Danish rider won Tipperary stage of Rás na mBan international women's cycle race
The third stage of the race started and finished in Carrick-on-Suir
Silje Weitze Antvorskov of Team Friis claimed victory in yesterday’s third stage of Rás na mBan, crossing the line in Carrick-on-Suir ahead of Noémie Garnier (Vendée Féminine RVC) and Olympia Norrid-Mortensen (Torelli) with Cycling Ulster’s Aliyah Rafferty just missing a podium spot at the back of four-rider lead group.
The result moved Danish U23 Road Race Champion Antvorskov into the overall race lead, taking over the magenta jersey from stage two winner Aoife O’Brien of Team Ireland, who finished 1m 40s behind the leaders on today’s stage.
The third stage of this year’s race presented a new route for the riders, with a 103-kilometre journey starting and finishing in Carrick-on-Suir, including two categorised climbs which would prove decisive.
With the first of those climbs not arriving until 70 kilometres into the stage, the opening hour of racing saw several unsuccessful attacks before Kathrine Madsen (Team Friis) and Lucy Glover (Smurfit Westrock) finally snapped the elastic. With neither an overall threat to Magenta Jersey O’Brien, the pair were allowed to open up a gap that reached a maximum of 1m13s.
That advantage was wiped out on the slopes of the category one ascent of Tickincor however, with its maximum gradients of over 16 per cent decimating the peloton.
Only five riders remained at the front of the race by the summit, with IVCA Wicklow 200 Queen of the Mountains leader Garnier taking maximum points to extend her advantage in the classification. The French rider was joined in the lead group by Antvoskov, Norrid-Mortensen, Rafferty and Elena Day (Smurfit Westrock).
Magenta jersey O’Brien was one of the many riders distanced on the Tickincor ascent. The Mullingar rider was unable to regain contact with the front of the race, despite being assisted by teammates Emma Jeffers and Emer Heverin in a strong defence of the jersey.
Up front, Day was dropped from the lead group on the final categorised climb of the day at Seskin to leave just four riders in contention for the stage. Norrid Mortensen took the maximum mountain points at the top, followed by Garnier in second to ensure the Vendée Féminine RVC rider holds a commanding lead in the QOM classification.
With the category two ascent summiting just over five kilometres from the finish in Carrick-on-Suir, there was little opportunity for the chasing riders to close the gap to the leading quartet, with Weitze Antvorskov proving the strongest in the sprint to claim the stage victory.
Speaking after the stage, the Team Friis rider explained how her teammates helped set up the victory.
“We just tried to go from the bottom of the hill,” said the Dane. “My teammates [moved] me to the front and I just pushed as hard as I could all the way to the top, and when we got to the top there were only four [others] left.
“In the end we were all working, but I was trying to drive for the GC and not so much for the stage win.”
Despite admitting she was prioritising improving her overall position, Antvorskov reacted with surprise when told she was now in the Magenta jersey, “Oh that’s crazy, I hadn’t thought about that, but I guess then I have a little bit more pressure on me in the next days, so we’ll see.”
She also expressed confidence that her team could help with defending the overall lead, “Yeah I think so, my teammates they are really good, they can do everything.”
Antvorskov headed into stage four today (Saturday, September 5) with a slender four-second lead over Garnier in the general classification, with the 21-year-old Dane also topping the Sport Ireland Best Young Rider standings.
Despite a difficult day for O’Brien, the Team Ireland sprinter still held a commanding lead in the Cycling Ireland Points Classification going into the fourth stage, while Aliyah Rafferty’s strong fourth place finish elevates her into the lead of the Kilkenny County Council Best Irish Rider Classification.
Today’s 89km stage of the race took place in Carlow and included the double ascent and summit finish of the category one Corrabut Gap climb.
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