before racing gets underway from 11:30. Team Phoenix’s Alice McWilliam enters the stage in the Magenta Leader’s jersey, with WV Breda’s Noor Dekker hot on her heels as the two riders sit on equal time in the general classification. Olympia Norrid-Mortensen (Torelli) will take to the startline in the Just-Print.ie stage winners jersey after finishing third on stage two, jumping to fifth in the general classification. The Cycling Ireland Points Classification is led by Alice McWilliam and the jersey will be worn by Noor Dekker for stage three. While the Kilkenny County Council Best Irish Rider jersey is still held by Linda Kelly (Cycling Ireland Women’s Commission), who is closely chased by Torelli’s Gabrielle Fox. French rider Noemie Abgrall retains her IVCA W200 the Queen of the Mountain jersey for stage three, although Grace Reynolds will be looking to use the 7km Category 1 climb known as ‘The Cut’ to close down Abgrall’s advantage. Amelia Cebak (Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team) will be hoping to extend her lead in the Sport Ireland Best Young Rider, as Olympia Norrid-Mortensen is just a single second behind her. Racing will begin with a fast opening section from Stradbally to Emo, and then on to Mountmellick, before hitting the main climb of the day. Coming from Clonaslee the riders will face the daunting ascent of ‘The Cut’, the most challenging climb of the week. The 7km Category 1 test sports an average gradient of 4.4% and a leg-sapping maximum gradient of 8.3%. After a fast descent the riders will pass through the finish line at Mountrath before looping through Abbeyleix and Ballacolla before finishing back in Mountrath. The stage is a chance for a breakaway group of climbers to take some time on the rest of the field and try to hold it to the line. The intermediate sprint at 39km will also offer bonus seconds to the first three riders to cross the line. The bonus seconds are likely to be highly contested in the remaining stages of this year’s race, with the top 22 riders on general classification all within ten seconds. The weather forecast is for dry conditions though riders may have to deal with changing winds throughout the race. Riders are expected to complete the 104.4km route in Mountrath between 13:59 and 14:28. |
