It was all change at the top of the leader board at the finish of stage three of the Kerry Goup Ras Mumhan in Waterville this afternoon. Heading the proceedings now is twenty-six year-old Dillon Byrne of VCUK Velochampion a native of Blackpool in England who took over from overnight leader Paul Kennedy who did not relinquish the race lead without a strong and determined effort to stay in yellow.
The stage which started in Waterville was truly a memorable one with two of the toughest climbs in Kerry one on Valentia Island after 80kms and the Coom an Easpaig after 123kms of the 154kms stage. Admittedly conditions were ideal for the stage which the competitors started and finished in Waterville, Co. Kerry. Byrne who works in the cycle industry was full of praise for the organisation.
The winner of the stage was Laurence Carpenter of Surrey Racing Team who held off the challenge Ronan McLoughlin of Aqua Blue with Keith Finn of Planet X in third place. Tomorrow’s stage takes place in Killorglin over 114kms, starts at 10am with the competitors racing firstly on the Killorglin/Beaufort/Killorglin circuit (71kms) and nine laps of the Donal McKenna circuit in Killorglin (45kms).
Stage three- Waterville/Valentia/Coom an Easpaig/Waterville, 154kms.
1-L. Carpenter (Surrey Racing Team), 3hrs.48mins.45secs;
2-R. McLoughlin (Aqua Blue),same timr;
3-K. Finn (Planet X), st.
OVERALL after stage three
1-D. Byrne (VCUK Velochaampion), 8hrs.59mins.44secs;
2-McLoughlin, @16secs;