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Irish Times
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Rás Tailteann: Final day battle in store as George Kimber takes fourth stage and yellow jersey
George Kimber scooped both the stage win and yellow jersey in Saturday's penultimate stage of the Rás Tailteann , winning a three-man sprint after a dramatic day of racing to Mountrath. The Isle of Man Cycling Club rider outsprinted Team Ireland's Jamie Meehan and Dean Harvey. Those three plus Adam Lewis (USA Team Skyline) went clear of the other overall contenders on the category one Wolftrap climb, which topped out just 14 kilometres from the finish. Lewis lost contact but the other three floored it to the line, reaching it almost half a minute ahead of the chasers. Kimber was then clearly quickest in the sprint, powering in ahead of Meehan and two seconds in front of Harvey. Overnight race leader Odhran Doogan (Cycling Ulster) trailed in as part of the next group 28 seconds behind and yielded the yellow jersey as a result. It passed to Kimber, who had been fourth overall starting the stage. READ MORE 'I'm just so happy,' the later told RTÉ. 'Obviously, with such a prestigious race, I'm taking a lot of pride right now. I'm sure it will take a while to sink in, but I'm just so happy to finally finish it off.' Starting in Ennis, the stage was the shortest of the race at 128.1km. Several big breaks got clear, with one 14-rider move including Doogan, and a subsequent one including the 2024 Rás champion Dom Jackson (UK: Foran CT). However, this was overhauled by Harvey, Meehan, Kimber and Lewis on the climb. Team Ireland manager Martyn Irvine later said of the day's tactics: 'It was 99 per cent exactly how we wanted to go today. It's bittersweet not getting the jersey, obviously. 'I knew our two lads are the best climbers in the race. We just had one strong guy we couldn't get rid of, and it's scuppered our plans. What should be a really good day feels really shit now, to be honest.' Things are still very tight overall, with Kimber only holding a five-second advantage over Meehan. Doogan is at 22 seconds and there are 11 others within a minute, making things far from over. Indeed Irvine knows well how things can change. Two years ago the-then Team Ireland rider Dillon Corkery went into the final stage seventh overall, 19 seconds off yellow. Guided by Irvine from the team car, the Corkman got clear in a breakaway and finished over two and a half minutes clear of the main bunch and British race leader Conor McGoldrick. The dramatic late move won him the Rás. Irvine's riders will try to follow the same template on Sunday. 'We've done it a couple years ago with Dillon,' he said. 'So everything's to play for. But we need some weather on our side. We want hard winds, that kind of day.' The concluding stage of the Rás Tailteann leaves Kildare town just before noon on Sunday and covers 155.7 mainly flat kilometres to Bective. Kimber is in the driving seat now, but the final yellow jersey is far from decided. Rás Tailteann Stage 4 results Ennis to Mountrath: 1 George Kimber (Isle of Man Cycling Club) 2:39.47, 2 J Meehan (Team Ireland) same time, 3 D Harvey (Team Ireland) at 2 sec, 4 S Brenes (Mexico: Canel's – Java) at 28 sec, 5 M Teggart (Down: Banbridge CC Specsavers) General Classification: 1 George Kimber (Isle of Man Cycling Club) 13:35.13, 2 J Meehan (Team Ireland) at 5 sec, 3 O Doogan (Cycling Ulster) at 22 sec, 4 M Cigala (Carlow: Dan Morrissey Pissei) at 25 sec, 5 S Brenes (Mexico: Canel's – Java) at 28 sec, 6 D Feeley (Clare: Burren CC) at 32 sec, 7 M Teggart (Down: Banbridge CC Specsavers) at 33 sec, 8 A Lewis (USA: Team Skyline), 9 M Richard (USA: Good Guys Racing NYC), 10 H Macfarlane (UK: Ride Revolution) Points classification: Sebastian Brenes Mountains: Adam Lewis Under-23 rider: Jamie Meehan Irish County rider: Odhran Doogan Cycling Ireland Category 2: Ben Murphy National/International Team: UK: DAS Richardsons Irish County/Provincial Team: Down: Banbridge CC Specsavers
The 42
23-05-2025
- Sport
- The 42
Day of drama sees Tim Shoreman sprint to stage victory in Rás Tailteann
TIM SHOREMAN BACKED up his Stage One win in some style as he sprinted to a second victory in Stage Three of the 2025 Rás Tailteann. Shoreman (Wheelbase/Cabtech/Castelli) came out on top on a dramatic day of attacks and high-speed action across the Wild Atlantic Way as the peloton tackled a demanding 164km route from Cong to Miltown Malbay. Advertisement The stage began wet and fast, with the peloton covering 133.5km in just three hours — an average of 44.5km/h — as they passed through Athenry, Kinvara, and the Burren Lowlands. Multiple riders attempted to break clear, including Dean Harvey (Team Ireland), who bridged to the breakaway on the road to Ardrahan. George Peden (Team PB Performance) and Evan Keane (Pinergy-Orwell) were among early chasers, while Cormac McGeough (Canel's – Java) was forced to drop back for a bike change. The race exploded on Corkscrew Hill, where Harvey surged clear and crested the climb first. Despite this aggression, he was caught after Corkscrew, and a lead group of around 60 riders reformed heading towards Lisdoonvarna and the Doonagore Cross climb. Jude Taylor led the way over the top, followed by Adam Lewis, Jamie Meehan, and Odhran Doogan. The race continued along the stunning but foggy Cliffs of Moher, where Adam Lewis took top points in the final KOM of the day, ahead of Jamie Meehan, Danylo Riwnyj, Odhran Doogan, Pau Doménech Callau, and Will Tidball. With 15km to go, the tension rose. Yellow jersey Odhran Doogan (Cycling Ulster) marked every move, but attacks kept coming — notably from George Peden, who briefly held a 13-second advantage before being reeled in. As the race surged into Miltown Malbay, the final sprint loomed where Shoreman showed his strength to take his second victory in three days.
Irish Times
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Odhrán Doogan retains yellow jersey as Tim Shoreman wins Rás Tailteann third stage
Odhrán Doogan successfully defended his yellow jersey on a tense, tough third stage of the Rás Tailteann on Friday, retaining his three-second advantage over closest rival Matteo Cigala. The Cycling Ulster rider came under repeated attack and had a nervous time when a powerful 15-man break went clear just over 20km into the stage to Miltown Malbay. The move spelt danger, containing riders such as the 2022 Rás winner Daire Feeley (Burren CC), last year's runner-up Conn McDunphy (Team Skyline) and George Kimber (Cycling Club Isle of Man), who was for a long time the race leader on the road when the group maintained a gap of around one minute. However Doogan and others finally returned to the front after about 100km of hard chasing, making the junction to the last remaining breakaway rider Dean Harvey (Team Ireland) approximately 40km from the finish. READ MORE Stage one winner Tim Shoreman (UK: Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli) was fastest in the final sprint, beating Cigala (Carlow: Dan Morrissey Pissei), Sebastian Brenes (Mexico: Canel's Java) and Matthew Teggart (Banbridge CC Specsavers), the first Irish rider home. Doogan finished the stage in 10th. 'I was definitely nervous,' Doogan said after finishing the stage in 10th, referring to the moment he learned who was out front. '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.' Indeed, after the junction was made Doogan was strong enough to attack with approximately 11km to go, but this was reeled in, as was a solo move by George Peden (Team PB Performance), who was briefly race leader on the road. McDunphy is next best of the Irish in fifth overall, and although he crashed inside the final kilometre, he was given the same time as the bunch as per UCI rules. 'Coming into the line I fancied my chances for the sprint,' said McDunphy. 'To be honest, maybe not to beat Shoreman but I reckon I could have gone top five there, but a bit of a gearing issue caused me to hit the deck.' He also fell close to the finish on the opening day and while he has been able to continue, his sleep has been affected by the extensive skin grazes he has on his back. However, he pledged to keep trying. Saturday's penultimate stage from Ennis offers an opportunity for aggressive riders, with the category one Wolftrap climb summiting just 14km from the finish line in Mountrath. So too Sunday's concluder from Kildare town to Bective, with McDunphy, Feeley and others all pledging to continue their attacks. Doogan and the Cycling Ulster team will keep fighting. He said on Wednesday that he didn't expect to contend for the general classification, but still finds himself still in a yellow jersey which he hadn't anticipated. 'I changed my ambitions. I'm going to try to keep it for as long as I can,' he said.
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.
Irish Times
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Odhrán Doogan takes over Rás Tailteann yellow jersey after strong showing
Odhrán Doogan may have said after Wednesday's opening stage of the Rás Tailteann that he was targeting a stage win rather than the general classification, but the 21-year-old Irishman rode strongly and found himself in an unexpected yellow jersey on Thursday afternoon in Clifden. The Cycling Ulster rider started the day third overall thanks to the six seconds in time bonuses he took in a breakaway on Wednesday. That proved crucial, with the two riders ahead of him – day one winner Tim Shoreman (UK Wheelbase/Cabtech/Castelli) and Niall McLoughlin (Connacht Cycling) both missing out. They were absent from a 20-man breakaway which fought it out for the stage win, with the British rider Will Perrett (UK Das Richardsons) jumping clear towards the end and hitting the line six seconds ahead of compatriot Josh Charlton (Great Britain), with Doogan coming home third. 'It's quite funny to be honest, I didn't expect it at all,' said Doogan. 'Yesterday was probably the best chance for a stage win, and today I was just going to try my hardest.' READ MORE He said he did too much in the early part of the 170.9km stage, which included the category one climb of Windy Gap. He backed off and ended up missing a 13-man break which went clear after the category two Cill Dubh. However, he then bridged across in the closing kilometres with six others. 'Once I was at the front, I knew I would have to be there or thereabouts after getting six bonus seconds yesterday,' he said, referring to the possibility of taking yellow. 'It was kind of in the back of my head, but I was still only riding for the stage win.' John O'Halloran presents the yellow jersey to race leader Odhran Doogan. Photograph: Lorraine O'Sullivan Perrett ultimately got the latter prize, leaping clear and holding off the rest. 'It is an amazing, amazing feeling,' he said. '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.' As well as putting him in the race lead, Doogan's third-place saw him take the points and best young rider jerseys. He is now 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). Last year's runner-up Conn McDunphy (USA: Team Skyline) recovered from his crash injuries on Wednesday to finish in the break and move to fifth overall. There are a total of five Irish riders inside the top eight, with Doogan, McDunphy, 2022 winner Daire Feeley (Clare: Burren CC), Matthew Teggart (Down: Banbridge CC Specsavers) and Cian Keogh (USA: Team Skyline) also in the running. The Rás Tailteann continues on Friday with another demanding stage. It begins in Cong and covers 163.8 kms to Miltown Malbay, with three climbs inside the final 45km. These include the category two ascents of Corkscrew Hill and the Cliffs of Moher. Rás Tailteann Stage Two results Charlestown to Clifden: 1 Will Perrett (UK: DAS Richardsons) 170.9km in 3:44.22, 2 J Charlton (UK: Great Britain CT) @ 6 secs, 3 O Doogan (IRL: Cycling Ulster), 4 D Feeley (Clare: Burren CC), 5 A King (UK: Wheelbase/Cabtech/Castelli) all same time. General classification: 1 Doogan 7:12.09, 2 M Cigala (Carlow: Dan Morrissey Pissei) at 3 secs, 3 S Brenes (Mexico: Canel's - Java) at 6 secs, 4 G Kimber (Isle of Man Cycling Club) st, 5 C McDunphy (USA: Team Skyline) at 8 secs, 6 D Feeley (Clare: Burren CC) at 10 secs. Points Classification: Doogan Mountains: Adam Lewis Under-23 ider: Doogan Irish County rider: Doogan Cycling Ireland category 2: Ben Murphy National/international team: USA: Team Skyline Irish county/provincial team: Carlow: Dan Morrissey Pissei
