Eileen rides for Ulster in Ras na mBan

Wednesday, September 16, 2015
Ballymena Road Club – Chain Reaction Cycles – member Eileen Burns took part in last week’s Ras na mBan International stage race in Co Clare.
Eileen was representing Cycling Ulster and was one of a total of 106 entrants for the five day race, which saw 24 teams, and riders from France, Sweden, Denmark, Great Britain, Germany, Holland, Norway and USA, join the Irish based riders for the event.
Eileen was taking part in the race for the first time and she had targeted a finish in the top half of the field as her goal. Her 62nd place achieved this aim with a magnificent fourth place on Saturday’s individual time trial the highlight of her week.
The time trial was to prove decisive to the overall outcome of the event. Britain's Natalie Grinczer (Fusion RT) took victory in that fourth stage 8 kilometres, time trial in Barefield when she completed the out and back course in 12 minutes 19 seconds, which was six seconds faster than Frenchwoman Coralie Demay (Team Breizh Ladies) with Germany's Stephanie Pohl (South Netherlands) a further second in arrears.
Eileen was the top Irish rider on the day, starting off 54th of the 97 remaining riders, and she led with 12 minutes 28 seconds, until Grinczer, seventh on GC going into the stage, completed her winning effort.
Third placed Pohl took over the leaders pink jersey from Emma Norsgaard Jorgensen (Team Rytger) 
Eileen beat fifth placed Irish road race champion Lydia Boylan (WNT) by 0.27 seconds.
Pohl went on to win the event overall by 7 seconds from GB’s Eileen Roe (WV Breda Manieu.nl) with Jorgensen third at 13 seconds. Eileen was 62nd at 44.30 which was twelfth of the home based, Irish, entrants.