CIAN LYNCH of Swords won the final stage of the three day cycle race from Gorey to Brittas yesterday and snatched the overall honours by two seconds from Mark Scanlon.
A breakaway group of 17 went clear soon after the start and built up a lead of a minute and 20 seconds, but near Carnew, with 10 miles covered, they were directed the wrong way by an official lead car. Commissaires stopped the race to get everybody back on the right track and the leaders were let off with the advantage they had gained.
Although Scanlon in the leader's jersey was among those in the main pack the breakaways eventually went two minutes and 47 seconds ahead but near the end this was gradually reduced until it was down to 30 seconds near Blessington.
Approaching the finish 25 year old Lynch made what proved the decisive move as he forged ahead and at the line he was 17 seconds clear of his breakaway companions. Lynch had set out from Gorey in fifth place, 25 seconds behind Scanlon, but at the finish Scanlon was 27 seconds down and lost out.
There was a similar finale to the Southern Region race as Brian Quinn of Limerick took the final stage of 65 miles from Killorglin to Cork and displaced John Blackwell at the top of the leaderboard.
Blackwell had a lead of five seconds over Quinn leaving Killorglin, but near the end Quinn went clear with three others and won, while Blackwell came in 21 seconds later and had to settle for second place overall.
In the Tour of the North, Saturday's second stage winner, Jason McIntyre of Edinburgh led the way again at the end of stage four at Limavady but the top overall positions were unchanged.
Going into the final testing stage today over a circuit at Larne, Tommy Evans still leads by 41 seconds from Andy Proffitt with Ian Chivers third at 44 seconds and McIntyre another four seconds behind.
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