Irish riders on the attack as Ray wins on Junior Tour, seizes yellow | Video

Jack Ray of American team Hot Tubes winning stage 3 of Junior Tour of Ireland from Ennis to Gort today (Photo: Stephen McMahon-Sportsfile)

A day of attacks, with multiple groups going up the road, made it look like the Junior Tour of Ireland would split significantly during stage 3 in Co Clare today, only for a regrouping to occur just before the finish.

However, American rider Jack Ray (Hot Tubes) was in great form as he managed to hold off the bunch and win solo even after he had been in the breakaway that was caught in the final of the stage.

While there was disappointment none of the Irish riders on the attack today made it to the finish, Ray took his chance very well, putting in a fantastic performance to hold off the bunch. The stage 2 winner, Matthew Walls (Cycling Leinster), lost his yellow jersey to today's winner, who now holds the race lead by one second from Walls.

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Just four seconds after a delighted Ray sailed over the line with his arms raised in triumph in Gort, Ben Arey (Halesowen Academy-Mapei) won the bunch sprint for 2nd place, by a distance, from Seth Jackson (FH MAS Cams).

The best Irish finisher today was Toby Sweetman of Team Ireland, in 4th place, with Hugh Óg Mulhearne (Team Ireland) the only other Irish rider in the top 20, placing 20th on a day when 60 riders finished in the bunch just behind the flying winner, Ray.

After Ray and Walls 1st and 2nd overall, separated by one second, Luca Bednarek, the British rider with Hot Tubes who won the opening stage, is 3rd at four seconds. Sweetman and Mulhearne are the only other Irish riders in the top 20, and they are 10th and 18th, both at 14 seconds.

However, there are no fewer than 38 riders all 14 seconds down on the race leader - all tied for 10th on time - meaning the race is wide open, with plenty of Irish riders in that group. Among them are: Darragh Byrne (Cycling Leinster), Fionn Killeen (Cycling Leinster), Cameron Henry (Cycling Ulster), Curtis McKee (Team Ireland), Peter Quigley (Team Ireland), Oran O'Callaghan (O'Leary Stone Kanturk) and Jack Lawless (Leinster Development).

While Ray leads the overall, holding the Quanta Capital yellow jersey, Toby Tombs (Lee Valley Youth CC Team) is in the Esmark Finch first-year junior classification jersey. Bednarek holds the Cross Insurance points classification jersey and Seth Jackson (FH MAS Cams) took the Wicklow 200 climbers jersey from Walls today, with seven points now between them.

How stage 3 went

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Today on the 115km stage to Gort - including one cat 3 climb and three cat 2s - the action was frantic from the start, with an early seven-man breakaway forming.

In that move were: Oliver O'Shaughnessy (Shay Murphy Development Team), Caden Freyre (Hot Tubes), Charles Jarm (New England-Cadence Wealth Management), Robin Daniels (Ignite Junior Cycling), Evan Lucas (Ignite Junior Cycling), Thomas Sullivan (Team Velosport) and Levi Ritter (Team Velosport).

However, with 20km completed they had attacked, built a modest lead and been caught again, though a new breakaway formed almost immediately.

It was comprised of: Toby Sweetman (Cycling Ireland), Dylan Haynes (Boulder Junior Cycling), Samuel Hilditch (Team Rauland), Cameron Henry (Cycling Ulster), Curtis McKee (Cycling Ireland), Evan Lucas (Ignite Junior Cycling) and Sebastian Koster (Hot Tubes).

However, they went the same way as the previous move; caught after a brief stint off the front. And though there were impressive solo moves - by Sebastian Koster (Hot Tubes) and then Caden Freyre (Hot Tubes) - the speed in the bunch meant they did not get too far.

Indeed, it wasn't until the race neared the halfway point that a group pulled out a significant gap and held it for a long time - Caden Freyre (Hot Tubes), Thomas Sullivan (Team Velosport), Nathaniel Gervez (New England-Cadence Wealth Management). They held a gap of between 20 and 30 seconds, with the bunch breaking up and regrouping behind them, before they too were caught with about 35km to go.

After the capture, a seven-man move broke away: Adam Matthews (Cycling Ulster), Cameron Henry (Cycling Ulster), Fionn Killeen (Cycling Leinster), Seth Jackson (FH MAS Cams), Huw Watkins (Lee Valley Youth CC), Patrick McRae (Team Rauland) and eventual stage winner Jack Ray (Hot Tubes). There number swelled when Curtis McKee (Team Ireland) bridged across.

With about 25km to go, the group only had about 20 seconds, then increasing to 30 seconds as the final climb approached. With 10km remaining, the breakaway still had its lead - albeit a bit smaller, at 15 seconds.

Just after the 10km to go marker, there was significant change in the racing scenario; a group of 15 bridging across to the leaders, before the remains of the bunch they caught them, with Ray emerging from the chaos solo to win the day.

Stage 3 Junior Tour of Ireland | Top 30

  1. Ray, Jack Hot Tubes 2h38m25s
  2. Arey, Ben Halesowen Academy-Mapei 2h38m29s @4s
  3. Jackson, Seth FH MAS Cams 2h38m29s @ s/t
  4. Sweetman, Toby Cycling Ireland 2h38m29s @ s/t
  5. Bednarek, Luca Hot Tubes 2h38m29s @ s/t
  6. Jarm, Charles New England-Cadence Wealth Mgmnt 2h38m29s @ s/t
  7. McGlaughlin, Reid Boost Cycle Sport 2h38m29s @ s/t
  8. Tombs, Toby Lee Valley Youth CC Team 1 2h38m29s @ s/t
  9. Beshore, Garrett Boulder Junior Cycling 2h38m29s @ s/t
  10. Goodwin, Angelo New England-Cadence Wealth Mgmnt 2h38m29s @ s/t
  11. Evans, Chandler Hot Tubes 2h38m29s @ s/t
  12. Boyle, Eddie Lee Valley Youth CC Team 1 2h38m29s @ s/t
  13. Haynes, Dylan Boulder Junior Cycling 2h38m29s @ s/t
  14. Cressey-Rodgers, Huw Team PAU 2h38m29s @ s/t
  15. Levitt, Nathan Lee Valley Youth CC Team 1 2h38m29s @ s/t
  16. Bauer, Wendel Team California 1 2h38m29s @ s/t
  17. McLean, Jake Ignite Junior Cycling 2h38m29s @ s/t
  18. Hummel, Nils Team California 1 2h38m29s @ s/t
  19. Meehan, Jacob New England-Cadence Wealth Mgmnt 2h38m29s @ s/t
  20. Óg Mulhearne, Hugh Cycling Ireland 2h38m29s @ s/t
  21. Koster, Sebastian Hot Tubes 2h38m29s @ s/t
  22. Hilditch, Samuel Team Rauland 2h38m29s @ s/t
  23. Egan, Joe Halesowen Academy-Mapei 2h38m29s @ s/t
  24. Freyre, Caden Hot Tubes 2h38m29s @ s/t
  25. Price-Glynn, Lucas Boost Cycle Sport 2h38m29s @ s/t
  26. Mohr, Desmond Boulder Junior Cycling 2h38m29s @ s/t
  27. Bertin, Gabriel Ignite Junior Cycling 2h38m29s @ s/t
  28. Chittenden, Sydney Team Rauland 2h38m29s @ s/t
  29. Warren, Casey Team California 1 2h38m29s @ s/t
  30. Oldfield, Ryan Halesowen Academy-Mapei 2h38m29s @ s/t

General Classification : Top 30

  1. Ray, Jack Hot Tubes 6h19m11s
  2. Walls, Matthew Cycling Leinster 6h19m12s @1s
  3. Bednarek, Luca Hot Tubes 6h19m15s @4s
  4. Levitt, Nathan Lee Valley Youth CC Team 1 6h19m16s @5s
  5. Tombs, Toby Lee Valley Youth CC Team 1 6h19m19s @8s
  6. Arey, Ben Halesowen Academy-Mapei 6h19m19s @s/t
  7. Boyle, Eddie Lee Valley Youth CC Team 1 6h19m21s @10s
  8. Freyre, Caden Hot Tubes 6h19m21s @s/t
  9. Jackson, Seth FH MAS Cams 6h19m21s @s/t
  10. Sweetman, Toby Cycling Ireland 6h19m25s @14s
  11. Beshore, Garrett Boulder Junior Cycling 6h19m25s @s/t
  12. Warren, Casey Team California 1 6h19m25s @s/t
  13. Bauer, Wendel Team California 1 6h19m25s @s/t
  14. Jarm, Charles New England-Cadence Wealth Mgmnt 6h19m25s @s/t
  15. Haynes, Dylan Boulder Junior Cycling 6h19m25s @s/t
  16. McGlaughlin, Reid Boost Cycle Sport 6h19m25s @s/t
  17. Evans, Chandler Hot Tubes 6h19m25s @s/t
  18. Óg Mulhearne, Hugh Cycling Ireland 6h19m25s @s/t
  19. Bertin, Gabriel Ignite Junior Cycling 6h19m25s @s/t
  20. Sorby, Alec Lee Valley Youth CC Team 3 6h19m25s @s/t
  21. Hummel, Nils Team California 1 6h19m25s @s/t
  22. Hilditch, Samuel Team Rauland 6h19m25s @s/t
  23. Ausberger, Freddie Lee Valley Youth CC Team 1 6h19m25s @s/t
  24. Mohr, Desmond Boulder Junior Cycling 6h19m25s @s/t
  25. Cressey-Rodgers, Huw Team PAU 6h19m25s @s/t
  26. Price-Glynn, Lucas Boost Cycle Sport 6h19m25s @s/t
  27. Byrne, Darragh Cycling Leinster 6h19m25s @s/t
  28. Ask, Thayer Boulder Junior Cycling 6h19m25s @s/t
  29. McLean, Jake Ignite Junior Cycling 6h19m25s @s/t
  30. Watkins, Huw Lee Valley Youth CC Team 1 6h19m25s @s/t

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