Erin Creighton too strong for rivals on Newry Three Day stage 1

*Erin Creighton, riding for Cycling Ulster, celebrates her stage victory on the opening day of action at the Newry Three Day (Photo: Caroline Kerley)*

Erin Creighton (Cycling Ulster) has celebrated her recent selection for the upcoming European Track Championships with her latest win on the road. She was best on the opening stage of the Newry Three Day on Friday night.

Creighton took a clear win at the head of a six-strong breakaway group that gained a significant margin on the rest of the field on the 56km stage 1.

In that front group, Creighton had Orla Walsh (UCD CC) for company along with Darcey Harkness (Cycling Ulster), Annabel Ramsay (RFDA), Aliyah Rafferty (Island Wheelers) and Aine Doherty (Cycling Ulster).

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With half of the winning breakaway made up of young Cycling Ulster riders they were under pressure to perform at the finish, with Creighton duly stepping up to beat Walsh and Doherty to victory in a sprint. Rafferty was 4th with Ramsay 5th and Harkness rounding out the top six, all of whom finished on the same time.

They were 58 seconds up on the remains of the peloton, with the sprint for 7th place from that group won by Doireann Killeen (Kilcullen Cycling Club Murphy Geospacial).

Creighton holds the yellow jersey and leads the points classification going into the second day of racing. Rafferty is queen of the hills after the opening stage while Doherty heads the junior classification.