25-05-2025
George Kimber survives Daire Feeley's final-day fireworks to win Rás Tailteann crown
Kimber, riding for the Isle of Man team, took over the yellow jersey yesterday in winning the penultimate stage into Mountrath, and despite going into today's finale with a five-second lead over nearest rival Jamie Meehan of Team Ireland, managed to hold onto it despite numerous attacks along the 142km route.
Most notable of those came was from 2022 winner Daire Feeley, who has been writing a daily Rás diary for the Irish Independent. Feeley went clear from the gun with Ireland's Dean Harvey, Patrick O'Loughlin of Pinergy Orwell and British rider Cameron McLaren (TAAP-Kalas) for company and, with the race shattered under the strain behind, the quartet opened a big enough gap for Feeley to become race leader on the road after just 20km.
As the rain poured down, Feeley's group increased their lead until Harvey, under team orders, stopped contributing. By Trim, Feeley had had enough and attacked out of the front group, only to be followed by Harvey. The duo were caught by a dozen chasers shortly after and their lead went out to more than a minute.
With Feeley the only overall contender in the group, he looked like a shoo-in for a second Rás title but with only four or the five of the group working at the front, their gap began to dwindle on the finish circuits in Bective.
Third overall, Odhran Doogan got across the gap on his own with about 4km to go but it wasn't until there were just 3km left that Kimber regained contact and saved his race.
'I don't know how we did it to be honest,' a delighted Kimber said. 'We've got a young team here, two guys straight out of juniors pretty much. We had to play it patiently. I didn't think it would be that hard.'
At one point, Kimber was in the third group on the road on the finishing circuit. 'It was splitting all over the place and I just had to bridge so many gaps on my own,' he said. 'At one point I didn't think I'd make it but I just kept going for the pride of the jersey. They must have eased up and I managed to get over, but I honestly don't know how.'
Up front, Charlton had by then used the skills that earned him the British U-23 time trial title a couple of years ago to hold off the rest of the race with a solo attack on the last lap to claim stage victory 58 seconds ahead of a peloton led home by John Buller (Banbridge Specsavers) and former race leader Doogan (Cycling Ulster).
'The course was pretty ideal for me,' said Charlton at the line. 'I was tired but there were a lot of tired legs out there, so it was about who suffered the most. I just closed my eyes and fought like a dog and managed to hold on. I'm just chuffed because I got second earlier in the week and tried a few times, so it's amazing to get the win.'
Donegal youngster Jamie Meehan went home with second overall and the white jersey of best U-23 rider, although the pangs of disappointment at missing out on overall glory by just five seconds could be heard in his voice afterwards.
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'It would have been nice to get the five seconds back but, considering I came into the race not knowing if I'd make it to the last day, I'm happy enough overall,' Meehan said, referring to a broken hand which required surgery only a week and a half before the Rás start. 'It was a bit of an unknown, how it would hold up, but luckily it did.'
Another Donegal man, Doogan finished third overall. The 21-year-old took home the green points jersey for his efforts this week, as well as the blue jersey for best county rider overall. With two days in yellow as well, it was a good week for the man from Gortahurk.
'I'm very happy,' said Doogan. 'I had expectations coming into it because the form is good but to find myself in the yellow jersey I didn't really expect that. Even though I didn't manage to hold onto it, I can take a lot of confidence away from the week and I can't be too upset with how it went.'
With the breakaway mopping up the final mountains points on offer on this year's Rás on Quarry Hill, Adam Lewis took the Irish Independent King of the Mountains competition. While the Richardson DAS Team were best international team over the five days, the Banbridge Specsavers team of Matthew Teggart, Mark Downey, John Buller, James Curry and Johnny McRoberts took home the best county team award.
