Local cyclists tackle Kerry test

TWO Ballymena Road Club – Northstone – cyclists were included in the Cycling Ulster team of five women who headed to County Kerry last Tuesday to take part in Ireland’s only international women’s stage race.

Louise Fullerton and Maeve Savage joined Mandy Collie, Mary Hunter and Amy Brice on the team for the Ras Na mBan.

This year marked the 25th anniversary of the race and, by way of celebration, it was extended to five days and proved to be a daunting test for all the Ulster girls.

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It started on Wednesday evening with a short first stage of 58km which included the famous climb to Molls Gap.

Stage two was a daunting 88kilometer loop starting and finishing in Waterville with three tough climbs on the route.

Friday’s 82km third stage took the riders over the fabled Healy Pass, acknowledged as one of the ‘rite of passage’ climbs in Irish cycling.

Saturday’s fourth stage was four laps of a rolling 17km loop around Sneem and Tahilla for a total of 68km with a 2km individual time trial in Sneem that evening.

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The concluding stage was on Sunday and it was the longest, at 95km,from Sneem to Waterville and back including ascents of Coomaciste climb from both sides.

During the week Louise contacted me with their progress.

“Stage one was 36 miles and included the climb of Molls Gap near Killarney. Maeve and I stayed with the main bunch including the pro teams until we reached the climb which was 20 miles into the race. I lost contact about a third of the way up the climb and finished the race with a girl from BikeShop.

“Maeve dropped about half way up the climb and completed the race with a bunch of five riders. We were both happy to have got the first stage under our belts.

“Stage two was 56miles, including two cat 3 climbs. Again we both stayed in the bunch until the first climb, an attack from one of the pro riders on the climb had me dropped and Maeve dug in that bit longer.

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“I chased for about 20miles and regained contact with Maeve and Mary Hunter from our team. We worked well together, although Mary was dropped suffering from sore legs.

“We continued to chase and got onto a bunch of six other riders, which included three Belgian girls, one Welsh, and one from the Irish development squad. We were together for the final 18 miles.

“Coming into the town of Watervile myself and Maeve were 3rd and 4th in the sprint for the line respectively and very happy to have finished in a good bunch.”

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