Talented young Dubliner Philip Lavery wrapped up the P&O Tour of the North in style, attacking practically from the gun on the last stage to Ballymena.
The 20-year-old, riding for Cycling Ulster, lost over a minute and a half during Sunday's testing 80 miles in the snow-capped hills of Londonderry ,and the yellow jersey passed to former British champion Hamish Haynes.
But Lavery's early attack in the company of defending champion Martyn Irvine (Planet X) and Dean Windsor (Rapha-Condor-Sharp) caught the bunch napping and he was gone.
Aussie Windsor denied the Irishman his third stage win of the Tour, followed by a nail-biting wait for the bunch to arrive. The watches stopped at 1'37", giving Lavery the overall by 18" from Haynes. Tom Last (Sigma Sport-Specialized) completed the podium positions.
Result Stage 4 P&O Irish Sea Tour of the North. Ballymena-Ballymena
1. Dean Windsor (Rapha-Condor-Sharp) 70 miles in 2.44.09
2. Philip Lavery (Cycling Ulster) at same time
3. Matt Cronshaw (Rapha-Condor-Sharp) at 1min37sec
4. Fraser Duncan (Eurpcycles)
5. Jack Pullar (Herbalife-Wheelbase)
6. Andrew Hawdon (Herbalife-Wheelbase) all same time
Final Overall General Classification
1. Philip Lavery (Cycling Ulster ) 9.04.01
2. H Haynes (VC Ecosse) at 18 secs
3. T Last (Sigma Sport-Specialized) at 24 sec
4. C McAllister (Cycling Ulster) at 26 sec
5. D Windsor (Rapha-Condor-Sharp) at 30sec
6. N Devoldere (Decock Sportivo) at 33sec
7. D Downing (Rapha-Condor-Sharp) at 1.44
8. A Armstrong (Eurpcycles) at 2.05
9. B Greenwood (Rapha-Condor-Sharp) at 2.20
10. W Vandermeiren (Decock Sportivo) at 2.26
RELATED LINKS
Haynes in yellow at Tour of the North
Lavery leads Tour of the North
Dean Windsor: first win in Rapha colours
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