The opening stage of Rás na mBan may have come down to a sprint from a large group but big gaps have emerged already. It was a relatively short stage in Co Kilkenny but was run off at very fast speeds. Above, Dutch visitor Belle de Gast took victory (Photo: Lorraine O'Sullivan)

Belle de Gast wins Rás na mBan stage 1

Dutch woman Belle de Gast (WV Breda) proved strongest at the end of the opening stage of Rás na mBan.

She galloped up the main street in Gowran and had plenty of time to get her hands up in victory.

However, while she won in a sprint from a large pack, significant gaps have emerged already.

There were 74 riders in the group, with de Gast winning by two seconds from a group of 11.

And another gap of three seconds emerged to the next 61 riders. But then the bigger time losses began to appear.

The vast majority of the rest of the field was minutes back the road, underlining the speed of the short 70km stage.

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Alice Barnes of Team GB was 2nd on the night, with Typhaine Laurence (Team Breizh Ladies) rounding out the podium.

A team mate of Barnes, Mel Lowther was the last to attack in what was an aggressive stage. But she was closed down just before the finish.

And on the rise up to the chequered flag de Gast had too much in the tank.

Lydia Boylan was 8th and was the best placed Irish rider. Thought as she rides for UK team WNT she is not eligible for the Irish rider classification.

Instead it is Eve McCrystal (Garda CC) who holds that jersey thanks to her 12th place.

De Gast has the pink overall leader’s jersey and is also top of the points classification.

Laura Massey of the Isle of Man was first over Coppanagh Climb after 26.5kmh. As a result she is the leader of the queen of the mountains. The best young rider classification is Barnes.

Sept 6-10: An Post Rás na mBan

Stage 1: Gowran, Kilkenny (70.1km)

1 Belle de Gast WV Breda Cycling Team 01:43:07.000
2 Alice Barnes Great Britain 00:00:02.0
3 Typhaine Laurance Team Breizh Ladies
4 Frida Knutsson Team Crescent D.A.R.E
5 Wilma Olausson Backstedt/Hotchillee
6 Helene Gerard Team Breizh Ladies
7 Carla Lundmark Team Crescent D.A.R.E
8 Lydia Boylan Team WNT Pro Cycling
9 Desiree Ehrler Maaslandster Veris CCN
10 Elinor Barker Great Britain
11 Alexandra Nessmar Team Crescent D.A.R.E
12 Eve McCrystal Garda Cycling Club
13 Hannah Gruber NCC Group-Kuota-Torelli 00:00:05.0
14 Femke Geeris Maaslandster Veris CCN
15 Anna Kay EDCO Continental
16 Kylie Waterreus Team CCN
17 Elise Maes Team WNT Pro Cycling
18 Alice Sharpe NCC Group-Kuota-Torelli
19 Lauren Creamer NCC Group-Kuota-Torelli
20 Orla Walsh Scott Orwell CC
21 Ellen McDermott EDCO Continental
22 Maddie Gammons Team RGB Building Supplies
23 Anna Docherty Jadan-Weldtite p/b Vive Le Velo
24 Tilina Levin Team Crescent D.A.R.E
25 Natalie Grinczer Team WNT Pro Cycling
26 Emma Ahlstrand Team Crescent D.A.R.E
27 Kirsten Peetoom Maaslandster Veris CCN
28 Andrea Terjesen Bryne ck Ladies
29 Elizabeth-Jane Harris Isle Of Man
30 Lucie Lahaye DN17 Poitou-Charentes
31 Mel Lowther Great Britain
32 Laura Massey Isle Of Man
33 Juul Hubert WV Breda Cycling Team
34 Joanne Thom EDCO Continental
35 Anais Morichon DN17 Poitou-Charentes
36 Angelique Wammes-Bouman WV Breda Cycling Team
37 Michelle Geoghegan Scott Orwell CC
38 Aagtje Dijkman Regioteam Noord Holland
39 Elynor Backstedt Backstedt/Hotchillee
40 Gina Heiss CC London
41 Amanda Jamieson Team CCN
42 Tone Hatteland lima Bryne ck Ladies
43 Claire McIlwaine Cycling Ulster
44 Elizabeth Bennett Backstedt/Hotchillee
45 Samah Khaled AlAsayl Cycling Team
46 Katharine Smyth Cycling Ulster
47 Lorna Bowler Backstedt/Hotchillee
48 Sophie Pulford Team CCN
49 Sophie Almeida DN17 Poitou-Charentes
50 Steph Mottram NCC Group-Kuota-Torelli
51 Jone Johnson Scott Orwell CC
52 Jenny Powell GB Cycles.co.uk
53 Lucie Jounier Team Breizh Ladies
54 Isabel Ellis Backstedt/Hotchillee
55 Emily Meakin GB Cycles.co.uk
56 Helen Ralston GB Cycles.co.uk
57 India Grangier DN17 Poitou-Charentes
58 Lily Greenhalgh EDCO Continental
59 Anna Badegruber Team WNT Pro Cycling
60 Rebecca Raybould Great Britain
61 Elizabeth Hughes CC London
62 Ayla Rudgley Team CCN
63 Leah Dixen Jadan-Weldtite p/b Vive Le Velo
64 Anna Christian Isle Of Man
65 Alicja Verhagen WV Breda Cycling Team
66 Sharon Trimble Cycling Ulster
67 Josie Knight Team WNT Pro Cycling
68 Alice Staniford Team RGB Building Supplies
69 Cecilia le Bris Team Breizh Ladies
70 Margriet Kloppenburg Team RGB Building Supplies
71 Noúmie Abgrall Team Breizh Ladies
72 Eva van der Born Maaslandster Veris CCN
73 Louise Hart GB Cycles.co.uk
74 Molly Patch CC London 00:00:19.0
75 Jenny Holl Jadan-Weldtite p/b Vive Le Velo 00:00:46.0
76 Eileen Burns Cycling Ulster 00:01:40.0
77 Pernilla van Rozelaar Regioteam Noord Holland 00:01:58.0
78 Helle Bachofen AlAsayl Cycling Team 00:06:56.0
79 Georgia Bullard Jadan-Weldtite p/b Vive Le Velo
80 Louise Scupham Jadan-Weldtite p/b Vive Le Velo
81 Gwenno Hughes TC Racing
82 Roisin Thomas AlAsayl Cycling Team
83 Tara Ferguson Isle Of Man
84 Kate Earlie Garda Cycling Club
85 Hilary Hughes Garda Cycling Club
86 Emma Boogaard Regioteam Noord Holland 00:07:02.0
87 Karoline R°ste Omdahl Bryne ck Ladies 00:11:50.0
88 Tasha Reddy Team RGB Building Supplies
89 Madeleine Grace Marie Scott EDCO Continental
90 Monica Freiband Scott Orwell
91 Sofie Mangertseder Maloja Pushbikers Fem
92 Lillian L°ining Bryne ck Ladies
93 Beata Golczak Cycling Leinster
94 Niamh Stephens TC Racing
95 Jessica Lane Team CCN
96 Jennifer Bates Cycling Leinster
97 Lisa Lamont Cycling Ulster 00:11:55.0
99 Orla Desmond TC Racing
98 Rosa Genth Maloja Pushbikers Fem
100 Nicole Gorry Cycling Leinster
101 Francesca Cutts CC London 00:12:51.0
102 Mia Griffin Garda Cycling Club 00:13:27.0
103 Roos Anneveldt WV Breda Cycling Team
104 Kathryn Priest Isle Of Man
105 Sarah Piner Garda Cycling Club 00:13:31.0
106 Imogen Cotter Cycling Leinster
107 Sinead Molloy Cycling Leinster 00:13:42.0
108 Jenny Bolsom Team RGB Building Supplies 00:19:43.0
109 Safia al Sayegh AlAsayl Cycling Team
110 Christel van Loo Maaslandster Veris CCN
111 Veronica Gjerde Bryne ck Ladies
112 Holly Waymark DN17 Poitou-Charentes
113 Gabrielle Duckworth GB Cycles.co.uk 00:19:47.0
114 Maria Jatkovics Maloja Pushbikers Fem
115 Bettina Eder Maloja Pushbikers Fem 00:19:58.0
116 Vivienne Tomlin CC London 00:21:40.0
117 Sabina Ossyra Maloja Pushbikers Fem 00:21:53.0