Cycling: Chris Newton, Stockton's world points race champion, saw off a strong Scandinavian challenge to win the FBD Milk Ras, the eight-day Tour of Ireland stage race.

Newton won two stages and took the points title decided on daily placings in last year's Irish event, but was well beaten by more than four minutes on overall time by Ireland's own Ciaran Power. This time he snatched the yellow jersey of overall leader by winning the fifth of eight stages, from Letterkenny to Buncrana, but when the race finished in Dublin's Phoenix Park just 12 seconds separated the top three riders.

Newton, helped by some impressive teamwork from his Great Britain colleagues, successfully defended a five-second lead over Sweden's Tobias Lergard.

Ari Hojgaard, from Denmark, was a further seven seconds down in third place.

The relatively short - 45 kilometres - final stage on a circuit around Phoenix Park predictably ended in a massed sprint finish, with more than 80 riders credited with the same time.

Newton was safely tucked into 17th place, with Lergard 33rd and Hojgaard 39th.