Fiona Meade takes her first podium finish of this year's An Post Rás na mBan after a very fast opener into Ennis, Co Clare. The stage was won by Dutch rider Femke Van Kessel from Tayler Wiles, a US rider guesting with the DID Cycle 4 Life team (Photo: www.jimmymcelroy.com)
Fiona Meade of Team Munster proved the fastest Irish rider in the sprint to the line that settled the opening stage of the An Post Rás na mBan this evening in Ennis, Co Clare.
Meade fought well in the dash to the line after the fast 60km stage into Ennis, coming home behind Dutch rider Femke Van Kessel (WV Breda-Manieu.ni) and Tyler Wiles, a US rider competing with the DID Cycle 4 Life team this week.
Meade was the only Irish rider in the top 10, with defending champion Olivia Dillon of the Irish National Team back in 17th place and on the same time as the winner.
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Stage victor Van Kessel was second into the final corner and powered her way past Wiles to repeat her opening day success in Rás na mBan two years ago.
Van Kessel's success was earned after a hard fight to get back into contention after finding herself in a chasing group following the single IVCA Wicklow 200km queen of the mountains climb of the day at the half way point of the stage.
With 10km remaining, the lead group doubled from the 30 riders out front and there was enough time for Van Kessel to recover for the finishing sprint in Ennis town centre.
A sharp left turn 200m from the line rewarded careful positioning on the approach to the bend and Van Kessel was in the perfect position to launch off Wiles' wheel to take the Joe Wogan Memorial stage 1.
"At the start of the stage, all was well," said Van Kessel.
"My team mate Anne Ewing was in the breakaway until the start of the hill. Up the hill, the speed was very high. I got dropped but the team worked really well together and we got back on 10km from the finish.
“I thought I could do the same as two years ago. My team mates worked really well to keep me in the front. At the last two roundabouts I thought it's now or never and it worked.
“For the rest of the week, my first priority is to get over the hills. I will do everything gain to finish at the front of the race. The time trial will make the classification I guess after that."
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As well as taking the Leinster Cycling stage winner's jersey, Van Kessel also leads the early standings in the National Dairy Council points competition.
She will wear the pink An Post jersey of overall race leader on tomorrow's stage 2 Wild Atlantic Way 112km epic along Clare's picturesque west coast.
For her efforts, Meade earned the first Clare County Council best Irish rider jersey of the race.
Helene Gerard of the DN Bretagne team crested the cat 2 climb of Maghera after 29km to secure the early lead in the IVCA Wicklow 200 competition.
The Cycling Ireland Womenscycling.ie young rider classification is led by Henriette Woering of the Netherlands, riding with the Danish Rytger team.
Stage 2 from Loop Head Lighthouse to Ballyvaughan gets under way at 12pm tomorrow, Thursday.
Sept 10th-14th: An Post Rás na mBan
Stage 1: Ennis-Ennis (60.5km)
1 Van Kessel,Femke WV Breda-Manieu.ni 1h32'12"
2 Wiles,Tayler DID Cycle 4 Life RT
3 Meade,Fiona Team Munster
4 Woering,Henriette Team Rytger
5 Coralie,Sero Dn Bretagne
6 Jankute,Gabriele Team Luxembourg
7 Woering,Melanie Team Rytger
8 Eg,Simone Team Rytger
9 Klok,Ines WV Breda-Manieu.ni
10 Knuttsson,Frida Team Rytger
11 Vogl,Lena Team Stuttgart
12 Rimasson,Gabrielle Dn Bretagne
13 Etienne,Anne Dn Bretagne
14 Wagenaar,Mirthe WV Breda-Manieu.ni
15 Walker,Jessica Westmeath Lakeside Wh
16 McCrystal,Eve Irish National Team
17 Dillon,Olivia Irish National Team
18 Thomas,Claire DID Cycle 4 Life RT
19 Guerrini,Suzetta Team Meadowlark
20 Schulz,Marlen Team Stuttgart
21 Fraser,Chloe FusionRT Gearclub/Bik
22 Demay,Coralie Dn Bretagne
23 Peer,Anne WV Breda-Manieu.ni
24 Van Neck,Melissa Team West Frisia
25 Grant,Emma Team Stuttgart
26 Erskine,Julie Westmeath Lakeside Wh
27 Grinczer,Natalie FusionRT Gearclub/Bik
28 Calderon,Priscilla Ritte Women's CT
29 McGoldrick,Cassie FusionRT Gearclub/Bik
30 Hill,Amy FusionRT Gearclub/Bik
31 Nixon,Rebecca Team Meadowlark
32 Mickey,Abby Ritte Women's CT
33 Gurley,Lydia Dublin Orwell Wheeler
34 Ewing,Anne WV Breda-Manieu.ni
35 Spence,Emily Colavita Fine Cooking
36 Geoghegan,Michelle Irish National Team
37 Audrain,Ivy DID Cycle 4 Life RT
38 Dagostino,Lauren Colavita Fine Cooking
39 Weaver,Mollu Epic Scott
40 Womersley,Rebecca Team Stuttgart
41 Keenen,Aideen Dublin Orwell Wheeler
42 Matthijsse,Mathilde Bonito Squadra Corse
43 Dixon,Eve Geoffrey Butler C Lad
44 Christian,Anna Epic Scott
45 Massey,Laura Epic Scott
46 Cobb,Alice FusionRT Gearclub/Bik
47 Chittenden,Lucy Bonito Squadra Corse
48 Fisher,Annabel Bonito Squadra Corse
49 Gerard,Helene Dn Bretagne
50 Donovan,Katie Ritte Women's CT
51 Wetzel,Stephanie Colavita Fine Cooking
52 Brand,Melissa Epic Scott
53 Nordin,Gabriella Team Meadowlark
54 Carter,Rebecca Dublin Joe Daly Cycle
55 Olsen,Amalie Ritte Women's CT
56 Kinch,Ciara Dublin Orwell Wheeler
57 Dalton,Anne Irish National Team
58 Rata,Emma Bonito Squadra Corse
59 McEntee,Claire Dublin Orwell Wheeler
60 Van Rozelaar,Pernill Team West Frisia @31"
61 Robinson,Karen Westmeath Lakeside Wh @03'11"
62 Neefjes,Tessa Team West Frisia
63 Darley Ronan,Lisa Dublin Towers CC
64 O'Reilly,Eimear Dublin Towers CC
65 Griffiths,Tanya Geoffrey Butler C Lad
66 Buisman,Nina Team West Frisia
67 Cronin,Martina Team Munster
68 Stephens,Niamh Dublin Towers CC
69 Maes,Elise Team Luxembourg
70 Ossyra,Sabina Team Stuttgart @05'39"
71 Soden,Nicola Geoffrey Butler C Lad
72 Sewell,Iona Geoffrey Butler C Lad
73 O'Mahoney,Sonja Westmeath Lakeside Wh
74 Horan,Ann Dublin Orwell Wheeler
75 Brama,Elisabeth Bonito Squadra Corse
76 Bekkering,Danielle Dublin Joe Daly Cycle
77 McAteer,Catherine Dublin Towers CC
78 Coljon,Carmen Team Luxembourg
79 Staplebroek,Lisa Team Munster
80 Carier,Lara Team Luxembourg
81 Thill,Laurence Team Luxembourg
82 McKay,Sandra Geoffrey Butler C Lad @05'43"
83 O'Halloran,Michelle Westmeath Lakeside Wh @08'44"
84 Guihen,Fiona DID Cycle 4 Life RT
85 Moran,Tonya Dublin Joe Daly Cycle
86 Costello,Mary Irish National Team @14'03"
87 Claffey,Marie Dublin Towers CC @14'50"
88 Samuelson,Kelli Ritte Women's CT @15'38"
89 Ormesher,Hannah DID Cycle 4 Life RT @18'34"
90 Kerrane,Helen Dublin Joe Daly Cycle @20'41"
91 Series,Peigi Team Meadowlark @24'46"
92 O'Sullivan,Teresa Team Munster @26'27"
93 Nicholson,Vicki Dublin Joe Daly Cycle @27'03"
(General classification is the same as the stage result as there were no time bonuses)
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