Aggressive Byrne holds yellow on final day of Rás

Dillon Byrne is the new race leader of the Kerry Group Rás Mumhan going into today’s final stage after a thrilling finish in Waterville yesterday.

The VCUK Velo Champion rider was rewarded for his aggression on each of the three stages and though his margin at the head of the General Classification is a slender 16 seconds over Ronan McLaughlin (Aqua Blue Academy), it’s going to take a lot to reel him in.

Yesterday, the Blackpool-born rider was in the day’s main breakaway that escaped after the riders hit Caherciveen following a lap around Valentia Island. And with the help of fellow escapees - Sean Lacey (Aqua Blue Academy), Kirk Vickers, Matt Garthwaite (Rhino Velo Race Team), Mick Fitzgerald (Strata3/VeloRevolution), Clinton O’Mahony (Mercedes Benz-Cork Giant), Páidí O’Brien (Killorglin CC), Adam Stenson (Ireland U23 team) and Keith Finn (Planet X Bikes) - they enjoyed a gap close to a minute on the main bunch.

Back there, overnight race leader Paul Kennedy (Newcastlewest CC) clung doggedly to a two-second lead on General Classification but not having the luxury of a strong team to help the chase would prove his undoing.

Lacey meanwhile, the 2011 champion racing on home roads, went solo in a brave bid for glory but when he was reeled in on the road back to Waterville after cresting the category one Coom an Easpaig and St Finian’s Bay, it played perfectly into Byrne’s hands.

By that stage the break had been reabsorbed by a depleted bunch and in it were Ronan McLaughlin (Aqua Blue Academy), Eoin Morton (UCD-Fitzcycles.ie) and Mark Dowling (Strata3/VeloRevolution), three of the more prominent riders on the domestic racing scene.

Kennedy (Newcastlewest CC), meanwhile, was almost 1’30” behind and hopes of retaining the lead all but over.

Dowling and McLaughlin made surges for stage glory in the closing kilometres but it was a flying Lawrence Carpenter of the Surrey League who timed his jump right to take a massive win. And when Byrne rolled across the line three seconds back the yellow jersey was his.

Morton managed to hold the KOM jersey as leader of the climber’s classification while Tom Mazzone (Isle of Man) held the green points jersey.

Today’s final showdown takes the riders on a 115km journey starting and finishing in Killorglin.

There are three flat 25-kilometre laps followed by 10 laps of the town circuit and up the hill each time to add a further 40 kilometres.

Byrne is currently being stalked by 11 riders within 46 seconds of him and having lost the Suir Valley 3-Day in Clonmel on the final day before he will not want to make the same mistakes again.