Cunningham rolls back years to triumph on brutal Glengesh

Today, Sunday June 7th, is the last day to register for this great event.

Derek Cunningham has taken a fantastic stage win atop the feared Glengesh Pass in Co Donegal (Photo: Ger Cusack)

By Brian Canty

Mikkel Honore wrapped up the overall win at Rás Dun na nGall this afternoon despite a brave challenge to his yellow jersey by Derek Cunningham of Team Bikeworx Celbridge.

Cunningham, a veteran rider, really took the fight to Honore today and though he trailed by three minutes overall this morning, he had the Danish rider concerned with 25 kilometres to go when his lead out front extended to almost two minutes.

The solo leader was putting in a phenomenal ride and though several tried to bridge to him over the course of the 100-kilometre stage none could get on terms after he took flight.

Granted, it would have been an enormous shock had he succeeded in clawing back all that time against a rider who had taken three stage wins already over the weekend.

But that didn't dissuade him from giving it a very good try.

Another to try and jump away was Simon Tuomey (Cork Giant); the young Corkman refusing to lie down to the yellow-jerseyed Danish international either.

Tuomey was a much more likely candidate to wrestle the yellow jersey from Honore as he only trailed by 48 seconds starting this morning.

But as soon as he budged he was swallowed up by an army of Errigal CC men, with whom Honore is guest riding for this weekend.

Mikkel Honore has won the overall at Rás Dun na nGall this afternoon. The Danish junior rider, guest riding for Errigal CC, laid the foundations for his win when he won Friday's opening stage while he followed that up with two more yesterday. He didn't have it all his own way today and was given a few headaches but he proved himself a deserving winner, nonetheless. (Photo courtesy of Marian Lamb)

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Up ahead, the writing was on the wall for the evergreen Cunningham - a former winner of the Gorey Three-Day, whose margin was cut to a minute with around 10k to go.

And by the time the mighty climb to the finish atop Glengesh yawned out before the riders the gap was less than 30 seconds.

By that point thoughts swiftly changed from overall win to stage win as the bunch kept up the chase, while the pace also ramped up as many sensed a stage was in the offering.

Stuart Laverty of Ballymoney CC was one such rider who did manage to skip across to Cunningham but no sooner had he bridged was he dropped again but a hat tip for effort, nonetheless.

The yellow jersey went in search for an unprecedented fourth stage when he jumped clear in pursuit of Cunningham but the latter held on spectacularly, crossing the line with a few seconds seconds to spare.

Honore managed to get second while Cameron McIntyre of Cycling Ulster-Slane Cycles was third.

It brings to a conclusion a great weekend of racing, with Honore proving he’s one to watch out for.

He won Friday's opener while he followed it up yesterday with two more; the morning time-trial and the afternoon road stage.

Credit too must go to Errigal CC and the team members this weekend for facilitating the Danish rider’s performance this weekend.