Rás na mBan: Chaos, crashes and downpours as Dekker powers to Stage 2 success in Gorey

Rás na mBan continued as riders took on a challenging route into County Wexford, with a chaotic day culminating in a reduced bunch sprint in Gorey. WV Breda rider Noor Dekker, the overall runner-up in Rás na mBan 2024, survived torrential rain, crashes and splits in the bunch to claim victory ahead of France’s Noémie Abgrall (Ladynamips RVC), with Denmark’s Olympia Norrid-Mortenson (Torelli) in third.

Overall leader after Stage 1, Océane Goergen of Ladynamips RVC, missed the crucial split in the peloton, placing her in the second group which came home over two minutes down on stage winner Dekker. Team Phoenix rider Alice McWilliam of Great Britain takes over the lead of the general classification, and with it the magenta jersey going into Stage 3.

The dry conditions and tailwind which the riders enjoyed as they rolled out from Kilkenny City would eventually give way to torrential downpours, leading to several crashes in a race which had already exploded after the first IVCA Wicklow 200 Queen of the Mountains ascent of Sliabh Buí.

A breakaway trio of Grace Reynolds (Smurfit Westrock CT), Sarah Pope (Ladynamips RVC) and Gertrud Riis Madsen (Team Aalborg Sparekassen) led the race over the summit of the second category climb, shortly before being absorbed by the chasing group on the descent. Kilkenny CoCo Best Irish Rider Linda Kelly (Cycling Ireland Women’s Commission) did much of the pace setting in that chase group, claiming the remaining QoM points in the process.

A combination of the strong pace from the chasing peloton and double-digit gradients on the Sliabh Buí ascent led to multiple gaps appearing, with Stage 1 winner and overnight leader Océane Goergen ending up on the wrong side of one of the splits. The French rider eventually found herself in the second group on the road, but with only one team-mate to assist in the chase, the gap to the leading group of 22 riders only kept growing, quickly making the prospect of a new race leader a foregone conclusion.

Riders faced a further downpour on the second categorised climb of the day, with Queen of the Mountains leader Noémie Abgrall claiming maximum points to extend her lead of the classification, with Linda Kelly following in second place on the third category Ballymore ascent.

The leading group continued to push on in the remaining 13 kilometres to the line, with Dekker’s Dutch teammates working well to put the 27-year-old into prime position for the run to the line. Last year's event runner-up again displayed her strength on Irish soil, opening up a small gap on the other sprinters, powerfully holding it on the drag to the finish.

Dekker’s victory puts her level on general classification time with new magenta jersey McWilliam, only being placed second by virtue of countback, whilst the British rider also moves to top of the Cycling Ireland Points standings.

Former British Junior Road Race Champion Amelia Cebak (Smurfit Westrock CT) takes over the lead of the Sport Ireland Best Young Rider classification, whilst Wexford native Linda Kelly remains the Kilkenny County Council Best Irish Rider.

The Rás na mBan returns to County Laois today (Friday) for a 104-kilometre stage from Portlaoise to Mountrath, featuring the fearsome first category ascent of The Cut in the Slieve Bloom mountains.