On top in Kerry: Conor Hennebry and his Viner-Caremark-Pactimo team celebrate overall victory at Rás Mumhan after a frantic final stage during which the yellow jersey himself went off the front to defend his lead.
Conor Hennebry wins Kerry Group Rás Mumhan 2018
Having taken the queen stage and yellow jersey yesterday into Waterville, Conor Hennebry and his Viner-Caremark-Pactimo team have retained the race lead on today’s final stage of Rás Mumhan.
The 112km stage, which started and finished in Killorglin and involved nine cat four climbs, failed to break up the race.
While plenty of riders were dropped, the strong men finished in a bunch; the sprint for victory won by Joury Ottenbros (West Frisia).
Winner of stage 1 and the first yellow jersey of Kerry Group Rás Mumhan 2018, Alex Luhrs (Team Ribble) was 2nd on the day.
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Rounding out the podium was Conor Murnane; the UCD-FitzCycles man taking a fantastic 3rd place.
But nothing could dislodge Hennebry from yellow; the former An Post-Chainreaction man taking one of the biggest wins of his career.
He also won the Tour of Ulster two years ago and becomes one of very few riders to claim both.
Yellow jersey Conor Hennebry closely tracks Sean McKenna of the Irish team; the latter was 3rd overall just seconds down (Photo: BrendanSlattery)
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Conn McDunphy (Development Ireland) took the U23 classification. He enjoyed a strong weekend and would puncture out of a dangerous looking breakaway today.
Luhrs won the points classification. The ever-aggressive Philip Lavery (Strata 3-VeloRevolution) was king of the hills, having been with McDunphy up the road today.
The A2 classification was won by Cian Dwyer of Gerard-DHL. And Dillon Corkery (Ireland Development) took the most aggressive rider award today.
How the final stage unfolded
It came down to a bunch sprint despite repeated attacks throughout the stage. A 13-mam escape group pulled clear in the first half of the racing today.
It featured McDunphy, Fintan Ryan (Leinster), Ronan O'Flynn (Scott-Orwell), James Davenport (Strata3-VeloRevoluition), Laurence Kirby (Active Edge Racing) and Lavery.
Also present were David Brody (Castlebar CC), Harry Sweering (West Frisia), Joe Hill (Surrey League), Lawrence Carpenter (Surrey League), Sean Lacey (Viner-Caremark-Pactimo), Cian Sutcliffe (Gerard DHL) and Patrick Clarke (Ballina CC).
And when Sean McKenna (Ireland Development) attacked after the group and got clear, he was covered by Hennebry.
McKenna was 3rd overall this morning after a great chase of the breakaway yesterday. It meant he needed to be marked tightly today.
However, as the racing approached the Beaufort circuit for the concluding laps, the escapees were all caught. They had never managed to gain a gap of more than 50 seconds.
And despite a series of attacks on the circuit, all of those who tried would be caught after briefly darting up the road.
More to follow.
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