2024 Rás na mBan: stage 2 report and results

Ireland’s Caoimhe O’Brien (DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK) stormed to victory in Stage 2 of Rás na mBan 2024, narrowly defeating her teammate and magenta jersey holder, Mia Griffin, in a dramatic photo finish in Mountrath. British junior Abigail Miller (Tofauti Everyone Active) rounded out the podium, following a challenging stage that saw the riders conquer the first-category climb of ‘The Cut’ in County Laois.

Featured image: Lorraine O’Sullivan

Report

The day began with a ceremonial start at Laois County Council offices in Portlaoise, where riders set out in cool but dry conditions to tackle the 104-kilometre stage. The major challenge of the day was the 7.4-kilometre ascent of ‘The Cut,’ a gruelling climb in the Slieve Bloom mountains.

Though early attempts to form a breakaway were subdued by Team Aalborg Sparekassen Danmark, the tempo increased sharply on the ascent, with DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK leading the charge to extend Lucy Lee’s lead in the Queen of the Mountains classification. Defending champion Manon de Boer (NWVG-Uplus) stayed close to the action, and the ferocious pace up the climb saw many riders distanced from the main group. By the summit, only 23 riders remained at the front, with Lee securing maximum QOM points to extend her advantage in the IVCA Wicklow 200 Queen of the Mountains classification.

The technical descent from ‘The Cut’ saw this lead group extend their advantage to over two minutes on the chasing pack. The riders then hit the Mountrath finishing circuit, where De Boer won the intermediate sprint ahead of Caoimhe and Aoife O’Brien, earning three, two, and one bonus seconds, respectively.

A tense finale unfolded with no team asserting full control of the race. However, in a repeat of the previous day, DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK drove the pace in the closing kilometres, with QOM leader Lee and Frankie Hall leading out Griffin. O’Brien remained glued to her wheel heading into the final corner. With 200 metres to go, O’Brien launched her sprint perfectly, overtaking Griffin at the line for a thrilling win.

Griffin’s second-place finish ensures she retains her lead in the general classification, holding the magenta jersey by positional countback, despite being tied on time with O’Brien.

O’Brien’s victory not only secured her first stage win at the Rás na mBan but also the Sport Ireland Best Young Rider jersey. Griffin retains the Cycling Ireland Points classification and the Kilkenny County Council Best Irish Rider classification as they head into Stage 3, where both riders remain tied on time at the top of the general classification.

Stage 3 promises another tough day, as riders tackle a new 104-kilometre route from Kilkenny to Gorey in County Wexford, featuring two categorised climbs and a total elevation gain of 1206 metres. With the general classification finely balanced, all eyes will be on the magenta jersey battle as the race continues.

Results

Stage 2

Rk.	Bib	Name	Team	Nat.	Gap
1.	51	Caoimhe O BRIEN*	Das Hutchinson Brother UK	IRL	2h41’30”
2.	52	Mia GRIFFIN	Das Hutchinson Brother UK	IRL	”
3.	182	Abigail MILLER*	Tofauti Everyone Active	GBR	”
4.	1	Manon DE BOER	NWVG-Uplus	NED	”
5.	55	Robyn CLAY*	Das Hutchinson Brother UK	GBR	”
6.	94	Noor DEKKER	JEGG DJR Academy	NED	”
7.	13	Aoife O’BRIEN*	Ireland	IRL	”
8.	135	Heidi FRANZ	Monarch Racing	USA	”
9.	211	Marine LENEHAN	Dan Morrissey Primor by	IRL	”
10.	152	Ruby OAKES*	Shibden Apex RT	GBR	”
11.	202	Jazmine LAVERGNE*	Primeau Vélo Groupe Abadie	CAN	”
12.	84	Jorja BOND*	CCB p/b Levine Law Group	USA	”
13.	2	Wendy OOSTERWOUD	NWVG-Uplus	NED	”
14.	144	Grace REYNOLDS	Brother UK/OnForm	IRL	”
15.	201	Anabelle THOMAS*	Primeau Vélo Groupe Abadie	CAN	”
16.	213	Lizzie HERMOLLE	Dan Morrissey Primor by	GBR	”
17.	33	Elyse SCHUIJT	Team Noord Holland	NED	”
18.	153	Alice COLLING*	Shibden Apex RT	GBR	”
19.	215	Katy HILL	Dan Morrissey Primor by	GBR	”
20.	81	Betty HASSE*	CCB p/b Levine Law Group	USA	”
21.	53	Lucy LEE	Das Hutchinson Brother UK	GBR	”
22.	11	Lucy BENEZET	Ireland	IRL	”
23.	54	Frankie HALL	Das Hutchinson Brother UK	GBR	”
24.	191	Ellen MCDERMOTT	UCD Cycling Club	IRL	+1’29”
25.	155	Evie SMITH*	Shibden Apex RT	GBR	”
26.	183	Mari PORTON*	Tofauti Everyone Active	GBR	”
27.	141	Tuva MAULAND*	Brother UK/OnForm	NOR	”
28.	31	Rosan KOPER	Team Noord Holland	NED	”
29.	101	Gertrud RIIS	Team Aalborg Sparekassen	DEN	”
30.	171	Gabrielle FOX	Greenmount Cycling	IRL	”
31.	124	Iris MULDER*	WV De Jonge Renner/Team	NED	”
32.	82	Ella BRENNEMAN*	CCB p/b Levine Law Group	USA	”
33.	43	Annamarie LIPP	Torelli	NZL	”
34.	42	Martha	Torelli	NOR	”
35.	14	Aliyah RAFFERTY*	Ireland	IRL	”
36.	74	Jessica BONILLA	LA Sweat	MEX	”
37.	113	Rebekah NASH	Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon	GBR	”
38.	174	Amelia STAUNTON*	Greenmount Cycling	GBR	”
39.	132	Chloe MAUVAIS	Monarch Racing	USA	”
40.	151	Isabel MAYES*	Shibden Apex RT	GBR	”
41.	103	Frederikke AAFELDT	Team Aalborg Sparekassen	DEN	”
42.	114	Nicola GREENWOOD	Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon	GBR	”
43.	134	Sofia SCHUGAR	Monarch Racing	USA	”
44.	83	Elizabeth GRIER*	CCB p/b Levine Law Group	USA	+1’33”
45	185	Amelia CEBAK*	Tofauti Everyone Active	GBR	#REF!
46.	73	Holly SIMONSON	LA Sweat	CAN
47.	214	Violinde DEBREEIJEN	Dan Morrissey Primor by	NED
48.	154	Lucy GLOVER*	Shibden Apex RT	GBR
49.	5	Fleur SMITH	NWVG-Uplus	NED
50.	4	Iris SCHULTINGA	NWVG-Uplus	NED
51.	105	Katrine KLINKBY	Team Aalborg Sparekassen	DEN
52.	23	Jemma SPEARS	Cycling Ulster	IRL
53.	93	Jasmijn	JEGG DJR Academy	NED
54.	145	Lotty DAWSON*	Brother UK/OnForm	GBR
55.	192	Abi CONWAY*	UCD Cycling Club	IRL
56.	22	Darcey HARKNESS*	Cycling Ulster	IRL	”
57.	165	Grace WARD*	TC Racing	GBR	”
58.	142	Hope INGLIS*	Brother UK/OnForm	GBR	”
59.	203	Valerie LAROCHE*	Primeau Vélo Groupe Abadie	CAN	”
60.	104	Sidsel MØLLER HVAS	Team Aalborg Sparekassen	DEN	”
61.	95	Amber VAN OORT	JEGG DJR Academy	NED	+5’19”
62.	71	Camille	LA Sweat	CAN	+10’15”
63.	212	Jayati HINE	Dan Morrissey Primor by	GBR	”
64.	102	Anna DAMGAARD	Team Aalborg Sparekassen	DEN	”
65.	173	Rosemary SIMMONS	Greenmount Cycling	GBR	”
66.	161	Helena SHAPTON	TC Racing	GBR	”
67.	133	Claudia FERREIRA	Monarch Racing	USA	”
68.	72	Emily FLYNN	LA Sweat	CAN	”
69.	131	Helena	Monarch Racing	USA	”
70.	75	Mariana VALADEZ	LA Sweat	MEX	”
71.	62	Hannah MCCLOREY*	Doltcini CycleDivision	IRL	+11’49”
72.	123	Dieke HENDRIKS	WV De Jonge Renner/Team	NED	+13’37”
73.	41	Bronwyn	Torelli	NZL	”
74.	111	Isabella JOHNSON*	Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon	GBR	”
75.	112	Beth WATSON*	Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon	GBR	”
76.	35	Ingeborg KERS	Team Noord Holland	NED	”
77.	24	Elena WALLACE*	Cycling Ulster	IRL	”
78.	143	Mia SMITH*	Brother UK/OnForm	IRL	”
79.	115	Bex CLOWES	Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon	GBR	+14’27”
80.	181	Georgia LANCASTER*	Tofauti Everyone Active	GBR	+14’42”
81.	34	Marie-Sophie RES	Team Noord Holland	NED	”
82.	162	Yvonne DORAN	TC Racing	IRL	”
83.	44	Elizabeth VAAGS	Torelli	CAN	”
84.	164	Laura BESAMUSCA*	TC Racing	NED	”
85.	91	Yvonne DE VET	JEGG DJR Academy	NED	+16’19”
86.	92	Miranda BIK	JEGG DJR Academy	NED	”
87.	193	Jennifer NEENAN	UCD Cycling Club	IRL	”
88.	121	Julia BESSELSEN	WV De Jonge Renner/Team	NED	”
89.	122	Anouk BIJL*	WV De Jonge Renner/Team	NED	”
90.	85	Sabrina HAYES*	CCB p/b Levine Law Group	USA	+20’39”
91.	172	Claire O’SULLIVAN	Greenmount Cycling	IRL	+24’29”
92.	64	Peggy SIMKINS*	Doltcini CycleDivision	GBR	”
93.	12	Aine DOHERTY*	Ireland	IRL	+24’33”
94.	63	Amy HARVEY*	Doltcini CycleDivision	GBR	+24’38”
OTL	61	Jacqui KINSEY*	Doltcini CycleDivision	GBR
DNF	3	Arenda VAN	NWVG-Uplus	NED
DNF	32	Demi KONST*	Team Noord Holland	NED
DNF	163	Ellen INGLIS*	TC Racing	GBR

General classification

Rk.	Bib	Name	Team	Nat.	Gap
1.	52	Mia GRIFFIN	Das Hutchinson Brother UK	IRL	4h31’55”
2.	51	Caoimhe O BRIEN*	Das Hutchinson Brother UK	IRL	”
3.	55	Robyn CLAY*	Das Hutchinson Brother UK	GBR	+10”
4.	182	Abigail MILLER*	Tofauti Everyone Active	GBR	+12”
5.	1	Manon DE BOER	NWVG-Uplus	NED	+13”
6.	54	Frankie HALL	Das Hutchinson Brother UK	GBR	”
7.	215	Katy HILL	Dan Morrissey Primor by Pissei	GBR	+14”
8.	13	Aoife O’BRIEN*	Ireland	IRL	+15”
9.	211	Marine LENEHAN	Dan Morrissey Primor by Pissei	IRL	+16”
10.	135	Heidi FRANZ	Monarch Racing	USA	”
11.	2	Wendy OOSTERWOUD	NWVG-Uplus	NED	”
12.	94	Noor DEKKER	JEGG DJR Academy	NED	”
13.	53	Lucy LEE	Das Hutchinson Brother UK	GBR	”
14.	84	Jorja BOND*	CCB p/b Levine Law Group	USA	”
15.	153	Alice COLLING*	Shibden Apex RT	GBR	”
16.	201	Anabelle THOMAS*	Primeau Vélo Groupe Abadie	CAN	”
17.	213	Lizzie HERMOLLE	Dan Morrissey Primor by Pissei	GBR	”
18.	33	Elyse SCHUIJT	Team Noord Holland	NED	”
19.	202	Jazmine LAVERGNE*	Primeau Vélo Groupe Abadie	CAN	”
20.	144	Grace REYNOLDS	Brother UK/OnForm	IRL	”
21.	152	Ruby OAKES*	Shibden Apex RT	GBR	”
22.	11	Lucy BENEZET MINNS*	Ireland	IRL	”
23.	81	Betty HASSE*	CCB p/b Levine Law Group	USA	”
24.	183	Mari PORTON*	Tofauti Everyone Active	GBR	+1’45”
25.	191	Ellen MCDERMOTT	UCD Cycling Club	IRL	”
26.	155	Evie SMITH*	Shibden Apex RT	GBR	”
27.	124	Iris MULDER*	WV De Jonge Renner/Team	NED	”
28.	171	Gabrielle FOX	Greenmount Cycling Academy	IRL	”
29.	74	Jessica BONILLA	LA Sweat	MEX	”
30.	14	Aliyah RAFFERTY*	Ireland	IRL	”
31.	42	Martha STOKKELAND*	Torelli	NOR	”
32.	174	Amelia STAUNTON*	Greenmount Cycling Academy	GBR	”
33.	31	Rosan KOPER	Team Noord Holland	NED	”
34.	114	Nicola GREENWOOD	Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon	GBR	”
35.	141	Tuva MAULAND*	Brother UK/OnForm	NOR	”
36.	113	Rebekah NASH	Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon	GBR	”
37.	101	Gertrud RIIS MADSEN*	Team Aalborg Sparekassen	DEN	”
38.	132	Chloe MAUVAIS	Monarch Racing	USA	”
39.	82	Ella BRENNEMAN*	CCB p/b Levine Law Group	USA	”
40.	43	Annamarie LIPP	Torelli	NZL	”
41.	151	Isabel MAYES*	Shibden Apex RT	GBR	”
42.	134	Sofia SCHUGAR	Monarch Racing	USA	”
43.	83	Elizabeth GRIER*	CCB p/b Levine Law Group	USA	+1’49”
44.	103	Frederikke AAFELDT	Team Aalborg Sparekassen	DEN	+1’58”
45.	145	Lotty DAWSON*	Brother UK/OnForm	GBR	+5’30”
46.	22	Darcey HARKNESS*	Cycling Ulster	IRL	”
47.	154	Lucy GLOVER*	Shibden Apex RT	GBR	”
48.	165	Grace WARD*	TC Racing	GBR	”
49.	73	Holly SIMONSON	LA Sweat	CAN	”
50.	23	Jemma SPEARS	Cycling Ulster	IRL	”
51.	93	Jasmijn	JEGG DJR Academy	NED	”
52.	4	Iris SCHULTINGA	NWVG-Uplus	NED	”
53.	185	Amelia CEBAK*	Tofauti Everyone Active	GBR	”
54.	192	Abi CONWAY*	UCD Cycling Club	IRL	”
55.	5	Fleur SMITH	NWVG-Uplus	NED	”
56.	214	Violinde DEBREEIJEN	Dan Morrissey Primor by Pissei	NED	”
57.	105	Katrine KLINKBY	Team Aalborg Sparekassen	DEN	”
58.	203	Valerie LAROCHE*	Primeau Vélo Groupe Abadie	CAN	”
59.	142	Hope INGLIS*	Brother UK/OnForm	GBR	”
60.	95	Amber VAN OORT	JEGG DJR Academy	NED	+5’35”
61.	104	Sidsel MØLLER HVAS	Team Aalborg Sparekassen	DEN	+5’44”
62.	71	Camille	LA Sweat	CAN	+10’31”
63.	72	Emily FLYNN	LA Sweat	CAN	”
64.	212	Jayati HINE	Dan Morrissey Primor by Pissei	GBR	”
65.	75	Mariana VALADEZ	LA Sweat	MEX	”
66.	133	Claudia FERREIRA	Monarch Racing	USA	”
67.	173	Rosemary SIMMONS	Greenmount Cycling Academy	GBR	+10’45”
68.	161	Helena SHAPTON	TC Racing	GBR	”
69.	131	Helena	Monarch Racing	USA	”
70.	102	Anna DAMGAARD	Team Aalborg Sparekassen	DEN	+10’49”
71.	62	Hannah MCCLOREY*	Doltcini CycleDivision	IRL	+12’05”
72.	111	Isabella JOHNSON*	Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon	GBR	+13’53”
73.	41	Bronwyn MACGREGOR	Torelli	NZL	”
74.	123	Dieke HENDRIKS	WV De Jonge Renner/Team	NED	”
75.	115	Bex CLOWES	Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon	GBR	+14’43”
76.	44	Elizabeth VAAGS	Torelli	CAN	+14’58”
77.	181	Georgia LANCASTER*	Tofauti Everyone Active	GBR	”
78.	92	Miranda BIK	JEGG DJR Academy	NED	+16’35”
79.	91	Yvonne DE VET	JEGG DJR Academy	NED	+16’49”
80.	143	Mia SMITH*	Brother UK/OnForm	IRL	+18’05”
81.	85	Sabrina HAYES*	CCB p/b Levine Law Group	USA	+20’55”
82.	12	Aine DOHERTY*	Ireland	IRL	+24’49”
83.	112	Beth WATSON*	Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon	GBR	+25’42”
84.	24	Elena WALLACE*	Cycling Ulster	IRL	+25’45”
85.	35	Ingeborg KERS	Team Noord Holland	NED	+26’08”
86.	34	Marie-Sophie RES	Team Noord Holland	NED	+27’13”
87.	164	Laura BESAMUSCA*	TC Racing	NED	”
88.	162	Yvonne DORAN	TC Racing	IRL	”
89.	193	Jennifer NEENAN	UCD Cycling Club	IRL	+28’53”
90.	121	Julia BESSELSEN	WV De Jonge Renner/Team	NED	+28’57”
91.	122	Anouk BIJL*	WV De Jonge Renner/Team	NED	”
92.	172	Claire O’SULLIVAN	Greenmount Cycling Academy	IRL	+37’03”
93.	63	Amy HARVEY*	Doltcini CycleDivision	GBR	+37’09”
94.	64	Peggy SIMKINS*	Doltcini CycleDivision	GBR	+46’31”