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RTÉ News
24-05-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Odhran Doogan drops back as George Kimber wins stage to take yellow jersey at Rás Tailteann
The Rás Tailteann looks to be heading towards a tense, exciting final day following another shakeup of the general classification on Saturday. Isle of Man CC rider George Kimber leaped from fourth to first overall on the short 128.1km stage from Ennis to Mountrath, deposing overnight race leader Odhran Doogan (Cycling Ulster) inside the final 20km of racing. Kimber had started the day six seconds back but Doogan was unable to remain in contact when Team Ireland duo Dean Harvey and Jamie Meehan floored the pace on the first category climb of Wolftrap. This topped out just 14km from the end of the stage and with only Kimber and Adam Lewis (USA Team Skyline) able to hold the two climbing specialists, Doogan was in trouble. Lewis was dropped on the run in to the line and while Doogan attacked the chasing bunch behind, he was unable to make any inroads into the leading trio's advantage. He finished in the bunch 28 seconds back, dropping to third overall. "I'm just so happy," Kimber told RTE Online. "It felt amazing, and also to repay the team. They have been very supportive, so to be able to give something back is great." Taller and heavier than Harvey and Meehan, he said that he struggled at times to hold the Team Ireland riders on the final climb. However he clung on and then provided important horsepower on the downhill and flat run in to the finish. "He stuck with us," Meehan told RTE Online. "He didn't help us too much on the steep bits, but he was quite strong in the flat. He was obviously going quite well to get over the climb with us. "We had a plan to go on the climb with me and Dean. We did what we were supposed to do, so we can be happy with that. And tomorrow's another day." Indeed it is, with the concluding stage taking the riders from Kildare Town to Bective. It is 155.7km in length and mainly flat, but Meehan will do what he can to try to overcome his slender five second deficit. Doogan too said he will keep fighting. He is now 22 seconds back and while he knows retaking yellow will be difficult, he will give it a shot. "There's still a day to go. It's not over yet. It's not a massive gap, but it's bigger than I had in any stage so far. It'll definitely be a challenge, but it's definitely not over." Meehan said the same. "This is the Rás. It is all to play for." With a total of 13 riders within a minute of Kimber, he knows that a lot of work still needs to be done. "It would be huge to do it," he said. "It's nice having the stage win, though, because whatever happens tomorrow, we have still got that to take home."
RTÉ News
23-05-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Second stage win in Rás Tailteann for Tim Shoreman; Odhrán Doogan retains yellow jersey
Rás Tailteann race leader Odhrán Doogan moved one step closer to success in the event on Friday, but he and his Cycling Ulster team were under real threat for approximately 100km of the 164km third leg to Miltown-Malbay. The Irishman started the day with a narrow lead in the general classification and experienced real danger when a 15-rider group went clear about 20km after the start in Cong. Racing through rain and on slippery roads, the breakaway move contained many strong riders, including 2022 Rás winner Daire Feeley (Burren CC), last year's runner-up Conn McDunphy (Team Skyline) and George Kimber (Cycling Club Isle of Man). The latter had started the day fourth overall, just six seconds behind Doogan, and became virtual race leader when the group built and maintained an advantage of around a minute. Doogan and others finally returned to the front approximately 40km from the finish, with stage one victor Tim Shoreman (UK: Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli) best in a 60 rider sprint to the line. He beat Matteo Cigala (Carlow Dan Morrissey Pissei), Sebastian Brenes (Mexico: Canel's Java) and Matthew Teggart (Down Banbridge CC Specsavers), the first Irish rider home. Irish-based Italian Cigala remains second overall, just three seconds behind Doogan. Shoreman was well ahead at the end, taking advantage of his sprinting speed and also the skill honed by years of criterium racing in Britain. Full Stage 3 results from Rás Tailteann are now available. A huge day on the road into Miltown Malbay — check out the full classification sheet below. #RásTailteann #Rás70 #Rás2025 — Rás Tailteann (@rastailteann) May 23, 2025 "When I saw that we were finishing around a corner, I just knew I had to be first around that," he told RTE Online. "So that's what I did." Doogan took six seconds in time bonuses on the opening day and while he said he didn't expect to contend for the overall classification, he jumped to the top of the leaderboard on Thursday. Key rivals did what they could to depose him Friday, but he and his team rose to the challenge. "I was definitely nervous," he admitted. "But I knew the guys up the road had a big, hard day ahead of them. I knew I just couldn't let them get a big gap. So me and my team were able to control it." Team Ireland rider Dean Harvey was also in that big break. He crashed 85km into the stage and had to chase for several kilometers, but he was strong enough to go clear on the Corkscrew Hill climb approximately 35km later. However while he opened a lead of almost 30 seconds over eight other riders, a headwind made things too difficult and he was caught with approximately 40km to go. Doogan and others had bridged across to the chasers by that point and, following the climbs of Doonagore Cross and the category two Cliffs of Moher, the race leader himself showed defiance to attack alone with 11km to go. He didn't get far and came under threat again when George Peden (Team PB Performance) countered. The Team PB Performance rider had started the day just 11 seconds behind Doogan and became race leader on the road when he was 13 seconds in front with 9km to go. However he was caught inside the final 5km, with Shoreman winning the bunch sprint. Doogan was tenth and remains in the lead with two stages remaining. His rivals vow to keep attacking, but he's gaining confidence and will do what he can to win overall on Sunday. "There another big day tomorrow but I'm looking forward to it. I'm going to try to keep yellow for as long as I can," he vowed.
Irish Independent
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Tim Shoreman doubles up on stage wins at the Rás while Odhran Doogan stays in yellow
Today at 13:01 Tim Shoreman proved he is the fastest sprinter on this year's Rás Tailteann when he scorched to his second stage victory on the race at the end of stage three in Miltown Malbay today, while Donegal youngster Odhran Doogan retained the yellow jersey of race leader. Today's stage victory came in the same manner as Shoreman's opening day win, with the British rider putting daylight between himself and the rest of the heaving bunch as he crossed the line after a fast but rain-soaked 164km stage from Cong. Shoreman was part of a large early breakaway group that dangled just over a minute clear of the peloton for much of the stage, before the climb of the Corkscrew on the road to Lisdoonvarna after 120km saw both the 11 man front group and the peloton fragment. 'I wasn't really sure how today was going to go,' admitted the double stage winner afterwards. 'I was quite disappointed to lose the yellow yesterday. It was pretty unpredictable yesterday and it slipped from us. So, today I went out swinging and got myself in the early break. I thought it was gone to be honest, but we never got really more than a minute.' With the peloton scattered all over the road behind a solo attack from Ireland's Dean Harvey over the top of the Corkscrew, the wet blustery conditions saw a merging of around 60 riders at the front with just under 40km to go, but with two more categorised climbs to come, another bunch sprint was anything but certain. 'When it came back I wasn't really sure quite what was going to happen,' said Shoreman. 'Then it was a headwind so it kept everything together and I just went for the sprint. I couldn't be happier with another win.' Second placed Matteo Cigala of Carlow Dan Morrissey took the country rider award on the stage, pipping Sebastian Brenes of Mexico Canel's Java, the recently un-retired Matthew Teggart of Specsavers Banbridge and the rest of the leaders into Miltown Malbay. Although he missed the early break, Alan Lewis of Skyline crossed the summit of Doonagore Cross in second place and crested the Cliffs of Moher climb at the head of affairs to hold onto his Irish Independent King of the Mountains jersey for another day, while 21-year-old Doogan finished tenth on today's stage to retain the yellow jersey of Rás leader. Doogan also missed the early break and has his Cycling Ulster teammates to thank for getting him back to the front today. 'I was lucky enough to have three of the four teammates with me so we didn't panic too much or too soon,' he said afterwards. 'A minute and five was the biggest they got so we had it under control.' Requests for help from other GC contenders who had missed the move fell on deaf ears however and eventually the race leader had to lead the chase himself. ADVERTISEMENT 'I realised pretty soon that there was a lot of danger men up the road so I took it upon myself to pull some big turns. I knew if we got to the first KOM with the gap under a minute I was more than capable of bridging across. Kevin McCambridge did a big turn coming into the climb which really brought the gap down. Over the top then, is when I made contact with the break.' With the yellow jersey now at the head of affairs, he was left to bring back any late attacks out of the group on the run-in to Miltown Malbay. 'There were a lot of attacks coming in the road and I was the one they were looking at to close everything,' he said. 'I was feeling good, so I was confident that I wasn't going to let anything else go. It would have been a shame to catch them on the first climb and then let somebody else slip away. It would have been all that hard work for nothing.' Doogan even turned the tables with his own attack just outside Lahinch, with around 9km remaining. 'George Peden got away in the last 10km and he's one man you don't want really want to let go. If he gets a gap he's going to make the most of it. I got myself on the front and managed to close him down and then, when I looked around, I realised there were a lot of tired legs. I was feeling pretty good after such a hard day so I thought I may as well give it a go.' Reeled in soon after though, Doogan's legs were not as sharp as usual in the final sprint to the line, although he had other things on his mind. 'I said the first two days that I was here for a stage win but, the position I found myself in today, I couldn't have cared less about the stage win. I was just trying to hold onto yellow for another day.' Tomorrow's penultimate stage takes the peloton from Ennis to Mountrath, the 128km stage featuring three more classified climbs. With the top ten on GC all within 11 seconds of his lead, Doogan is expecting more of the same. 'I think the GC is pretty much exactly the same today as yesterday. There are that many people within touching distance of the overall lead that I can't really let anyone go.. It'll definitely be another hard day for sure.'
The 42
22-05-2025
- Sport
- The 42
Donegal 21-year-old Doogan takes overall Rás lead as Perrett wins stage two
DONEGAL'S ÓDHRAN DOOGAN has taken the overall leader's yellow jersey at the 2025 Rás Tailteann, with British rider Will Perrett winning stage two. Perrett finished the 170.9km stage from Charlestown to Clifden strongly, crossing the line six seconds ahead of compatriot Josh Charlton. Doogan was third home, powering to the top of the general classification, having started the day in third overall. Advertisement 'I didn't expect it at all,' the 21-year-old told RTÉ Sport. 'Yesterday was probably the best chance for a stage win, and today I was just going to try my hardest. 'It's an unbelievable feeling. I didn't actually believe it when I heard it called out saying I was in yellow.' Perett, similarly, hailed 'an amazing, amazing feeling' after claiming a Rás victory after several near misses. 'This is my fourth Rás now. I've come second (on stages) twice. I've come fourth about three times, I think, and I was fifth overall last year. So I've always been close, but not quite got it over the line. To actually get a stage win is an incredible feeling.' Doogan will begin Friday's third stage — 163.8km from Cong to Miltown Malbay — three seconds ahead of the Irish-based Italian Matteo Cigala, and six in front of Costa Rica's Sebastian Brenes. Doogan is one of five Irish competitors in the top eight overall, alongside Conn McDunphy (2024 runner-up), Daire Feeley (2022 winner), Matthew Teggart and Cian Keogh.
RTÉ News
22-05-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Odhran Doogan seizes overall lead at Rás Tailteann
Irish riders ended stage two of the Rás Tailteann in a prominent position in the overall standings, with Odhran Doogan seizing the race lead and four other home competitors sitting in the top eight. The general classification was completely reshuffled on the 170.9km stage from Charlestown to Clifden, with 20 riders gaining over three minutes on the rest of the field, due in part to tough climbs and strong winds. British rider Will Perrett (UK Das Richardsons) was the first to the finish, attacking inside the final four kilometers and hitting the line six seconds ahead of compatriot Josh Charlton (Great Britain). Doogan was third and leaped into the yellow jersey as a result. He had started the day third overall thanks to the six seconds in time bonuses he collected on Wednesday's opening stage, and then found himself with an opportunity he didn't expect. The two riders ahead of him in the overall standings - day one winner Tim Shoreman (UK Wheelbase/Cabtech/Castelli) and Niall McLoughlin (Connacht Cycling) - were both left behind when the crucial break formed and lost considerable time. "I didn't expect it at all," Doogan told RTÉ Sport. "Yesterday was probably the best chance for a stage win, and today I was just going to try my hardest. "I think I went a bit too hard at the start. I got a bit carried away and rode a bit too hard, so in the middle I kind of pulled myself back a bit, recovered a bit, and then realized a group had actually nipped off up the road. "So then I started riding again, and found myself back at the front of the race. And just so happened that I got into yellow. "It's an unbelievable, incredible," feeling. "I didn't actually believe it when I heard it called out saying I was in yellow." Perrett, too, was elated at the finish. He's been coming to the race for years and long dreamed of a stage victory. "It is an amazing, amazing feeling," he said. "With 4k to go, I went really hard up this drag that I didn't really know about. I looked behind, and managed to get a gap. And then that was it. I was all in. Once you've done that, there's no point waiting for the sprint because you've already spent your final bullet. "This is my fourth Rás now. I've come second [on stages] twice. I've come fourth about three times, I think, and I was fifth overall last year. So I've always been close, but not quite got it over the line. "So to actually get a stage win is an incredible feeling." Doogan will begin Friday's third stage three seconds ahead of the Irish-based Italian Matteo Cigala (Carlow Dan Morrissey Pissei) and six ahead of the Costa Rican Sebastian Brenes (Mexico Canel's Java). The other Irish to the fore are last year's runner up Conn McDunphy (USA: Team Skyline), who moved to fifth overall. The 2022 winner Daire Feeley (Clare: Burren CC), Matthew Teggart (Down: Banbridge CC Specsavers) and Cian Keogh (USA: Team Skyline) are sixth through eighth. Racing continues Friday with a tough 163.8km stage from Cong to Miltown Malbay. It takes in three climbs inside the final 45km, including the second category hills of Corkscrew Hill and the Cliffs of Moher.
