Dutch rider Noor Dekker of WV Breda Women’s Cycling took an impressive stage win in County Carlow this afternoon, attacking with 10 kilometres to go and holding on for victory ahead of Noémie Garnier and Olympia Norrid Mortensen.
French rider Garnier’s second place finish elevates her into the magenta jersey as overall race leader, taking over from stage three winner Silje Weitze Antvorskov, who finished seventh on today’s stage.
The riders rolled out from Carlow Town this morning for an 89 kilometre stage, with a profile dominated by the double ascent of the first category Corrabut Gap on Mount Leinster.
Despite several attacks in the opening half of the stage, the peloton remained intact until the first of those ascents, where gradients upwards of 15% and a pace being set by magenta jersey Antvorskov (Team Friis) split the bunch to pieces by the summit.
A group of around 20 riders were led over the summit by Norrid Mortensen (Torelli), with IVCA Wicklow 200 Queen of the Mountains leader Garnier (Vendée Féminine RVC) next across the line to provisionally secure the classification.
A rapid descent followed, with the lead group swelling to around 30 riders on the flatter roads on the loop back to the foot of the climb.
Not content to wait until the final trip up Corrabut Gap, Dekker put in several attacks, finally going clear with 10 kilometres remaining. The Dutch rider was joined by Denmark’s Johanne Resen (AL Sydbank Quooker Njord Law), as the pair opened a gap of 49 seconds on the magenta jersey group.
Once back on the climb for the second and final time, Dekker pressed on solo with Resen unable to follow the pace. Behind, Garnier’s Vendée teammates led the chase as they attempted to set up a stage win for the Queens of the Mountains leader.
Garnier’s efforts would fall just short however, with Dekker holding on to win by just 10 seconds. The 28-year-old claims a third stage victory in three years, having won last year’s second stage into Gorey and the stage five time trial around Kilkenny Castle in 2024.
Speaking after the stage, Dekker said, “It was a really hard day, especially the first time up the climb. My team set me up on the front which was super, but still it was so hard and the girls were riding so fast uphill, but I could hang on.
“Then I thought, well I can win here if I just stay with the bunch, so my teammate Manon [de Boer] said, ‘okay Noor it’s time to go’. I think it was 15 kilometres before the finish so I could start the climb with a head start.
“I was dying the last 500 metres and it took ages before I got there, but I still managed to win. I’m so happy also for my teammates who helped me so much during the race.
“I always love this race, it’s my favourite race of the year and I always look forward to it every year, and I’m so happy to win the stage this year.”
In the overall standings, stage three winner Antvorskov put up an impressive defence of the magenta jersey, finishing seventh on the stage and now sits third overall, 17 seconds down on new race leader Garnier. The pair are split by Norrid Mortensen, who is just four seconds behind the French rider heading into tomorrow’s final day.
In the Cycling Ireland Points standings, Team Ireland’s Aoife O’Brien scored in both of today’s intermediate sprints to ensure she holds a commanding lead in the classification.
Norrid Mortensen’s second podium finish in two days elevates her to the top of the Sport Ireland Best Young Rider standings, while another strong performance from Cycling Ulster’s Aliyah Rafferty helps cement her lead in the Kilkenny County Council Best Irish Rider classification.
Tomorrow’s final day returns to the now familiar format of a 2.5 kilometre morning time trial around Kilkenny Castle, followed by a one hour criterium circuit race in the city centre to conclude this year’s race.
