Team GB's Olympic gold medal winner from Rio Elinor Barker won the day. But Irish riders Katharine Smyth and Eve McCrystal had a storm of a day (Photo: Sean Rowe)

Eve McCrystal, Katharine Smyth step up on Mount Leinster

One of Team GB’s golden generation from the Rio Olympics, Elinor Barker has stormed to a commanding lead at An Post Rás na mBan.

When the road kick upwards in a serious way on Mount Leinster at the end of stage 3 this afternoon, Barker demonstrated her class.

The points race world champion would dance up the climb solo to stage victory and the race lead. The margin of her win was as impressive as the manner she tackled the testing finish.

And having put over a minute into her nearest rivals, and a multiple of that gap into most of those in the field, it will take something very special to dislodge her from the pink jersey.

A significant 1:09 would elapse between the moment Barker floated over the finish line, arms aloft in victory, and Alexandra Nessmar (Crescent DARE) coming home for 2nd place.

Top, the forceful McCrystal demolishes the sprint from her group; leading from the front. Above, Katharine Smyth was at the back of McCrystal's group and enjoyed a fantastic ride today (Photo: Sean Rowe)

And 18 seconds back came Laura Massey of the Isle of Man. Best of the Irish, yet again on this race, was Eve McCrystal (Garda CC).

She was 1:33 down; an excellent result considering the opposition and the fact her preparation included of a long haul flight from South Africa just 48 hours before the race started.

McCrystal, who piloted Katie George Dunlevy to two gold medals at the Paracycling World Championships less than a week ago, finished first of a four-rider group.

Also in there was Alice Sharpe (NCC Group-Kuota-Torelli), who is in the process of declaring for Ireland, and Cycling Ulster’s Katharine Smyth.

The latter has ridden excellently on the home scene this season; the only rider to beat McCrystal to victory in a round of the National Road Series.

But Rás na mBan is a completely different proposition to domestic amateur racing.

And Smyth really stepped up today; a trail of pro and international riders scattered back the road in her wake and that of the other front runners.

In the early part of today’s 107.4km stage it was French rider Noumié Abgrall (Team Breizh) who made the early running.

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She went ahead solo and built a lead over one a minute before being caught. Then a nine-rider group would go clear.

Top, race leader de Gast heads for 11th place. Above, a little further back Irish champion Lydia Boylan comes in to finish (Photos by Lorraine O'Sullivan and Sean Rowe)

Team GB’s Mel Lowther as there as was eventual runner-up Nessmar. Ireland was represented by Josie Knight (Team WNT) and Lauren Creamer (NCC Kuota Torelli).

And completing the group were Anna Christian (Isle of Man), Amanda Jamieson (Team CCN), Molly Patch (CC London), Joanne Thom (EDCO Continental), and Steph Mottram (NCC Kuota Torelli).
They combined well and built a gap that just about went north one minute.

But the stage always looked like one during which the big picture would start late; the climbs of Corrabut Gap and Mount Leinster coming one after the other at the very end.

Barker played the waiting game before striking out on the slopes of Corrabut Gap.

She made all the running in the final 5km; going solo and picking off all of the breakaway as it fell apart on the climbs.

The team pursuit Olympic champion had caught all nine women out front by the top of the first climb. And in the final 3.5km to Nine Stones she was simply adding to hear advantage; riding for time with the win and race lead already well and truly in the bag.

The 23-year-old leads overall from Nessmar by 1:09s going into tomorrow’s 11km TT on the Waterford Road in Kilkenny.

And that test will be followed by the frantic one-hour race in Kilkenny City over a 2km course.

It’s advantage Barker; but some of the Irish women can be very happy with the account they have of themselves today.

Stage 1 winner and race leader this morning, Belle de Gast (WV Breda Cycling Team) would place 11th on stage 3, some 2:13 down on Barker.

Stage 3: Kilkenny-Mount Leinster (107.4km)

1 Elinor Barker Great Britain 03:00:20.000
2 Alexandra Nessmar Team Crescent D.A.R.E 00:01:09.0
3 Laura MASSEY Isle Of Man 00:01:27.0
4 Natalie GRINCZER Team WNT Pro Cycling
5 Mel LOWTHER Great Britain
6 Eve MCCRYSTAL Garda Cycling Club 00:01:33.0
7 Elise MAES Team WNT Pro Cycling
8 Alice SHARPE NCC Group-Kuota-Torelli
9 Katharine SMYTH Cycling Ulster
10 Steph MOTTRAM NCC Group-Kuota-Torelli 00:01:36.0
11 Belle DE GAST WV Breda Cycling Team 00:02:13.0
12 Anna DOCHERTY Jadan-Weldtite p/b Vive Le Velo
13 Claire MCILWAINE Cycling Ulster
14 Rebecca RAYBOULD Great Britain 00:02:21.0
15 Anna KAY EDCO Continental
16 Molly PATCH CC London
17 Wilma OLAUSSON Backstedt/Hotchillee
18 Kirsten PEETOOM Maaslandster Veris CCN
19 Leah Dixon Jadan-Weldtite p/b Vive Le Velo
20 Anna CHRISTIAN Isle Of Man
21 Angelique WAMMES-BOUMAN WV Breda Cycling Team 00:02:50.0
22 Jenny POWELL GB Cycles.co.uk 00:02:55.0
23 Josie KNIGHT Team WNT Pro Cycling 00:02:56.0
24 Lydia BOYLAN Team WNT Pro Cycling
25 Amanda JAMIESON Team CCN
26 Cecilia LE BRIS Team Breizh Ladies 00:03:23.0
27 Desiree EHRLER Maaslandster Veris CCN
28 Anais MORICHON DN17 Poitou-Charentes
29 Lauren CREAMER NCC Group-Kuota-Torelli
30 Alicja VERHAGEN WV Breda Cycling Team
31 Tone HATTELAND LIMA Bryne ck Ladies
32 Femke GEERIS Maaslandster Veris CCN
33 Joanne THOM EDCO Continental 00:03:29.0
34 India GRANGIER DN17 Poitou-Charentes 00:03:46.0
35 Michelle GEOGHEGAN Scott Orwell CC 00:03:48.0
36 Frida KNUTSSON Team Crescent D.A.R.E 00:03:52.0
37 Helen RALSTON GB Cycles.co.uk 00:03:56.0
38 Anna BADEGRUBER Team WNT Pro Cycling 00:04:24.0
39 Christel VAN LOO Maaslandster Veris CCN
40 Lucie JOUNIER Team Breizh Ladies 00:04:31.0
41 Louise HART GB Cycles.co.uk 00:04:34.0
42 Emma AHLSTRAND Team Crescent D.A.R.E
43 Tilina LEVIN Team Crescent D.A.R.E
44 Jenny HOLL Jadan-Weldtite p/b Vive Le Velo 00:05:05.0
45 Eileen BURNS Cycling Ulster 00:05:16.0
46 Sophie ALMEIDA DN17 Poitou-Charentes
47 Isabel ELLIS Backstedt/Hotchillee 00:05:27.0
48 Alice BARNES Great Britain 00:05:43.0
49 Ellen MCDERMOTT EDCO Continental 00:05:48.0
50 Helene GERARD Team Breizh Ladies 00:06:11.0
51 Kylie WATERREUS Team CCN 00:06:23.0
52 Andrea TERJESEN Bryne ck Ladies
53 Pernilla VAN ROZELAAR Regioteam Noord Holland 00:06:26.0
54 Elynor BACKSTEDT Backstedt/Hotchillee
55 Samah Khaled AlAsayl Cycling Team 00:06:43.0
56 Sharon BIRD Cycling Ulster
57 Typhaine LAURANCE Team Breizh Ladies 00:06:59.0
58 Holly WAYMARK DN17 Poitou-Charentes
59 Gwenno HUGHES TC Racing 00:07:20.0
60 Tara Ferguson Isle Of Man
61 Juul HUBERT WV Breda Cycling Team 00:07:42.0
62 Helle BACHOFEN AlAsayl Cycling Team 00:08:00.0
63 Elizabeth-Jane HARRIS Isle Of Man 00:08:06.0
64 Niamh STEPHENS TC Racing 00:08:18.0
65 Karoline R°STE OMDAHL Bryne ck Ladies 00:09:08.0
66 Emma BOOGAARD Regioteam Noord Holland
67 Ayla RUDGLEY Team CCN 00:09:55.0
68 Sophie PULFORD Team CCN
69 Louise SCUPHAM Jadan-Weldtite p/b Vive Le Velo 00:10:27.0
70 Lorna BOWLER Backstedt/Hotchillee 00:10:33.0
71 Jessica LANE Team CCN 00:11:03.0
72 Margriet KLOPPENBURG Team RGB Building Supplies 00:11:16.0
73 Noúmie Abgrall Team Breizh Ladies 00:11:46.0
74 Elizabeth BENNETT Backstedt/Hotchillee 00:13:11.0
75 Sofie MANGERTSEDER Maloja Pushbikers Fem 00:14:59.0
76 Orla WALSH Scott Orwell CC 00:15:40.0
77 Aagtje DIJKMAN Regioteam Noord Holland 00:16:17.0
78 Ione JOHNSON Scott Orwell CC 00:18:26.0
79 Tasha REDDY Team RGB Building Supplies 00:18:47.0
80 Monica FREIBAND Scott Orwell CC 00:18:51.0
81 Hilary HUGHES Garda Cycling Club
82 Kate EARLIE Garda Cycling Club
83 Lisa LAMONT Cycling Ulster 00:19:28.0
84 Beata GOLCZAK Cycling Leinster 00:20:35.0
85 Georgia BULLARD Jadan-Weldtite p/b Vive Le Velo 00:20:44.0
86 Francesca CUTTS CC London 00:22:12.0
87 Rosa GENTH Maloja Pushbikers Fem 00:22:33.0
88 Gina HEISS CC London 00:24:56.0
89 Mia GRIFFIN Garda Cycling Club 00:26:13.0
90 Eva VAN DER BORN Maaslandster Veris CCN 00:26:30.0
91 Jennifer BATES Cycling Leinster 00:27:07.0
92 Lillian L°INING Bryne ck Ladies 00:28:18.0
93 Vivienne TOMLIN CC London 00:28:20.0
94 Imogen COTTER Cycling Leinster 00:28:45.0
95 Sarah PINER Garda Cycling Club 00:29:03.0
96 Lily GREENHALGH EDCO Continental 00:33:28.0
97 Nicole Gorry Cycling Leinster 00:37:00.0
98 Orla DESMOND TC Racing 00:37:13.0
99 Veronica GJERDE Bryne ck Ladies 00:38:06.0
100 Jenny BOLSOM Team RGB Building Supplies 00:40:03.0
101 Roos ANNEVELDT WV Breda Cycling Team 00:42:33.0
102 Bettina EDER Maloja Pushbikers Fem 00:43:06.0
103 Maria JATKOVICS Maloja Pushbikers Fem
104 Kathryn PRIEST Isle Of Man 00:44:15.0
105 Sinead MOLLOY Cycling Leinster 00:44:32.0

General Classification

1 Elinor Barker Great Britain 06:37:27
2 Alexandra Nessmar Team Crescent D.A.R.E 00:01:09.000
3 Natalie GRINCZER Team WNT Pro Cycling 00:01:30.000
4 Laura MASSEY Isle Of Man 00:01:30.000
5 Mel LOWTHER Great Britain 00:01:30.000
6 Eve MCCRYSTAL Garda Cycling Club 00:01:33.000
7 Alice SHARPE NCC Group-Kuota-Torelli 00:01:36.000
8 Elise MAES Team WNT Pro Cycling 00:01:36.000
9 Katharine SMYTH Cycling Ulster 00:01:36.000
10 Steph MOTTRAM NCC Group-Kuota-Torelli 00:01:39.000
11 Belle DE GAST WV Breda Cycling Team 00:02:10.000
12 Wilma OLAUSSON Backstedt/Hotchillee 00:02:21.000
13 Anna KAY EDCO Continental 00:02:24.000
14 Kirsten PEETOOM Maaslandster Veris CCN 00:02:24.000
15 Rebecca RAYBOULD Great Britain 00:02:24.000
16 Leah Dixon Jadan-Weldtite p/b Vive Le Velo 00:02:24.000
17 Claire MCILWAINE Cycling Ulster 00:02:34.000
18 Anna CHRISTIAN Isle Of Man 00:02:47.000
19 Angelique WAMMES-BOUMAWNV Breda Cycling Team 00:02:53.000
20 Lydia BOYLAN Team WNT Pro Cycling 00:02:56.000
21 Jenny POWELL GB Cycles.co.uk 00:02:58.000
22 Amanda JAMIESON Team CCN 00:02:59.000
23 Desiree EHRLER Maaslandster Veris CCN 00:03:23.000
24 Lauren CREAMER NCC Group-Kuota-Torelli 00:03:26.000
25 Alicja VERHAGEN WV Breda Cycling Team 00:03:26.000
26 Frida KNUTSSON Team Crescent D.A.R.E 00:03:52.000
27 Lucie JOUNIER Team Breizh Ladies 00:04:34.000
28 Alice BARNES Great Britain 00:05:43.000
29 Anna DOCHERTY Jadan-Weldtite p/b Vive Le Velo 00:05:57.000
30 Helene GERARD Team Breizh Ladies 00:06:11.000
31 Molly PATCH CC London 00:06:20.000
32 Josie KNIGHT Team WNT Pro Cycling 00:06:41.000
33 Joanne THOM EDCO Continental 00:06:46.000
34 Femke GEERIS Maaslandster Veris CCN 00:07:08.000
35 Anais MORICHON DN17 Poitou-Charentes 00:07:08.000
36 Tone HATTELAND LIMA Bryne ck Ladies 00:07:08.000
37 Cecilia LE BRIS Team Breizh Ladies 00:07:08.000
38 India GRANGIER DN17 Poitou-Charentes 00:07:31.000
39 Michelle GEOGHEGAN Scott Orwell CC 00:07:32.000
40 Helen RALSTON GB Cycles.co.uk 00:07:41.000
41 Anna BADEGRUBER Team WNT Pro Cycling 00:08:09.000
42 Tilina LEVIN Team Crescent D.A.R.E 00:08:19.000
43 Emma AHLSTRAND Team Crescent D.A.R.E 00:08:19.000
44 Louise HART GB Cycles.co.uk 00:08:19.000
45 Sophie ALMEIDA DN17 Poitou-Charentes 00:09:01.000
46 Isabel ELLIS Backstedt/Hotchillee 00:09:12.000
47 Kylie WATERREUS Team CCN 00:10:08.000
48 Eileen BURNS Cycling Ulster 00:10:36.000
49 Typhaine LAURANCE Team Breizh Ladies 00:10:40.000
50 Noúmie Abgrall Team Breizh Ladies 00:11:50.000
51 Elizabeth-Jane HARRIS Isle Of Man 00:11:50.000
52 Ellen MCDERMOTT EDCO Continental 00:12:20.000
53 Maddie GAMMONS Team RGB Building Supplies 00:12:55.000
54 Samah Khaled AlAsayl Cycling Team 00:13:10.000
55 Sophie PULFORD Team CCN 00:13:39.000
56 Pernilla VAN ROZELAAR Regioteam Noord Holland 00:13:55.000
57 Jenny HOLL Jadan-Weldtite p/b Vive Le Velo 00:14:15.000
58 Andrea TERJESEN Bryne ck Ladies 00:16:20.000
59 Elynor BACKSTEDT Backstedt/Hotchillee 00:16:22.000
60 Juul HUBERT WV Breda Cycling Team 00:17:39.000
61 Roisin THOMAS AlAsayl Cycling Team 00:18:29.000
62 Ayla RUDGLEY Team CCN 00:19:51.000
63 Lorna BOWLER Backstedt/Hotchillee 00:20:29.000
64 Margriet KLOPPENBURG Team RGB Building Supplies 00:21:12.000
65 Aagtje Dijkman Regioteam Noord Holland 00:22:32.000
66 Elizabeth BENNETT Backstedt/Hotchillee 00:23:07.000
67 Sharon BIRD Cycling Ulster 00:23:29.000
68 Gwenno HUGHES TC Racing 00:24:08.000
69 Tara Ferguson Isle Of Man 00:24:08.000
70 Orla WALSH Scott Orwell CC 00:24:08.000
71 Helle BACHOFEN AlAsayl Cycling Team 00:24:48.000
72 Emma BOOGAARD Regioteam Noord Holland 00:26:02.000
73 Louise SCUPHAM Jadan-Weldtite p/b Vive Le Velo 00:27:15.000
74 Ione JOHNSON Scott Orwell CC 00:28:22.000
75 Gina HEISS CC London 00:28:39.000
76 Niamh STEPHENS TC Racing 00:29:59.000
77 Jessica LANE Team CCN 00:32:44.000
78 Kate EARLIE Garda Cycling Club 00:34:24.000
79 Hilary HUGHES Garda Cycling Club 00:35:38.000
80 Karoline R°STE OMDAHL Bryne ck Ladies 00:35:58.000
81 Lily GREENHALGH EDCO Continental 00:37:13.000
82 Georgia BULLARD Jadan-Weldtite p/b Vive Le Velo 00:37:31.000
83 Tasha REDDY Team RGB Building Supplies 00:40:28.000
84 Monica FREIBAND Scott Orwell CC 00:40:32.000
85 Holly WAYMARK DN17 Poitou-Charentes 00:41:43.000
86 Beata GOLCZAK Cycling Leinster 00:42:16.000
87 Lisa LAMONT Cycling Ulster 00:46:24.000
88 Sofie MANGERTSEDER Maloja Pushbikers Fem 00:47:46.000
89 Jennifer BATES Cycling Leinster 00:48:48.000
90 Francesca CUTTS CC London 00:50:04.000
91 Mia GRIFFIN Garda Cycling Club 00:54:41.000
92 Lillian L°INING Bryne ck Ladies 00:55:07.000
93 Rosa GENTH Maloja Pushbikers Fem 00:55:22.000
94 Sarah PINER Garda Cycling Club 00:57:35.000
95 Nicole Gorry Cycling Leinster 00:58:46.000
96 Orla DESMOND TC Racing 00:58:59.000
97 Imogen COTTER Cycling Leinster 00:59:00.000
98 Christel VAN LOO Maaslandster Veris CCN 01:04:13.000
99 Vivienne TOMLIN CC London 01:06:38.000
100 Roos ANNEVELDT WV Breda Cycling Team 01:12:39.000
101 Kathryn PRIEST Isle Of Man 01:12:44.000
102 Veronica GJERDE Bryne ck Ladies 01:12:50.000
103 Sinead MOLLOY Cycling Leinster 01:14:51.000
104 Jenny BOLSOM Team RGB Building Supplies 01:20:40.000
105 Maria JATKOVICS Maloja Pushbikers Fem 01:33:12.000
106 Bettina EDER Maloja Pushbikers Fem 01:33:22.000
107 Eva VAN DER BORN Maaslandster Veris CCN 02:08:01.000