The final day of Rás na mBan 2026 kicked off in dramatic fashion this morning, with Denmark’s Olympia Norrid-Mortensen powering to victory in the stage five time trial around Kilkenny Castle, overtaking France’s Noémie Garnier in the general classification by just one second.
Norrid-Mortensen (Torelli) started the 2.5-kilometre test four seconds behind magenta jersey Garnier (Vendée Féminine RVC), but a storming ride from the 21-year-old gave her the stage win, completing the course five seconds quicker than the overnight leader to set up a tense stage six criterium this afternoon.
Stage three victor and Danish U23 Road Race Champion Silje Weitze Antvorskov (Team Friis) finished second in the time trial. Team Ireland’s 17-year-old Emer Heverin took an impressive third, with the podium separated by less than one second.
Norrid-Mortensen’s tenuous lead is far from secure heading into this afternoon’s criterium, with time bonuses of six, four and two seconds available for the first three riders across the line at the finish.
The sixth and final stage, the Kilkenny crit consists of one hour of racing plus five laps of a 2.1-kilometre circuit, starting and finishing outside Kilkenny Castle in what is sure to be an action packed conclusion to this year’s race.
