South African cyclist Rickardo Broxham has won the Junior Tour of Ireland despite coming under pressure on the final day (All photos by Stephen McMahon - Sportsfile)

Rickardo Broxham South Africa wins Junior Tour of Ireland

The final stage of the Junior Tour of Ireland produced some great racing, with the former yellow jersey going all out to try and get it back.

However, Magnus Sheffield (Hot Tubes) failed to dethrone Rickardo Broxham. And it is the South African national champion who wins the 2018 race outright after six stages in the west of Ireland.

Sheffield had to be content today with 2nd on the circuit race final stage in Ennis, Co Clare, behind breakaway companion Isaiah Chass (Team Swift).

Best of the Irish were Cathir Doyle and Liam Curley of the Irish national team. They finished in 3^rd and 4^th.

The riders faced seven laps of a 10km circuit, with rain greeting the field for the first time this week.

And while the race was full of aggression, it wasn’t until the penultimate lap that the big picture started.

Magnus Sheffield (Hot Tubes) had been in the yellow jersey until the Gallows Hill stage of yesterday.

Rickardo Broxham South Africa wins Junior Tour Ireland

Top down: Chass wins the final stage from former race leader Sheffield. Cathir Doyle of the Irish team leads the way. The racing strung out on a punishing final day.

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The young American – who is US junior cyclocross champion – suffered a puncture yesterday and never got back to the front of the bunch.

And when his rival Rickardo Broxham (South Africa) put in a very strong ride, he took the race lead.

Sheffield did his best throughout today’s stage to get enough time to take back the yellow jersey. He started the day some 1:12 down, in 22nd place.

That meant he needed to put in a serious ride to win overall. And in the end he came up short.

Having been aggressive throughout today’s stage; when a two-man winning move took flight with two laps to go, Sheffield was one of those riders.

For company he had fellow US rider Isaiah Chass (Team Swift). They built a gap of about 20 seconds; Sheffield doing the lion’s share of the work.

And when it became clear to the chasing peloton that the two leaders were looking good to hang on, Team Ireland made its move.

It fired king of the hills Cathir Doyle and team mate Liam Curley up the road to try and get across to the two leaders.

And while they never made the juncture, they did hang on for the minor places; Doyle 3rd and Curley 4th.

Just before they had crossed the line, Chass had beaten Sheffield for the stage win. Matthew Oliveira (Hot Tubes) would then take the bunch sprint for 5th place.

While the leading two, and the chasing Irish duo, did well to get out of the bunch and hold it off, they didn’t gain enough time to rearrange the general standings.

Indeed, at the finish Chass and Sheffield were only three seconds ahead of Doyle and Curley, who in turn only had four seconds too spare on the bunch.

Broxham, whose team rode well today to keep the escapes’ gap under control, took the final yellow jersey by six seconds from Andrew Vollmer (Lux-Sideshow). Oliveira was 3rd a further eight seconds back.

Two Irish riders finished in the top 10 overall; Curley 7th and Michael McGlynn (Cycling Ulster) in 9th.

Only two seconds separated them; the time gained by Curley today enough to move him over McGlynn who was this morning the best placed Irish rider overall.

Doyle won the climbers’ jersey and double stage winner Luke Lamperti (Team Swift) won the first-year junior award and the points classification.

More to come, including full results.