Christopher McGlinchey on the attack at the Tour de Yorkshire

Irish rider places third as German rider Rick Zabel takes stage victory on day two

Irish rider Sam Bennett    sprints for the second place in front of third-placed Sonny Colbrelli  during the second stage of the 73th Tour de Romandie UCI ProTour cycling race in Switzerland on Thursday. Photograph: Laurent Gillieron/EPA
Irish rider Sam Bennett sprints for the second place in front of third-placed Sonny Colbrelli during the second stage of the 73th Tour de Romandie UCI ProTour cycling race in Switzerland on Thursday. Photograph: Laurent Gillieron/EPA

Irish rider Christopher McGlinchey had an aggressive showing on day two of the Tour de Yorkshire in England on Friday, going on the attack with five others. The Vitus Pro Cycling p/b Brother UK competitor picked up third on the day – two bonus sprints and was also third on the categorised climb of the Cote de Lindley.

Towards the end of the stage, he and Thomas Stewart (Canyon DHB p/b Bloor Homes) jumped clear and were joined by reinforcements from the bunch. However the peloton was back together with 4km left, with German rider Rick Zabel (Katusha-Alpecin) taking the stage victory. Eddie Dunbar was best of the Irish in 28th.

Meanwhile Sam Bennett had a mixed day at the Tour de Romandie, going on the attack early on and then later withdrawing from the event before the end of stage three to Romont, won by the Frenchman David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ).

After 130km of racing, sprinter Sam Bennett stopped racing, after he tried to attack earlier in the race and knowing the upcoming stages “won’t offer any more chances for the sprinters,” explained his Bora-Hansgrohe team after the stage.

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Tour de Romandie, Switzerland (WorldTour):

Stage 3, Romont to Romont: 1, David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) 160 kilometres in 3 hours 50 mins 53 secs; 2, R. Costa (UAE Team Emirates); 3, P. Roglic (Team Jumbo-Visma); 4, M. Woods (EF Education First); 5, F. Grossschartner (Bora-Hansgrohe) all same time; 6, G. Martin (Wanty-Gobert) at 3 secs

Irish: 30, N. Roche (Team Sunweb) at 20 secs; 115, R. Mullen (Trek-Segafredo) at 11 mins 38 secs; DNF: S. Bennett (Bora-Hansgrohe)

General classification after stage 3: 1, Primoz Roglic (Team Jumbo-Visma) 12 hours 23 mins 2 secs; 2, D. Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) at 6 secs; 3, R. Costa (UAE Team Emirates) at 8 secs; 4, F. Grossschartner (Bora-Hansgrohe) at 19 secs; 5, G. Thomas (Team Ineos) at 20 secs; 6, C. Betancur (Movistar Team) at 21 secs

Irish: 35, N. Roche (Team Sunweb) at 5 mins 16 secs; 121, R. Mullen (Trek-Segafredo) at 42 mins 14 secs

Tour de Yorkshire, England (2.HC): Stage 2, Barnsley to Bedale: 1, Rick Zabel (Katusha-Alpecin) 132 kilometres in 3 hours 9 mins 16 secs; 2, B. van Poppel (Roompot-Charles); 3, C. Lawless (Team Ineos); 4, A. Tennant (Canyon DHB p/b Bloor Homes); 5, D. McLay (Great Britain National Team); 6, A. Nielsen (Riwal Readynez Cycling Team) all same time

Irish: 28, E. Dunbar (Team Ineos); 33, R. Jon McCarthy (Canyon DHB p/b Bloor Homes); 74, R. Townsend (Canyon DHB p/b Bloor Homes); 87, C. McGlinchey (Vitus Pro Cycling p/b Brother UK) at 19 secs

Sprint 1 - Pontefract - 20.5km: 1, Thomas Stewart (Canyon DHB p/b Bloor Homes) 5 pts; 2, J. Scott (Swiftcarbon Pro Cycling) 3; 3, C. Mcglinchey (Vitus Pro Cycling p/b Brother UK) 1

Sprint 2 - A61, Harrogate - 84.5km: 1, Jacob Scott (Swiftcarbon Pro Cycling) 5 pts; 2, C. Mcglinchey (Vitus Pro Cycling p/b Brother UK) 3; 3, T. Stewart (Canyon DHB p/b Bloor Homes) 1

Mountain 1 - Cote de Lindley - 69km: 1, James Fouche (Team Wiggins Lecol) 4 pts; 2, T. Stewart (Canyon DHB p/b Bloor Homes) 2; 3, C. Mcglinchey (Vitus Pro Cycling p/b Brother UK) 1

General classification after stage 2: 1, Jesper Asselman (Roompot-Charles) 7 hours 14 mins 50 secs; 2, R. Zabel (Katusha-Alpecin) at 1 sec; 3, B. van Poppel (Roompot-Charles) at 5 secs; 4, F. Fortin (Cofidis, Solutions Credits); 5, J. Hennessy (Canyon DHB p/b Bloor Homes) both same time; 6, J. Van Genechten (Vital Concept-B&B Hotel) at 7 secs

Irish: 32, E. Dunbar (Team Ineos) at 11 secs; 40, R. Townsend (Canyon DHB p/b Bloor Homes); 57, R. Jon McCarthy (Canyon DHB p/b Bloor Homes) both same time; 83, C. McGlinchey (Vitus Pro Cycling p/b Brother UK) at 27 secs

Mountains classification: 1, Jacob Hennessy (Canyon DHB p/b Bloor Homes) 4 pts; 2, J. Fouche (Team Wiggins Lecol) 4; 3, T. Stewart (Canyon DHB p/b Bloor Homes) 2

Irish: 6, C. McGlinchey (Vitus Pro Cycling p/b Brother UK) 1

Shane Stokes

Shane Stokes

Shane Stokes is a contributor to The Irish Times writing about cycling