Killeen takes victory after Spelga Dam finish at Newry Three Day

Ronan Killeen looks back to assess the damage and has enough of a gap over the remains of the breakaway men, and the GC leader coming through, to capture the final stage at Newry Three Day (Photo: Toby Watson)

Ronan Killeen has taken a brilliant final stage win on the men's Newry Three Day after he proved strongest of the breakaway men on a tough finish featuring Spelga Dam this afternoon.

The Lucan CRC rider had plenty of time to celebrate his latest win as he reached the finish line alone, just ahead of the best of the rest, to win the day from Keane Ryan (Four Masters) and Curtis Neill (Carn Wheelers)

Yesterday's stage winner, and today's yellow jersey, Charlie Genner (Halesowen) may have had some nervous moments in the final today but the visiting British rider was up to the task.

Genner - the victor yesterday from a two-man breakaway that also featured Gary Cranston of East Antrim CC - placed 4th on the stage today. That resulted in Genner winning the race outright. Stuart McCaughey (Phoenix CC) rounded out the top five on the stage today.

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Killeen had emerged at the front of the race on the final stage in a four-rider breakaway that also included Paul Kennedy of Burren CC, Martin Colgan of Armagh Down CC and another of the Lucan riders, James Delaney.

They had a gap of about 1:30 on a chase group containing Johnny McRoberts (Banbridge CC), Alan Bingham of promoting club Newry Wheelers and Tilt Taluma (St Tiernan’s CC).

However, as they approached the finish, with the final climb to negotiate, yellow jersey Genner was active off the front of the bunch and he was making gains into both the breakaway and the chasing group.

Killeen pushed on from the breakaway to take the victory alone, with all of the rest of the escapees and the men in the chasing group caught by the strongest riders to get out of the bunch late in the stage and maintain the pace up the climb.

While Killeen's very strong finish saw him win the stage and gain some time - which moved him up 11 places to 2nd overall - Genner was only eight seconds behind him on the line, meaning the British rider claimed the final yellow jersey by 25 seconds from Killeen.