Liam O'Brien (Tofauti Everyone Active) was close to the yellow jersey at Junior Tour of Wales ahead of the big finale today, Monday, on Tumble Mountain; the scene of Archie Ryan's international launch back in 2018 and where Eddie Dunbar also claimed the stage - and overall victory, by over five minutes - back in 2014.
Aside from O'Brien, the Irish also have two other riders who are well placed, and may be able to significantly improve their general classification positions today, namely Cal Tutty of Tarrant & Sons Skoda Munster and Killian O'Brien of Cycling Leinster.
Going into today's final stage - some 110.7km from Brynmawr to Tumble Mountain - the Welsh national team was in the driving seat, with Ben Marsh leading overall by four seconds from team mate Tomos Pattinson.
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Then came Angus Stoneman of Zappi Junior Race Team, at six seconds, with Irish rider O'Brien in 4th at 19 seconds. However, with the top 13 riders covered by just 60 seconds, after four stages of racing, it is all to play for. Munster's Tutty and Leinster's O'Brien were 20th and 22nd overall, at 1:42 and 1:53 respectively.
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O'Brien was 2nd on the opening stage 8.9km TT on Friday, from Brynmawr to Tumble; just 15 seconds behind stage winner Pattinson. Ireland's O'Brien was again to the fore on stage 2, which finished up The Black Mountain. The Cork teenager placed 4th, and finishing in a 10-man group just seven seconds down on solo winner Cormac Nisbet (Zappi Junior Race Team).
On that stage, Tutty and O'Brien were in the next group, numbering 19 riders, and finished in 17th and 18th just 13 seconds down on the stage winner. On stage 3, the race finished in a bunch sprint, with the three best placed Irish riders all on the same time as winner, Jedd Smithson (Fensham Howes Junior Race Team).
Best placed of the Irish was Luke Costelloe of the Tarrant & Sons Skoda Munster team, in 21st, with Christopher Marshall of Leinster in 28th. And on yesterday's stage 4, Ben Marsh won the stage and took the yellow jersey. He was three seconds up on Stephen George (BCC Race Team) and 57 seconds up on the bunch. Tutty was best of the Irish; placing 27th and finishing in the bunch with the other Irish riders.
General Classification
1 Ben Marsh Wales 6:34:30
2 Tomos Pattinson Wales 0:04
3 Angus Stoneham Zappi Junior Race Team 0:06
4 Liam O'Brien Tofauti Everyone Active 0:19
5 Jacob Bush MAS Design - Fensham Howes 0:27
6 George Stephen BCC Race Team 0:48
7 Oliver Peace Tofauti Everyone Active
8 Cormac Nisbet Zappi Junior Race Team
9 Zak Machin BCC Race Team 0:54
10 Elliot Rowe Anexo Group Race Team 0:55
11 Finlay Tarling Wales 0:57
12 Alex Beldon MAS Design - Fensham Howes 0:59
13 Mark Lightfoot Tofauti Everyone Active 1:00
14 Sebastian Grindley MAS Design - Fensham Howes 1:03
15 Ahron Dick The Cycling Academy 1:19
16 Cai Curtis-Roberts Flanders Color Defever Team 1:27
17 Joshua Jackson BCC Race Team 1:30
18 Ryan Williams BCC Race Team 1:37
19 Ollie Boarer Tofauti Everyone Active 1:40
20 Cal Tutty E. Tarrant & Sons Skoda Munster 1:42
21 Joseph Turnbull Prologue Racing Team 1:51
22 Killian O'Brien Leinster 1:53
23 Alexander Foster Innovation Racing 1:56
24 Oliver Dawson MAS Design - Fensham Howes 1:59
25 Joseph O'Brien Zappi Junior Race Team 2:01
