Abi Conway's reputation grows with stage win in yellow at Newry Three Day

*Abi Conway has enjoyed the best weekend of her fledgling cycling career, the Mayo woman really putting herself on the map with three wins in Newry (Photo: Toby Watson)*

Abi Conway, a 20-year-old latecomer to cycling from Co Mayo, went into this weekend's Newry Three Day never having won a big open race but has emerged from the event with no fewer than three victories.

Having seized the race lead yesterday by winning stage 2 in a sprint from a six-rider group, Conway began today's stage in the race lead but equal on time with some very strong riders.

However, she kept her wits about her and held on to that leader's jersey in the most convincing manner; winning the stage and wrapping up the general classification victory to add to her stage win of 24 hours earlier.

Conway had already shown she meant business this year by taking the U23 bronze medal in the road race at the National Road Championships in Co Limerick earlier this summer.

Her name had also been featuring constantly in the results since the 2024 campaign, but she will look back on this weekend as a big breakthrough.

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Today, though a group stayed together for a long time at the front of the Rathfriland stage - of 73.33km - at the business end, on the uphill to the finish, it was Conway and king of the mountains Aliyah Rafferty, the 16-year-old with Tofauti Everyone Active, who proved strongest.

Rafferty was one of those riders who had started equal on time with Conway this morning, meaning the finish today decided the general classification; Conway just about beating Rafferty, but both riders finishing on the same time.

Amelia Tyler (Unattached Ulster) was 3rd at 14 seconds, with Gabrielle Fox (Greenmount CA) 4th at 20 seconds. Doireann Killeen (Kilcullen CC Murphy Geospacial) and Aine Kelly (Orwell Wheelers Cycling Club) were 5th and 6th, both at 24 seconds.

In the final overall standings, Conway ran out the winner over Rafferty, though both were equal on time after three stages of racing, with Tyler completing the podium at 14 seconds.

Stage 3 Results