PhotoGallery


The Hibernian Team Ireland squad before the start of the race. L-R: Team manager Mick Usher, Gillian McDarby, Karen Bothwell, Kate Rudd, Collette Swift, Marie Reilly, Louise Moriarty and soigneur Dolores Usher	This year's field included riders from Germany and the Netherlands	The Holland - District Noord team wait for the race to move off	The 2003 TQ Paper International 2 day was the biggest ever women's race in Ireland, drawing a strong field

Marie Reilly (Hibernian Ireland) and Sharon Van Essen (Netherlands - Moving Ladies Groenewoud) show no sign of nerves during the neutralised section	The Hibernian Team Ireland squad controlled the race during the early stages	Phil O'Brien is a former Irish national champion, but is now a well-respected race commissaire. He and his green Kawasaki are an essential part of Ireland's international events	Collette Swift (Hibernian Team Ireland) leads the bunch on the Boot Inn Circuit

Swift accelerates away from the Dublin Airport corner, the rest of the field in tow	Katharine Blum (Germany RC Charlotten burg-Berlin) leads the peloton on the circuit	She is a strong climber but clearly also has a good turn of speed on the flat	Angela Hunter (GS Strada) was in flying form earlier this year, but then lost out for a while because of illness. She is clearly back to top form, having recently won gold in the points race at the world masters track championships

Here she is stretching the field, prior to her attack later in the stage	Ruth Gamwell (Team Luciano) was the first to break the elastic and open a decent, but short-lived lead over the bunch	Siobhan Jacob (Leinster - Usher Insulations) was next to try.	She came to cycling from rowing, but has quickly proven herself to be one of the strongest women on the Irish scene

The aerodynamic position of Angela Hunter (GS Strada)	Hunter was confident in her sprinting ability but felt so good during the stage that she decided to try to gain time over her rivals	Hunter was strong, but the day's strong winds were a problem on exposed sections such as this	Liane Gaffron (RC Charlottenburg) gave it a bash after the Hunter was herself hunted down

She soldiered on alone for a while....	Before being joined by junior rider Sanne Hokke of the Holland District Noord team. Their urgency here can be explained somewhat by the half-car, half-shark behind them	Hokke rode well but was eventually distanced by Gaffron, before the two of them were reeled in by the main bunch	Sharon Van Essen (Netherlands - Moving Ladies Groenewoud) made a strong attack inside the final three kilometres. She sped clear but was eventually beaten down by the strong headwind

That paved the way for a big bunch finish which was easily won by Hunter, ahead of Inge Klep (Netherlands - Moving Ladies Groenewoud) and the aptly-named Collette Swift of Ireland	Hunter took the first yellow jersey of the race. She is flanked here by race officials Paddy Fitzsimons (L) and Ian Gallahar	With Hunter in yellow, the honour of wearing the green jersey passed to Dutchwoman Inge Klep. To her right is compatriot Rinus de Bruin, a former international cyclist who moved to Ireland many years ago and stayed ever since