Kilkenny City centre has been transformed into a world-class cycling arena today as the final two stages of the 20th anniversary Rás na mBan get underway.
Following a brutal day of climbing on the Corrabut Gap yesterday won solo by Noor Dekker, just four seconds separate the top two riders on the general classification.
The action began at 9 this morning with a highly technical two-and-a-half-kilometre individual time trial around the walls of Kilkenny Castle and the Canal Walk.
The focus now shifts to the final stage of the week, with the high-octane city centre Criterium circuit race rolling out from the Parade at 1:30 this afternoon.
Former national champion Imogen Cotter says the field is so tightly packed that it’s going to be very competitive.”
“You’re going to see some world-class riders. We’ve got an incredibly strong Irish national team riding there, um, and you go down towards the canal walk and then you come up along the parade for that finish. So, it’s only 2.5k, which doesn’t sound like a lot, but at the moment, separating first and second place on GC is only four seconds. So, it is all still very close and everything can change over 2.5k.”
