Richard Carapaz has taken victory on stage 3 of the Tour de Pologne and the race lead, with Irish team mate Eddie Dunbar placing 11th and moving up into 10th overall.
While a series of short sharp climbs failed to significantly split the field, the peloton was whittled down all day, with some gaps also emerging at the finish.
Team Ineos took up the pace-setting with about 7km remaining on the stage, on the final lap of the finishing circuit, and really strung out the reduced bunch.
Carapaz and Dunbar were the team's protected riders and they were to the fore at the front of the bunch as their team mates piled the pressure on with the finish approaching.
When Team Ineos dropped from the front of the bunch with about 2km remaining, UAE Team Emirates took it up as they were working for Diego Ulissi.
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However, when one UAE Team Emirates rider on the front eased off the throttle very slightly inside the final kilometre, Carapaz took his chance on the drag all the way up to the finish line.
He attacked from his spot about eight riders back from the front and when he went he opened a very significant gap. The peloton hesitated slightly, playing into the hands of Carapaz who continued to surge away.
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On the line the front of the peloton closed right up on Carapaz, and Ulissi drew almost level with him. But the Giro d'Italia champion had done enough to seal a brilliant win.
Dunbar lost a little ground as the speed in pursuit of Carapaz reached its peak in the uphill sprint, but he still crossed the line in 11th place; a very solid performance from the 23-year-old.
Carapaz now leads overall by four seconds from Ulissi, due to the win bonus today, with Kamil Małecki (CCC Team) in 3rd, also at four seconds.
This morning starting the 203.1km stage from Wadowice to Bielsko-Biała there were almost 90 riders all on equal time some 10 seconds of yesterday's stage winner and world champion Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo).
However, after the tougher stage today and thinning down of the peloton, that group numbers 30 riders; all 10 seconds down on Carapaz. Dunbar is among that group and is 10th overall thanks to his stage placing today.
Tomorrow's stage is another undulating one, where Team Ineos will look to defend Carapaz's jersey and possibly try for another win with either of its team leaders; Dunbar and Carapaz.
The only other Irish rider in the race, Ryan Mullen of Trek-Segafredo, was 106th place today at 8:10 after performing team duties.
More to follow.
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