Frenchwoman Noemie Abgrall continued the strong showing by the Ladynamips RVC team at Rás na mBan on Saturday, with the Queen of the Mountains leader showing off her climbing skills to win the summit finish in The Rower.
She was quickest in a nine-woman sprint to the line, beating Varvara Fasoi (Greece), Olympia Norrid-Mortensen (Torelli) and others to the line.
Linda Kelly (Cycling Ireland Women's Commission) and Esther Wong (Ireland) were best of the Irish in fifth and sixth.
"It was a hard race with a lot of wind at the beginning. We wanted to try to do a hard race with the team with a lot of attacks, but the wind was not good for us because when we attacked, it came back very quickly. On the last climb I told the girls I think I can win, I have the legs. It worked and it is really good for the team."
The victory and 10-second time bonus saw her leap up three places in the overall standings and take over from Amelia Cebak (Smurfit Westrock Cycling Team) at the head of the general classification.
The latter finshed seven seconds back and dropped to sixth overall, with stage two winner Noor Dekker (WV Breda Women CT) overtaking Alice McWilliam (Team Phoenix) and moving into second place.
Norrid-Mortensen and Fasoi are now fourth and fifth overall, with Irishwomen Wong and Kelly seventh and eighth.
The 101km stage began in Kilkenny, and a strong headwind, plus work by the WB Breda team kept things together to the first of two ascents of The Rower.
Abgrall led over the top, with the climb thinning the group down to approximately 30 riders.
Dekker won the intermediate sprint and became race leader on the road, courtesy of the three bonus seconds.
Kelly then attacked and went clear on the climb of Coppenagh, opening a lead of more than half a minute.
Abgrall was next over the summit and sealed victory in the mountains competition.
Kelly was caught 15km from the line. Wong was strong on the early part of the concluding climb but it was Abgrall who triumphed at the line and jumped into the overall lead.
She will start Sunday morning's time trial three seconds ahead of Dekker and four in front of McWilliam.
"It was the objective today to take the lead. It is a good day for us," Abgrall said.
Norrid-Mortensen and Fasoi are less than 10 seconds back and remain a danger, with both that time trial and the concluding criterium offering opportunities to those who want to challenge.
Wong and Kelly are 16 seconds back and while they have that time to make up, they will certainly look out for any chances to do so.
