The 20th edition of Rás na mBan opened with an enthralling stage in Kilkenny this afternoon, with Team Denmark’s Alma Rasmussen denying the sprinters with a 30km lone escape.
Team Ireland’s Aoife O’Brien led home the chasing bunch for second, just ahead of Cycling Ulster’s Erin Creighton in third.
The 22-team peloton, including riders from 14 nations, rolled out from Kilkenny City for the 98km first stage to Freshford, taking in three categorised climbs along the way.
Several unsuccessful attacks preceded the opening IVCA Wicklow 200 Queen of the Mountains climb, ensuring the bunch was intact by the foot of the Kearney’s Hill ascent.
2023 Rás na mBan champion Manon de Boer (WV Breda) took maximum points over the summit in a clear statement of intent from the Dutch rider, a two-time winner of the mountains classification.
The exposed tailwind section that followed proved fruitful ground for attacks, with Kathrine Madsen (Team Friis) establishing a solid lead before being joined by several chasers, including compatriot and eventual stage winner Rasmussen.
Rasmussen claimed the maximum points in the first of two categorised ascents of Rathealy, before a lack of co-operation in the leading group gave the Dane the impetus to push on solo more than 30km from home.
The 19-year-old Team Denmark rider, fresh from top-level racing at last month’s Tour of Britain for trade team Hitec Products-Fluid Control, went on to open up a gap of 1m30s on the peloton, while her fellow escapees were absorbed back into the bunch.
That gap decreased rapidly on the run to the foot of the second and longer ascent of Rathealy; however, Rasmussen responded to match the pace set on the front of the bunch, holding 38 seconds by the summit.
The sprinters’ teams continued to push a ferocious pace on the descent into Freshford, with Rasmussen impressively holding on to cross the line 15 seconds clear of the chasing bunch, which was led home by Irish duo O’Brien and Creighton.
Speaking after the stage, the Dane revealed a plan to attack solo even earlier in the stage, going on to explain that even when she did get clear, she didn’t expect to hold it to the finish.
“I definitely thought they would catch me,” Rasmussen said. “At the bottom of the last climb, I was thinking they would probably get me before the top, so I just gave it everything. I’m so grateful that [the gap] held.”
Rasmussen’s dominating performance ensures she’ll wear the overall leader’s magenta jersey on stage two, along with the lead of the Cycling Ireland Points, the IVCA Wicklow 200 Queen of the Mountains, and the Sport Ireland Best Young Rider classifications.
Erin Creighton’s third-place finish gives her the lead of the Kilkenny County Council Best Irish Rider classification.
Tomorrow’s second stage will see Rás na mBan return to County Wexford for a 97km stage that starts and finishes in Gorey, where Rasmussen will attempt to defend her overall lead.