The Irish junior women's team may be stepping up a level at the UCI Nations Cup in the Netherlands this weekend, but they have made a fantastic start to the three-stage race.
In the opening stage TT today - a 6.4km TT from Munstergeleen to Watersley - both Lucy Bénézet Minns and Aliyah Rafferty finished in the top 10, of a 136-field featuring national teams from around the world.
Bénézet Minns, the junior European points race champion and 4th in the TT at the road Worlds in Scotland last year, finished 2nd, just four seconds behind stage winner Célia Gery, the French road race and TT champion who also won Tour of Flanders this season.
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Rafferty, a first year junior, also put in a fantastic display, placing 7th at 20 seconds on the opening stage at Watersley Ladies Challenge (2.Ncup). That was a big result in this company for a rider just starting to gain real international experience.
Aine Doherty and Kate Murphy, another two very promising riders for Ireland in the junior group this year, were 64th and 119th respectively today.
The race continues tomorrow, Saturday, with a 90.2km stage in Watersley, featuring four laps of a circuit with a short climb each time.
