Stage 1 of the 2024 Rás Tailteann began just as the 2023 edition did: with a win for Richardsons Trek DAS. Last year it was Conor McGoldrick who won for the men in orange. This time around it was his teammate Alex Pritchard, who will wear the first yellow jersey of the race. Irishman Paul Kennedy, riding as part of the USA Skyline-CADENCE team, finished second, and Dom Jackson from Foran CT finished third. Defending champion Dillon Corkery (Team Ireland) was fourth.
Featured image: Lorraine O’Sullivan
Report
The race commenced at blistering speeds, which exceeded 50km/h for the initial 30 minutes. Despite the pace, attacks were abundant within the first 20KM. Early aggressors Dom Jackson (Foran CT), Lindsay Watson (All Human-VeloRevolution), and Jacob Smith (Wheelbase CabTech Castelli) showed their intent but were swiftly reeled in.
Rás Tailteann 2024. Stage 1 Tullamore- Kilmallock 22/5/2024. Image: Lorraine O’Sullivan The main bunch pass Country roads on the way to Kilmallock
At the 25km mark, a new breakaway featuring Alex Pritchard (Richardsons Trek DAS), Paul Kennedy (Skyline – CADENCE), and Dom Jackson (Foran CT) established a 30-second lead. As they passed through Hot Spot 1 in Birr, their advantage had increased to 40 seconds, with Kennedy claiming the 3-second bonus, Jackson 2 seconds, and Pritchard 1 second. The trio maintained a 40-second lead as they crossed the first KOH at the ‘John Caulfield Memorial Bike Park’ after 41.6km.
Post-KOH, Jacob Smith (Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli) and Lindsay Watson (All Human-VeloRevolution) launched an attack to bridge the gap to the leaders, joined by Gareth O’Neill (Challenge CC). By the 60km mark, Kennedy, Jackson, and Pritchard had extended their lead to 1 minute and 15 seconds over Smith and Watson, with O’Neill trailing by an additional 15 seconds. Over the next 25km, the leaders stretched their gap to three minutes, while the two chasing groups remained 1 minute and 30 seconds adrift.
Rás Tailteann 2024. Stage 1 Tullamore- Kilmallock 22/5/2024. Image: Lorraine O’Sullivan Todays stage winner and race leader Alex Pritchard of the Richardsons Trek DAS team leads an early breakaway
With 55km remaining, Smith and Watson had dropped back to 1 minute and 45 seconds, with O’Neill another minute behind and the peloton over four minutes down. Jackson led the leaders over the second KOH in Birdhill, followed by Pritchard and Kennedy. However, in the subsequent hot spot sprint, Kennedy took the 3-second bonus, Jackson 2 seconds, and Pritchard 1 second. O’Neill was then absorbed by the bunch.
As they approached the final 30km, the peloton increased the pace, reducing the gap from 4 minutes to 3:30 over 5 kilometers. Smith and Watson were gradually falling back toward the main group. With 17km remaining, the duo was caught, leaving the leaders with under 2 minutes ahead of the peloton.
Dom Jackson claimed the final hot spot sprint ahead of Kennedy and Pritchard with 13KM remaining, reducing their lead to 1:17. With 10km to go, their advantage dwindled to 1 minute, setting the stage for a tense finish. At 5km, the gap was down to 35 seconds, and the bunch was closing in rapidly. Nonetheless, Pritchard managed to secure the stage victory with a two-second lead over Kennedy, with Jackson finishing third. Defending champion Dillon Corkery (Team Ireland) came in fourth, 21 seconds behind, with teammate Odhran Doogan in fifth.
Rás Tailteann 2024. Stage 1 Tullamore- Kilmallock 22/5/2024. Image: Lorraine O’Sullivan Alex Pritchard of the Richardsons Trek DAS team wins todays stage
Pritchard’s two-second lead over Kennedy, combined with a ten-second bonus on the line, earned him the Bective Stud General Classification Yellow Jersey by a single second from Paul Kennedy. Dom Jackson sits third, three seconds behind. Dillon Corkery is fourth overall, 36 seconds back, with Odhran Doogan in fifth at the same time.
Pritchard also leads the Citybreak Apartments Points Classification, but the Green Jersey is worn by Kennedy. Dom Jackson tops The Irish Independent Mountains Competition. Matteo Cigala, the first Irish county rider to finish, claimed seventh place, earning him the Sport Ireland Irish County Rider Jersey and the Festina Daily County Rider Award.
Irish teammates Dillon Corkery and Odhran Doogan also don jerseys, with Corkery in the FBD Stage Winner Jersey and Doogan leading the Spin 11 Under 23 White Jersey. The final accolade went to local rider Michael Gammell of Challenge CC, the first Kilmallock native to finish.
Stage 1 of the 2024 Rás Tailteann began just as the 2023 edition did: with a win for Richardsons Trek DAS. Last year it was Conor McGoldrick who won for the men in orange. This time around it was his teammate Alex Pritchard, who will wear the first yellow jersey of the race. Irishman Paul Kennedy, riding as part of the USA Skyline-CADENCE team, finished second, and Dom Jackson from Foran CT finished third. Defending champion Dillon Corkery (Team Ireland) was fourth.
Featured image: Lorraine O’Sullivan
Report
The race commenced at blistering speeds, which exceeded 50km/h for the initial 30 minutes. Despite the pace, attacks were abundant within the first 20KM. Early aggressors Dom Jackson (Foran CT), Lindsay Watson (All Human-VeloRevolution), and Jacob Smith (Wheelbase CabTech Castelli) showed their intent but were swiftly reeled in.
The main bunch pass Country roads on the way to Kilmallock
At the 25km mark, a new breakaway featuring Alex Pritchard (Richardsons Trek DAS), Paul Kennedy (Skyline – CADENCE), and Dom Jackson (Foran CT) established a 30-second lead. As they passed through Hot Spot 1 in Birr, their advantage had increased to 40 seconds, with Kennedy claiming the 3-second bonus, Jackson 2 seconds, and Pritchard 1 second. The trio maintained a 40-second lead as they crossed the first KOH at the ‘John Caulfield Memorial Bike Park’ after 41.6km.
Post-KOH, Jacob Smith (Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli) and Lindsay Watson (All Human-VeloRevolution) launched an attack to bridge the gap to the leaders, joined by Gareth O’Neill (Challenge CC). By the 60km mark, Kennedy, Jackson, and Pritchard had extended their lead to 1 minute and 15 seconds over Smith and Watson, with O’Neill trailing by an additional 15 seconds. Over the next 25km, the leaders stretched their gap to three minutes, while the two chasing groups remained 1 minute and 30 seconds adrift.
Todays stage winner and race leader Alex Pritchard of the Richardsons Trek DAS team leads an early breakaway
With 55km remaining, Smith and Watson had dropped back to 1 minute and 45 seconds, with O’Neill another minute behind and the peloton over four minutes down. Jackson led the leaders over the second KOH in Birdhill, followed by Pritchard and Kennedy. However, in the subsequent hot spot sprint, Kennedy took the 3-second bonus, Jackson 2 seconds, and Pritchard 1 second. O’Neill was then absorbed by the bunch.
As they approached the final 30km, the peloton increased the pace, reducing the gap from 4 minutes to 3:30 over 5 kilometers. Smith and Watson were gradually falling back toward the main group. With 17km remaining, the duo was caught, leaving the leaders with under 2 minutes ahead of the peloton.
Dom Jackson claimed the final hot spot sprint ahead of Kennedy and Pritchard with 13KM remaining, reducing their lead to 1:17. With 10km to go, their advantage dwindled to 1 minute, setting the stage for a tense finish. At 5km, the gap was down to 35 seconds, and the bunch was closing in rapidly. Nonetheless, Pritchard managed to secure the stage victory with a two-second lead over Kennedy, with Jackson finishing third. Defending champion Dillon Corkery (Team Ireland) came in fourth, 21 seconds behind, with teammate Odhran Doogan in fifth.
Alex Pritchard of the Richardsons Trek DAS team wins todays stage
Pritchard’s two-second lead over Kennedy, combined with a ten-second bonus on the line, earned him the Bective Stud General Classification Yellow Jersey by a single second from Paul Kennedy. Dom Jackson sits third, three seconds behind. Dillon Corkery is fourth overall, 36 seconds back, with Odhran Doogan in fifth at the same time.
Pritchard also leads the Citybreak Apartments Points Classification, but the Green Jersey is worn by Kennedy. Dom Jackson tops The Irish Independent Mountains Competition. Matteo Cigala, the first Irish county rider to finish, claimed seventh place, earning him the Sport Ireland Irish County Rider Jersey and the Festina Daily County Rider Award.
Irish teammates Dillon Corkery and Odhran Doogan also don jerseys, with Corkery in the FBD Stage Winner Jersey and Doogan leading the Spin 11 Under 23 White Jersey. The final accolade went to local rider Michael Gammell of Challenge CC, the first Kilmallock native to finish.
Results
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