An Post Chain Reaction took their first win of the Rás so far this week with a trademark sprint from Aaron Gate as Clemens Fankheuser retained the yellow jersey by the skin of his teeth once again.

Ireland’s Nicolas Roche and Philip Deignan have been named in Team Sky’s nine-man roster for the Giro d’Italia, which gets under way this Friday in the Netherlands.

Christopher McGlinchey took the biggest road win of his career yesterday on the opening stage of the Kerry Group Rás Mumhan.

The Irish track team brought their World Championships campaign to a conclusion in Paris yesterday, with the standout performances coming from Caroline Ryan and Eoin Mullen.