French rider Noémie Garnier took charge of the general classification at Rás na mBan on Saturday after finishing second on Stage 4, an 88.5-kilometre mountain stage concluding atop Corrabut Gap in County Carlow.

Dutch cyclist Noor Dekker of the WV Breda Women Cycling Team secured the stage victory after initiating an attack 10 kilometres from the finish line. Dekker dropped her breakaway companion, Johanne Resen, on the final ascent up Mount Leinster and held off a late chase led by Garnier's Vendée Féminine RVC team to win solo by 10 seconds.

Garnier crossed the summit just ahead of Denmark's Olympia Norrid Mortensen to take second on the stage. The result propelled Garnier into the overall race leader's magenta jersey, displacing Stage 3 winner Silje Weitze Antvorskov, who dropped to seventh on the day. Heading into the final day of competition, Garnier holds a four-second advantage over Norrid Mortensen and a 17-second lead over Antvorskov in the general classification.

Speaking after taking the leader's jersey, Garnier noted mixed feelings about the result. "It was a hard finish and second place," she said. "I am happy but I am also sad because it is not a stage win. But I take the GC lead so it is good for the team. We hope that I will keep it tomorrow."

Cycling Ulster's Aliyah Rafferty finished 30 seconds behind the stage winner, moving from fourth to fifth overall, 32 seconds off the overall lead. She remains the highest-placed Irish rider in the general classification.

The five-day international stage race concludes on Sunday in Kilkenny with an individual time trial in the morning followed by an afternoon criterium through Kilkenny city.