France's Goergen wins again as Fox's reputation grows at Rás na mBan

*French rider Océane Goerge takes her second stage win, into Mountrath, on a day when Gabrielle Fox again made her mark (Photo: Lorraine O’Sullivan)*

French rider Océane Goergen (Ladynamips RVC) has taken her second stage win at Rás na mBan, on a day when Gabrielle Fox (Greenmount CA) was best Irish rider, and the first of the home challengers to make the podium on a stage of this year's edition.

Though yesterday's stage 2 to Gorey witnessed the main selection of the race so far - with 22 riders putting over two minutes into a second 30-strong group - today's 104.4km race from Portlaoise to Mountrath also saw the field split.

The group that swept into Mountrath to fight for stage honours may have been bigger today, but it still numbered just 35 riders, with the nearest chasers more than four minutes down; the cat 1 climb of The Cut, and a long chase of the breakaway, having done the damage.

As was the case yesterday, Team Ireland's Aine Doherty was among the early attackers today, initially opening a gap solo after about 30km of racing. Unlike yesterday, when she was left to dangle off the front on her own, today there was no shortage of riders looking to make the move with her.

*Team Ireland's Aliyah Rafferty, a 17-year-old junior, leads the group coming off The Cut, followed by race leader Alice McWilliam (Photo: Lorraine O’Sullivan)*

Doherty, the national criterium champion and a road and cyclocross international, was soon joined by eight other riders, before four more got across, swelling the numbers in the breakaway to 13.

In that move with Doherty was compatriot Elena Wallace, the Harps CC rider competing for Cycling Ireland Women's Commission team this week.

They were joined by Charlotte Deykin (Jadan Vive le Vélo), Jennifer Powell (FTP), Chloe Fourmigue (Ladynamips RVC), Emma Lyngholm (Aalborg), Lucy Gadd (Smurfit Westrock), Eleftheria Giachou (Team Greece), Océane Goergen (Ladynamips RVC), Jasmijn Bloemheuvel (WV Breda), Celia Hime (Brother UK/OnForm), Gertrud Riis Madsen (Aalborg) and Kirstie Drakeford (Jadan Vive le Vélo).

The leaders soon had one minute in hand over the peloton, where the chase was led by the Team Phoenix team mates of race leader Alice McWilliam. On the cat 1 climb of The Cut - crested at the halfway point - McWilliam and Ireland's Linda Kelly (Cycling Ireland Women's Commission) drove the pace on the front of the bunch.

Their efforts began reducing the advantage enjoyed by the breakaway, and resulted in plenty of riders being spat out the back of the bunch, on the 7.4km climb, with pitches up to almost 10 per cent.

*Greenmount Cycling Academy's Gabrielle Fox in the Kilkenny County Council Best Irish Rider jersey after moving up overall and taking 3rd on the stage (Photo: Lorraine O’Sullivan)*

Up front, Eleftheria Giachou (Team Greece) lead across the top of the climb, taking the maxumum 12 points, from Gertrud Riis Madsen (Team Aalborg), Chloe Fourmigue (Ladynamips RVC), Océane Goergen (Ladynamips RVC), Jennifer Powell (FTP Racing) and Lucy Gadd (Smurfit Westrock).

However, though the gap between the leaders and bunch dropped below 40 seconds due to the climb, it was soon back up at 1:05 after the ascent. Only eight riders remained in the breakaway; Ireland's Doherty and Wallace unfortunately among those dropping back.

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The main bunch had by now been trimmed right back, even with 40km to go, as the long effort by the bunch to try and catch the leaders began. Team Ireland, Ladynamips RVC and WV Breda were all active in the chase at the front of the bunch, with Fox also stepping up to do her turns and encourage others to share the workload.

And as every time check came in, time was being shaved off the gap up to the breakaway, which was down to just 10 seconds with 10km to go. At that point the bunch numbered about 30 riders. Just a few kilometres later, the eight leaders were caught.

*Race leader Alice McWilliam, wearing the leader's magenta jersey, in the remains of the peloton that pursued the breakaway on the road to Mountrath (Photo: Lorraine O’Sullivan)*

That prompted a counter attack by Denmark's Louise Norman Hansen (Team Aalborg), who impressively got more than 10 seconds on the small bunch, but was eventually brought back with just 2km remaining to the finish.

Goergen, a 23-year-old who has won national level one-day races in France, was best in the final gallop to the line. She got the better of Britain's Amelia Cebak (Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team), with Fox in 3rd place some 24 hours after taking 4th into Gorey.

Fox is a relative newcomer to cycling, though she has thrown herself into racing - in Australia during winner and in Europe this season - and those efforts are definitely paying off. The 27-year-old former camogie player from Co Armagh is now clocking up results that should ensure international selection very soon.

Today she was one of three Irish riders in the top 10; Ester Wong (Team Ireland) 8th and Linda Kelly (Cycling Ireland Women's Commission) in 10th. There were two other riders in the group sprinting for the victory; Grace Reynolds (Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team) and impressive 17-year-old Aliyah Rafferty (Team Ireland) 26th.

Today's stage runner-up, Cebak, started the day in 4th place overall, some five seconds down on Alice McWilliam (Team Phoenix). However, Cebak collected some time bonus seconds today and has now taken the race lead, with McWillian dropping to 2nd at one second. McWilliam is equal on time yesterday's stage winner, Noor Dekker (WV Breda Women CT), who is 3rd.

Fox, who also took bonus seconds today, now moves up to 6th overall, best placed of the Irish and seven seconds down on new race leader Cebak. And just two further seconds back is young Rafferty, in 7th place and within striking distance of the race lead.

Irish riders Wong, Kelly and Reynolds are among a large group of riders all equal on time just 11 seconds off the race lead. Indeed, with 11 seconds covering the first 22 riders, the race for overall honours is still wide open with three stages remaining.

Stage 3 | Portlaoise to Mountrath (104.4km)

Oceane GOERGEN Ladynamips RVC 2h49'08''
Amelia CEBAK* Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team
Gabrielle FOX Greenmount Cycling Academy
Bronwyn MACGREGOR Greenmount Cycling Academy
Olympia NORRID-MORTENSEN* Torelli
Alice MC WILLIAM Team Phoenix
Noor DEKKER WV Breda Women CT
Esther WONG* Ireland
Mia WILLIAMS* WV Breda Women CT
Linda KELLY Cycling Ireland Women's Commission
Elyse SCHUIJT TEAM NH
Grace SARGEANT Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon
Larissa HARTOG Minigigs/Wielervereniging Breda
Noemie ABGRALL Ladynamips RVC
Varvara FASOI Greece
Rachel GALLER FTP (Fulfil The Potential) Racing
Eleftheria GIACHOU* Greece
Maddie HEYWOOD Greenmount Cycling Academy
Grace REYNOLDS Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team
Lotty DAWSON* Brother UK/OnForm
Louise Norman HANSEN Team Aalborg Sparekassen Danmark
Annabel RAMSAY* Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team
Lea BRETTE Ladynamips RVC
Emma THEYS The Lead Out Cycling Academy
Sarah POPE Ladynamips RVC
Aliyah RAFFERTY* Ireland
Kirstie DRAKEFORD Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon
Rosie SIMMONS Brother UK/OnForm
Gertrud RIIS MADSEN* Team Aalborg Sparekassen Danmark
Jennifer POWELL FTP (Fulfil The Potential) Racing
Anna BONIFACE FTP (Fulfil The Potential) Racing
Cecilia HIME Brother UK/OnForm
Emma LYNGHOLM Team Aalborg Sparekassen Danmark +5''
Chloe FOURMIGUE Ladynamips RVC
Lucy GADD Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team +19''
Marthe VERHAEGHE* The Lead Out Cycling Academy +4'09''
Lily BRINDLE* Brother UK/OnForm
Grace WARD* CJ O'Shea Development Team
Dannielle WATKINSON Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon
Nicoline Bjerregaard VESTERGAARD* Team Aalborg Sparekassen Danmark
Line Juul BALLE* Team Aalborg Sparekassen Danmark
Marike VELDHUIS TEAM NH
Amelia STAUNTON* Brother UK/OnForm
Dina RØED* Torelli
Aoife O DONOVAN* Cycling Ireland Women's Commission
Jessika CHAN* Torelli
Alice COLLING* Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team
Elena WALLACE* Cycling Ireland Women's Commission
Erin Grace CREIGHTON* Ireland
Anastasia KONTOLEON* Greece
Doireann KILLEEN* Cycling Ireland Women's Commission
Claire NOTT FTP (Fulfil The Potential) Racing
Claire DIFFLEY Pinergy Orwell Wheelers CC
Demi KÖNST* TEAM NH
Betty HASSE Team Phoenix
Aikaterini ELEFTHERIADOU Greece
Jasmijn BLOEMHEUVEL* WV Breda Women CT
Charlotte DEYKIN Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon
Rebecca BABBAGE FTP (Fulfil The Potential) Racing
Cato SPELEERS The Lead Out Cycling Academy
Aine DOHERTY* Ireland
Elena WU-YAN Team Phoenix
Ella TANDY* Greenmount Cycling Academy
Abi CONWAY* Ireland
Peggy SIMPKINS CJ O'Shea Development Team
Nicola LYNCH CJ O'Shea Development Team +4'17''
Amber VAN OORT WV Breda Women CT +11'44''
Regina DOTY* CJ O'Shea Development Team
Isabella JOHNSON Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon +12'55''
Ingeborg KERS TEAM NH +12'57''
Lieske COUMANS Minigigs/Wielervereniging Breda
Marie-Sophie RES TEAM NH
Elizabeth ARCHBOLD Greenmount Cycling Academy
Phoebe ROCHE* CJ O'Shea Development Team
Jemma SPEERS Cycling Ireland Women's Commission +15'58''
Rhianna HENEGHAN Pinergy Orwell Wheelers CC
Yvonne DORAN Pinergy Orwell Wheelers CC +16'00''
Julie VERMEEREN Minigigs/Wielervereniging Breda +16'04''
Hilde HUIJBREGTS* Minigigs/Wielervereniging Breda +22'19''
Miranda BIK Minigigs/Wielervereniging Breda
Lotte DE ROOVER The Lead Out Cycling Academy +27'09''
DNS Karin PETTERSON WV Breda Women CT