Van Katwijk leads

Alain van Katwijk of Holland won yesterday's longest stage of the Junior Tour, 76 miles from Thurles to Ballinasloe, and is back in the leader's yellow jersey heading for Mullingar today.

Belgian Jens van Laer was unable to hold his place through the Slieve Bloom mountains and he came in three minutes and 32 seconds behind and dropped to 19th.

Another member of the Dutch team Ruud Verspaandouk broke away and when his lead went to 40 seconds the Ireland team led the chase after him but when Verspaandouk was caught van Katwijk suddenly surged ahead with three miles to go and at the finish was 10 seconds clear of James McMaster (Telecom) with Peter Murdock (Scotland) at the head of a group in third place at 14 seconds.

Derek Finnegan (Telecom) moved up to second place but he is 57 seconds behind van Katwijk with Mark Scanlon and David McQuaid third and fourth at 59 seconds and 1:09.

Stage Five, 76 miles from Thurles to Ballinasloe - 1, A van Katwijk (Holland) 3 hrs 7 mins 10 secs; 2, J McMaster (Telecom) at 10 secs; 3, P Murdoch (Scotland) 14; 4, M Lonie (Scotland); 5, A Parsons (British Western Division); 6, D McQuaid (Ireland); 7, B Marien (Belgium); 8, Y Barker (Wales); 9, R Verspaandouk (Holland); 10, M Scanlon (Ireland) all same time. Overall - 1, Van Katwijk 11:43:23; 2, D Finnegan (Telecom) at 57 secs; 3, Scanlon 59; 4, McQuaid 1:09; 5, D Nally (Emerald) 1:11; 6, B Twohig (Ireland) 1:16; 7, N Swittenbank (Britain) 1:27; 8, S Prendergast (Amev) 1:29; 9, Verspaandouk 1:43; 10, Marien same time. Points - 1, Verspaandouk 33; 2, Van Katwijk 32; 3, Marien 31. Mountains - 1, Twohig 16 pts; 2, Prendergast 10; 3, A Jackson (Cleveland) 9. Team - 1, Ireland 35:13:18; 2, Britain 8:37; 3, Telecom 10:48.

After last weekend's races at Killorglin and Listowel, followed by Killarney, Kanturk and the Ballygrennane hill climb outside Listowel last evening the Kingdom series continues with the Currow Grand Prix this evening and the Crotty Cup at Kilrush tomorrow. The climax of the competition, with a total prize fund of £5,500, is the 60 miles Joe Sweeney Cup on Sunday which starts in Listowel and finishes in the valley of Knockanure. There is also mountain bike racing for all categories on Sunday at Killarney.