Kiwi cyclist wins fifth stage in Tour of Ireland

Aaron Gate, who rides for the An Post Chain Reaction continental team, celebrates his win in the An Post RAS Tour of Ireland. Photo / Paul Mohan Sportsfile

New Zealand rider Aaron Gate has sprinted his way to victory on a wet and windy fifth stage of the An Post RAS Tour of Ireland today.

Gate, who rides for the An Post Chain Reaction team, is among the Cycling New Zealand track squad who are competing in road racing in preparation for the summer track season tol be highlighted by the UCI World Cup in Cambridge in December.

The Aucklander attacked with two other rides in the closing moments of today's 142km stage to Ballina in the north west of Ireland, with a select group managing to edge clear as New Zealand team riders Alex Frame and Nick Bain headed the second bunch only three seconds behind.

It pushes Gate up to fifth on general classification and the leader in the points race jersey with three stages remaining as his An Post Chain Reaction team chase down Austrian tour leader Lukas Postlberger.

Frame from Christchurch finished eighth only three seconds behind the winner is now fourth in the points jersey race and third in the young rider category.

Aucklander Bain was aggressive today, riding Frame up to the front group of 18 as the field was blown apart on the exposed roads in west Ireland, worsened by the driving rain and three category climbs. Bain attacked again late in the day but was brought back before Gate led the final charge.

The rest of the New Zealand endurance track squad finished further behind after riding in support of Frame in the early part of a challenging day.

Tomorrow's sixth stage is the longest of 160km moving inland to Ballinamore with three category climbs to contend with.