Dutch sprint star Nina Kessler has taken the first stage of Rás na mBan.
The Team NH led a group of 39 into Gowran, County Kilkenny at the end of 70km of tough road racing.
Kessler edged the sprint ahead of Claire Faber (Andy Schleck Cycles Women’s Project) and Amalie Lutro (Regio Sør Norge).
Kessler will take the Fuchsia jersey of overall race leader into stage two and also leads the points classification.
119 riders representing 25 teams and 19 different nations signed on in Kilkenny for the five-day, six-stage event, with Agniezka Wozniak (Team Verge) the best placed local rider after stage one.
The riders faced a grippy first 70km stage with a single Wicklow 200 Queen of the Mountains climb won in a close contest by Britain’s Nicola Juniper guesting with TC Racing.
The fast pace whittled the lead group down to less than 40 riders approaching the finish town of Gowran and it was Kessler (Team NH) who powered home to secure the first Fuchsia jersey of overall race leader.
Leading womenscycline.ie Under-23 rider Claire Faber (Andy Schleck Cycles Women’s Project) was second with Norway’s Amalie Lutro (Regio Sør Norge) taking the final podium spot.
Kessler also leads the Irish Dairy The Complete Natural Points Classification while Bandon CC’s Agniezka Wozniak (Team Verge) is the best placed locally-based rider for the Kilkenny County Council Best Irish Rider.
