26-05-2025
Drogheda's warmest of welcomes to iconic Rás Tailteann cycle race
The event's base on the morning of the race was St Nicholas GAA Club on Rathmullen Road and members of the public met some of the riders and teams and soaked up the pre-race buzz.
The peloton then left the GAA grounds and travelled to the official ceremonial start on West Street, and from there, the riders headed out the Donore Road, turned right at Frank's Country Cottage and then left along the canal and over the Obelisk Bridge, before racing proper got under way on the main Slane road.
It was an explosive start to this historic 70th edition of the event, with attacking racing from the flag. An early eight-man breakaway animated much of the day and featured Peter Cocker (DAS Richardsons), Aaron King (Wheelbase / Cabtech / Castelli), Odhran Doogan (Team Ulster), Owen Wright (Canel's Java), Robin Fischer (Team Storck-Metropol Cycling), Danylo Riwnyi (Foran CT) and the Team Skyline due of Conn McDunphy and Ronan O'Connor.
However, with 20km to go the breakaway's advantage began to crumble as teams such as Great Britain CT, Connacht, and Wheelbase / Cabtech / Castelli ramped up the pace and in the closing metres it was Tim Shoreman (Wheelbase/Cabtech/Castelli) who showed his power and positioning to perfection, storming to victory ahead of Irish sensation Niall McLoughlin (Connacht Cycling) and Will Tidball (Great Britain CT) in a dramatic bunch sprint.
As part of the 70th edition celebrations, Stage 1 was proudly dedicated to the thousands of volunteers - from marshals to mechanics and community hosts to convoy drivers - who have supported the Rás Tailteann over the decades and without whom the Rás simply wouldn't exist.
This year's race was also particularly special for Drogheda, with four of the six members of the Rás promotions group hailing from the town, making it a true homecoming for one of Ireland's most iconic races.
Drogheda's sole competitor, Kevin Leech, a proud member of Drogheda Wheelers but representing the Connacht Cycling team in the race, managed to finish the race in a respectable 127th place.
Leech also finished the Rás in 2022 but had to withdraw in 2023 after he was injured in a crash.
In all, 145 riders from 29 teams took part in the race over five days, and there was a thrilling climax on Sunday as the final stage took the competitors 142.8km from Kildare Town to the finish in Bective, Co Meath.
George Kimber of Cycling Club Isle of Man emerged victorious in the general classification, claiming the Bective Stud Yellow Jersey and the title of Rás Tailteann champion by a margin of just five seconds, with Ireland's Jamie Meehan and Odhrán Doogan in second and third places overall.
