Dekker Triumphs in Stage Five Time Trial.
Griffin retains Magenta Jersey with one stage remaining.
Noor DEKKER (JEGG DJR Academy) Photo courtesy Lorraine O'Sullivan
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Defending champion and stage four winner Manon de Boer crossed the line just one second down on Dekker for a Dutch one-two on the stage, with magenta jersey Mia Griffin posting the third fasted time a further second back.
Griffin’s performance secures her advantage at the top of the general classification, with De Boer moving to second overall at 11 seconds, now followed by Dekker in third at 23 seconds with only this afternoon’s final stage criterium left to race.
26-year-old Dekker’s success comes after an impressive podium place on Friday’s third stage to Gorey, with this victory celebrated in particularly jubilant fashion with her JEGG-DJR Academy teammates after they nervously checked off the times of the final few riders.
Despite the changes in several GC positions, the leads of all the classifications remain the same as before the stage, with Griffin still in the magenta jersey as overall race leader, as well as sitting at the top of the Cycling Ireland Points and Kilkenny County Council Best Irish Rider classifications. DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK’s Caoimhe O’Brien also remains the Sport Ireland Best Young Rider, with NWVG-Uplus’ De Boer having already secured the IVCA Wicklow 200 Queen of the Mountains jersey in yesterday’s fourth stage.
The riders return to Kilkenny Castle this afternoon for the popular city centre criterium race, consisting of just over one hour of laps of the 2.1 kilometre circuit.
Mia GRIFFIN (Das Hutchinson Brother UK) - Photo courtesy Lorraine O'Sullivan
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Griffin goes into the sixth stage in a strong position overall with an 11 second advantage over De Boer, although it is still mathematically possible for the Dutch rider to gain up to 13 seconds of time bonuses available at the intermediate sprint and stage finish. The Kilkenny rider will be taking nothing for granted, however, having raced this criterium on several occasions and will be well aware of the drama that it can entail.
Ras na mBan Stage 5 Results - Kilkenny Castle (08/09/2024)
1. Noor DEKKER JEGG DJR Academy 03'27''22 -
2. Manon DE BOER NWVG-Uplus 03'28''58
3. Mia GRIFFIN Das Hutchinson Brother UK 03'29''63
4. Marine LENEHAN Dan Morrissey Primor by Pissei 03'31''98
5. Robyn CLAY* Das Hutchinson Brother UK 03'33''61
6. Lucy LEE Das Hutchinson Brother UK 03'33''82
7. Ruby OAKES* Shibden Apex RT 03'35''80
8. Abigail MILLER* Tofauti Everyone Active 03'35''97
9. Anabelle THOMAS* Primeau Vélo Groupe Abadie 03'36''85
10. Rosan KOPER Team Noord Holland 03'37''26
General Classification after Stage 5 Kilkenny Castle TT
1. Mia GRIFFIN Das Hutchinson Brother UK 10h04'45''
2. Manon DE BOER NWVG-Uplus +11''
3. Noor DEKKER JEGG DJR Academy +23''
4. Caoimhe O'BRIEN* Das Hutchinson Brother UK
5. Marine LENEHAN Dan Morrissey Primor by Pissei +24''
6. Heidi FRANZ Monarch Racing +25''
7. Robyn CLAY* Das Hutchinson Brother UK +26''
8. Abigail MILLER* Tofauti Everyone Active +31''
9. Lucy LEE Das Hutchinson Brother UK +32''
10. Aoife O'BRIEN* Ireland +35''
* = YOUNG RIDER CLASSIFICATION
For Full Results - click here
Racing gets underway at Kilkenny Castle at 1.30pm.
Ras na mBan 2024 - Stages Five and Six Race Preview
The final day of Rás na mBan 2023 is upon us with two stages left for the riders to battle through.
Kilkenny City hosts both stages, with the morning's time trial stage a short affair requiring a powerful effort and a sharp eye for detail to ensure the most efficient lines through the corners to minimise unnecessary time loss and enter Stage 6, the Criterium Circuit Race, with every possible advantage.
The Time Trial Stage 5
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The Time Trial (TT) course may only be 2.5km in length, but it has previously been a significant stage in deciding the overall winner for Rás na mBan.
Last year's overall winner Manon de Boer sealed her overall GC victory by winning the stage 5 TT around Kilkenny Castle by just 2.38 seconds ahead of Team Noord Holland’s Renée van Hout. 2023 also saw Kate Richardson seal her overall GC win with a .39 of second victory in the TT.
The 3:30-4minute effort will require maximum effort alongside total focus, with a number of tight turns along the route and a narrow path section included. Riders will be hoping the course remains dry to keep conditions on a level playing field as the result will likely come down to the wire for those at the top of the general classification table.
Mia Griffin remains in magenta heading into stage 5. She maintains an 11 second advantage on teammate Caoimhe O’Brien, with 12 seconds to 3rd place Manon de Boer, and only 14 seconds to Monarch Racing’s Heidi Franz. 2023’s TT over the same course saw de Boer finish 6.59 seconds ahead of O’Brien on the stage, and 7.99 seconds ahead of Griffin.
There are no time bonuses on offer for the stage win on stage 5, so the GC battle heading into stage 6 may be even tighter than at present.
The Criterium Stage 6
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The Criterium will get underway shortly afterward. Starting on the Parade outside the Castle gates, the route goes clockwise along Castle Road, Nuncio Road, Waterford Road, Patrick St and back past the castle gates. Stage 6 will be approximately an hour and fifteen minutes of fast high octane city centre racing to finally decide the champion of Rás na mBan 2024.
Last year the crowds were treated to an exhilarating hour of racing around the Kilkenny circuit, with a number of riders coming down throughout the race and a large bunch of 60 riders battling for the final stage win.
Ireland’s Mia Griffin has taken two stage wins out of four this week, with Caoimhe O’Brien taking her first stage win this year. O’Brien was 2nd on the final stage last year, and whether it’s Griffin or O’Brien we expect the DAS Hutchinson Brother UK team to have a rider well positioned coming into the final moments of the race.
Both Marine Lenehan and Ellen McDermott are former Irish National Criterium Champions and are certainly riders to watch for the stage having both been on a Rás na mBan stage podium before, but never the top spot.
With bonus seconds on offer at the intermediate sprint, as well as the top three riders on the stage, the final day of Rás na mBan is lined up to be a whirlwind day of racing in the battle for the magenta jersey.