Adam Rafferty, in purple, is tracked closest by the race leader, and his main rival, Kamiel Eeman of the Belgian national team during the final stage today in Czech Republic
Having finished 2nd on the summit finish to the queen stage on Saturday, Adam Rafferty (Hagens Berman Jayco), was again out front duking it out with the yellow jersey on Sunday's final stage of the Peace Race in Czech Republic.
The Irish rider and Kamiel Eeman of the Belgian national team were fighting for the overall victory. And their battle saw them once again 1st and 2nd on the stage, a very difficult 131km race to Šternberk.
After 2,000m of elevation gain, and five passages of the short and sharp climb on the finishing circuit. gaps emerged in the field, which was comprised mainly of national teams as the race is a former UCI Nations Cup event.
However, Rafferty will have to wait another day to get his hands in the air this season as race leader Eeman pushed him into 2nd place again today, the same 1-2 as yesterday's stage.
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They finished four seconds up on a group of 20 riders, the remains of the peloton, after they both proved strongest of the much reduced main field in the final push to the line today.
Irish rider David Gaffney, Rafferty's team mate, was in that front group just behind 1st and 2nd and finished in 11th place.
And though Gaffney's performance was overshadowed by that of his older Irish team mate, Rafferty - 2nd overall and 2nd on the two hardest stages - the first-year U23 from Waterford enjoyed a very strong race.
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He snatched bonus seconds on the opening stage, which saw him sit in the top five overall after stages 1 and 2. And though he lost a little time - 43 seconds - on the cat 1 finish yesterday, he was still 20th.
After his 11th place finish today, he was 17th in the final general classification; an excellent showing at this level, especially for a first year in the category.
For Rafferty the outcome, though really impressive, will be tinged with disappointment; 2nd on two stages and 2nd overall after also finishing 2nd overall and 2nd on the queen stage at Tour of Rhodes (2.2) earlier in the season.
However, his results, and the manner of his riding - he was the main aggressor on the cat 1 climb to the finish on Saturday - reflect his top tier status on the international U23 scene.
And if he can hold his shape, a big win - perhaps another stage victory and the upcoming Giro Next Gen, where he won last year - is only around the corner for the 20-year-old from Co Tyrone.
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