Lucy Bénézet Minns has taken a very strong general classification result at the UCI Nations Cup in the Netherlands, competing at a level of racing Irish junior women's teams are rarely selected for.
On the final 74.3km hilly stage in Watersley today, the Irish 18-year-old - who won a European title on the track only a matter of weeks ago - was one of a small number of riders able to mix it off the front today, gaining time on the peloton.
A crash impacted the racing today, with Célia Gery of France a non-finisher as a result of that pile-up; exiting the race while wearing the yellow jersey after winning both stages 1 and 2.
In the end, Bénézet Minns was 8th on today's stage, some 1:07 down on solo winner Puck Langenbarg of the Netherlands. Ireland's Bénézet Minns finished solo, some 2:12 up on the first group on the road, which numbered only 18 riders.
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Aliyah Rafferty (Team Ireland) finished just a few seconds behind that 18-strong group, which was sprinting for 10th place. Rafferty placed 30th on the stage, some 2:25 down on the winner after a race featuring 10 short sharp climbs.
Kate Murphy, who is new to the junior national team set-up, showed today she is finding her feet quickly; finishing in 44th at 2:41. Aine Doherty, also representing Ireland this weekend at the Watersley Ladies Challenge (2.Ncup), was 75th today at 6:36.
The race was won overall by Spain's Paula Ostiz, who was 2nd today just 16 seconds down on the winner, and moved into the final yellow jersey after starting the day 2nd on GC behind France's Gery.
Ireland's Bénézet Minns, who was 2nd in Friday's opening TT, ended the race in 7th place overall, some 1:20 down on Ostiz; a fantastic result by the Irish rider. Rafferty was 15th overall at 2:48 with Murphy 55th at 7:43 and Doherty 61st at 7:48.
More to come.
