Rás Tailteann Stage 3 – How it unfolded…
In usual ‘Rás’ fashion, the race started off at very high speeds as it departed Kenmare. Cormac Daly’s name echoed throughout the town. The local Kenmare man riding as part of the USA Good Guys Racing NYC team was a local celebrity. The day's first attack came from Tom Martin (Team Wheelbase - Cabtech - Castelli) after just 2KM, but he was quickly reeled back in.
For the next 25KM, speeds were in excess of 50 km/h as the peloton splintered on a number of occasions. However, this didn’t deter attacks as Jason Kenny (UCD Cycling Club) and Darnell Moore (All Human - VeloRevolution) tried to break free but were quickly chased down by the bunch. Next to attack was George Kimber (Spirit TBW Stuart Hall Cycling) but he faced a similar outcome to Kenny and Moore. Before Glenfesk, Lindsay Watson (All Human - VeloRevolution), Wells Willet (USA Good Guys Racing NYC), Ciaran Maguire (Dan Morrissey Primor by Pissei) and Ben Pease (UK Moonglu Race Team) had a slight advantage but were also brought back by the bunch.
Shortly after the 30KM mark, the race approached the first KOH of the day, a category 3 climb at Barraduff. Dean Harvey (Team Ireland) had a slight advantage over the bunch but was absorbed quickly. Conor McGoldrick (Richardsons Trek DAS) was first over the climb, with Logan Maclean (Killarney CC), Jordan Giles (Richardsons Trek DAS) and Liam Flanagan (USA Skyline - Cadence) second, third and fourth, respectively.
The speed stayed extremely fast after the KOH as the race entered Barraduff. Marcus Christie (CC Isle of Man), Liam Flanagan (Skyline - Cadence), George Kimber (Spirit TBW Stuart Hall Cycling) and Darnell Moore (All Human - VeloRevolution) were next to break but again were chased hard by the bunch. The epic speed caused some tired legs to lose contact as the race approached Rathmore. The race left the Kingdom and entered the Rebel County with 45KM completed in just 55 minutes. There was lots of aggression at the front of the peloton, but nobody was able to get away.
The next 10 km remained fast but steady until a split in the bunch occurred at high speeds. 26 riders pushed ahead, leaving a group of 100 on their trail. It looked like the move had potential, but a stall caused it to come back together.
After 67KM, the race passed through a roundabout on the outskirts of Banteer, which is the hometown of our defending champion Dillon Corkery. Coming out of the roundabout, Paul Kennedy (Skyline - Cadence), who was second on stage one, attacked, being joined by Patton Sims (Good Guys Racing NYC) and Lindsay Watson (All Human - VeloRevolution). They were the first attack of the day to get any kind of substantial gap and quickly gained an advantage of 15 seconds. Robertson (Ride Revolution) and Flanagan (Skyline - Cadence) managed to bridge the gap as the five leaders pushed hard to gain an advantage in front of the bunch. George Kimber (Spirit TBW Stuart Hall Cycling) would later join the leaders, and it looked like a move that could last the day. However, it wasn’t meant to be, and the bunch quickly came back together as it reached the halfway point. A few more attacks occurred before Mallow but still, nothing would stick. It was looking like a definite bunch finish into Cahir.
A 17-man group would then split ahead of the bunch, and it looked like a promising move. Yellow jersey Dom Jackson quickly reacted and tried to bridge the gap. This was enough to alert the peloton, and it all came back together.
With 85KM completed, the race passed Mallow with speeds still sitting in excess of 50 km/h. This didn’t change as the race whizzed through New Twopothouse after 91.5KM with a five man lead group containing Santos Moreno (Canel’s Java), Kenny (UCD Cycling Club), Martin (Wheelbase - Cabtech - Castelli), Byrne (Cycling Leinster) and Perrett (Spirit TBW Stuart Hall Cycling). They were also reeled in shortly after as the race approached the two-hour mark. Incredibly, the riders had completed 97.1KM in the first two hours of racing.
As the race approached 100KM completed and headed for Doneraile, the riders began the second KOH of the day, another category three climb. This time, Ewan Warren Scanlon (Brocar Rali Ale) took the points with Dillon Corkery (Team Ireland), Liam O’Brien (Team Ireland) and Conor McGoldrick (Richardsons Trek DAS) rounding out the top four. The four riders pushed on after the KOH and opened an initial gap of 8 seconds. The response from the peloton caused a split to occur as the front group pushed on to bring back the break. The gap opened to a maximum of thirty seconds as the final KOH of the day hit in Kildorrery after 110.9KM. This time, McGoldrick led them over the top ahead of O’Brien, Corkery and then Warren Scanlon.
Following the KOH, the gap started dwindling but held at approximately 15 seconds for about 2KM until Conor McGoldrick (Richardsons Trek DAS) sat up from the break. The other three riders pushed on but were quickly pulled in by the bunch.
As the race approached Mitchelstown with a little over 30KM remaining, attacks were plentiful looking to sneak away into the finish. A group of ten leaders got away and quickly gained a 25 second advantage which opened up to 40 seconds.
With 20 KM remaining, the ten leaders Tomas (Brocar Rali Ale), Rushby (Ribble), Peden (Team PB), Niu (Bodywrap), Buller (Spellman Dublin), Doogan (Ireland), Christensen (Foran), McDermott (Ride Revolution), McGeough (Canel’s Java) and O’Neill (Challenge CC) had twenty-six seconds over two chasers Kenny (UCD) and Pease (Moonglu) with the bunch at 46 seconds. The two chasers were absorbed as the ten leaders pushed on with an advantage of 40 seconds. With 10 km to go, the bunch were chasing hard, and Cormac McGeough, 2nd in last year's Rás, saw his chance and off the front he went. With 5KM to go, he had an advantage of a few mere seconds. With 2KM to go, it was even smaller. It didn’t matter, he done it - Cormac McGeough won the stage into Cahir as his gamble paid off. The remaining 9 leaders came in 3 seconds down and were led in by John Buller (Spellman Dublin Port) in second ahead of Odhran Doogan (Team Ireland) in third. Max Rushby from Ribble Rebellion finished fourth, and Josep Tomas Juan rounded out the top five. The bunch were a further 15 seconds behind.
No change to yellow as Dom Jackson (Foran CT) holds onto the Bective Stud Yellow Jersey. He is still on the same time overall as Conn McDunphy (Skyline - Cadence) and Liam O’Brien (Team Ireland).
Dillon Corkery (Team Ireland) holds on to the Citybreak Apartments Green Points Jersey.
Conor McGoldrick (Richardsons Trek DAS) takes hold of the Irish Independent KOH Jersey.
Matteo Cigala (Dan Morrissey Primor by Pissei) holds onto the Sport Ireland County Rider Jersey.
Liam O’Brien (Team Ireland) holds onto the Spin 11 U23 Rider Jersey.
Cormac McGeough (Canel’s Java Mexico) will wear the FBD Stage Winner Jersey.
Gareth O’Neill (Challenge CC) wins the Festina Daily County Rider Award.
