Long wait over as lively Lacey powers to overall glory

SEAN LACEY of the Edge Racing cycling team did what many deemed improbable when he claimed a sensational overall win at the Kerry Group Rás Mumhan in Killorglin yesterday.

Coming into the final day for a relatively short (105k) and flat stage, the Tralee native trailed the overnight leader, Bram Imming (Ruiter Dakkpallen Wielerteam) by just a second. But overturning the promising young Dutch rider was something Lacey and his team failed to do all weekend despite countless attempts.

Indeed, Imming looked imperious — as did his team-mates, three of whom populated the top six places on the overall classification coming into the final stage. The previous day, Imming displayed awesome strength on the six climbs but Lacey and his colleagues used all their experience — and no shortage of talent by overturning the slender deficit.