Held over Easter weekend, Rás Mumhan is one of Irish cycling’s most iconic stage races – a tough early-season test across the hills of Kerry and Cork. The 2025 edition, officially titled the Dornan Rás Mumhan, features five stages, including a team time trial, summit finish, and classic circuit finale in Killorglin. With international squads from the UK, France, Belgium and beyond, it promises another thrilling contest.

For British riders and teams, it carries particular significance. With so few domestic stage races on the calendar, Rás Mumhan offers a rare opportunity to test GC ambitions, develop team cohesion, and showcase talent over multiple days – all against high-quality international opposition.

Here is our preview.

Featured image: Caroline Kerley

What is it?

Rás Mumhan is a long-running, high-prestige Irish stage race held over the Easter weekend. As the first major stage race of the Irish cycling calendar​, it has built a reputation as an early-season proving ground for domestic and international riders alike. Set against the stunning landscapes of counties Kerry and Cork, it offers spectacular but gruelling racing that has become a highlight of the Irish cycling year​.

Many riders have used Rás Mumhan as a springboard to bigger success – for example, 2019 champion Ben Healy is now a WorldTour star, and 2024 winner Luke Tuckwell earned a pro development team spot with Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe Rookies after his victory​. Last year’s runner-up, Britain’s Dom Jackson of Foran Cycling Team, famously went on to win the Rás Tailteann (Ireland’s premier stage race) later in the season​.

The 2025 edition – officially titled the Dornan Rás Mumhan – continues this tradition with a five-stage format and a strong field. An international mix of teams from Ireland, the UK, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands will line up alongside the best Irish club and county squads​. For British teams in particular, Rás Mumhan’s challenging routes and competitive field make it an ideal early-season test of form and teamwork before the summer races. All signs point to another exciting Easter weekend of racing in Ireland’s southwest.

Route

The 2025 Rás Mumhan route spans four days (Good Friday through Easter Monday) and five stages, including a short time trial and four road races. Riders face a total of approximately 430 km of racing across Kerry and Cork, featuring relentless hills that have long defined Rás Mumhan’s character. This year’s course retains the format introduced last year – notably a two-part opening day with a team time trial. Below is a stage-by-stage breakdown of the route:

Stage 1A – Currow to Castleisland (8.6 km, Team Time Trial)

The race opens Friday afternoon with a short but fast TTT on the John Drumm circuit in County Kerry​. Starting in Currow village and finishing on the outskirts of Castleisland, this flat 8.6 km course will reward cohesive squads and create the first small time gaps. The team time trial was first introduced in 2024 and adds an early teamwork test to the event​.

Stage 1B – Castleisland to Knocknagoshel (67.6 km, Road Race)

Friday evening, the riders tackle a second stage – a lumpy road race – starting in Castleisland and ending with an uphill finish in the village of Knocknagoshel. Despite its short distance, this stage is packed with challenges. It begins immediately with the steep Black Banks climb out of Castleisland, yielding a Category 1 KOM after just 4 km​. The route then loops through rural roads via Brosna before arriving in Knocknagoshel, where the peloton must complete five laps of a local circuit around the “Four Crossroads,” each lap featuring a small categorised climb​. With a KOM prime on each lap (all Cat 5) and the final lap’s KOM at the finish line, aggressive climbers have multiple chances to attack​. After the circuit, a sharp 600 m climb through Knocknagoshel village leads to the finish at the Community Centre​. This punchy stage, identical to the one won last year by George Kimber, is expected to produce a flurry of attacks – an early break could stick after Black Banks, and the uphill kick to the line should suit explosive puncheurs.

Stage 2 – Killarney to Portmagee (121.9 km, Road Race)

Saturday’s mountainous stage through South Kerry will be one of the race’s decisive days, featuring six categorised climbs. After a neutralised 9 km rollout from Killarney, the racing begins in the Gap of Dunloe area, quickly hitting the Lough Acoose climb (Cat 2). Riders then tackle the challenging Ballaghisheen Pass (Cat 1, 25–31 km). A brief respite on the Ring of Kerry road leads to Waterville, before the race heads onto the Skellig Ring to face Coom (Cat 2) and Cools (Cat 3). The day’s toughest climb, Coomanaspig Pass, comes at 91 km, offering spectacular views before a technical descent. Incredibly, the peloton climbs Cools (Cat 3) a second time at 97 km. The race finishes after looping through Portmagee, with a flat run-in that could favour a small group sprint or solo breakaway.

Stage 3 – Millstreet to Kerryman’s Table (119.6 km, Road Race)

Easter Sunday brings the “Queen Stage” from Millstreet, featuring challenging climbs and a summit finish. After a 2.3 km neutral start, the route initially heads toward Macroom over rolling roads and two laps via Clondrohid and Ballyvourney. The decisive action comes in the final third, first on the long Mushera climb (Cat 1, 8.5 km), followed by a rapid descent back near Millstreet. The finale climbs the historic Old Butter Road to Kerryman’s Table, a short, steep summit finish at around 300 m elevation. Expect significant gaps and climbers to dominate the battle for the stage and yellow jersey.

Stage 4 – Killorglin Circuit Race (113.0 km, Road Race)

The final stage on Easter Monday is a dynamic circuit race around Killorglin, renowned for its festive atmosphere and tricky finish. The race starts with three relatively flat laps (72 km total) through Beaufort, then returns to Killorglin for 10 laps of the 4.2 km Donal McKenna circuit, featuring repeated ascents to the town centre square. A Category 3 KOM prime is awarded atop this climb each lap, except the last, which leads directly to the finish. The repetitive short climb creates a decisive challenge, ideal for sprinters or resilient all-rounders. With tight, urban racing and huge crowds, Stage 4 promises an exciting conclusion to Rás Mumhan 2025.

Domestic riders to watch

Foran CT

Foran CT comes in as arguably the strongest British squad, led by 26-year-old Dom Jackson, the surprise hero of last year’s Rás Tailteann. A former rower turned domestic cycling powerhouse, Jackson won that 2024 edition in the closest finish in the race’s history, fending off two Irish rivals who were tied with him on time. His victory – achieved by aggressively marking every attack on the final stage – cemented Jackson’s status as a formidable stage racer. He’s a well-rounded rouleur who can climb punchy Irish hills and still pack a decent sprint, making him an ideal GC threat on Rás Mumhan’s rolling and hilly terrain.

Jackson will be backed by a capable Foran support crew. Notably, Ryan Christensen, a former pro with New Zealand’s Bolton Equities Black Spoke and Britain’s Canyon dhb team, brings a wealth of experience. Christensen is a strong all-rounder who can help control the race and set Jackson up when the decisive moves fly. Alexandre Mayer, Tobias Dalhaus and Robin Mould provide a further blend firepower and experience.

Spirit Racing Team

Spirit Racing Team is spearheaded by the in-form George Kimber, one of the revelations of the 2024 season. Kimber was recently crowned The British Continental’s Domestic Rider of the Year after an outstanding campaign that saw him win the National Road Series overall title. Crucially, he already knows how to win at Rás Mumhan – he grabbed a stage victory on the opening day of last year’s race, seizing the yellow jersey in the process. Kimber is a versatile rouleur-climber who thrives in aggressive racing. He isn’t the type to wait for things to happen; he makes them happen. Whether it’s a long-range break or an uphill sprint from a select group, Kimber’s tactical intelligence and punchy finish make him a genuine contender for stage wins and even the overall GC.

Backing Kimber is a mix of youth and experience on Spirit. Seasoned domestique John Appleby will help marshal the troops, while young Charlie McFadzean provides enthusiasm. The team also features under-23 Álvaro Triviño Martinez, a guest rider from London Dynamo, a lightweight climber who could come to the fore on the steeper ascents. Another name on the squad, Mathys Venter, has a reputation as a strong finisher in UK crits. Spirit’s real ace is Kimber, though. Having narrowly missed out on the win at the East Cleveland Classic last weekend, Kimber is clearly in good shape.

Ride Revolution Coaching 

One of the newer British squads on the scene, Ride Revolution Coaching is led by its founder Jake Hales – a veteran of the domestic circuit who doubles as team manager and racer. A former UCI Continental rider, Hales knows how to pace a stage race. Among Hales’s protégé riders, 23-year-old Joe Adlam-Cook is one to watch. Adlam-Cook is a developing all-rounder who has shown flashes of climbing talent and time trial ability – he’s even won a university hill climb in the past, indicating a penchant for uphill efforts. The rest of the Ride Revolution lineup includes sprinter Blake Roberts, known for his kick on the UK crit scene, and youngsters Caleb Pain and Alex Pickering. Pickering, 22, has a time trialing background and won the RTTC National Road Bike Championship last weekend, so is clearly in great shape.

TAAP Kalas 

A stalwart of the British scene, TAAP Kalas lines up with a balanced squad of youth and experience. Their standout is Ollie Hucks, a 26-year-old who was the team’s top performer last season and will relish the opportunity to chase a stage victory. Alongside him is new signing Sam Kettlewell, an under-23 talent who impressed with a top-five in the PNE National B Road Race last year. Another rider to note is Hamish Strachan, whose racing experience in Spain last season adds a useful international edge to the squad. Cameron McLaren, a stage winner at the Totnes Vire earlier this month, and Lance Childs add further depth to the squad.

Halesowen Academy – Mapei

Don’t be fooled by the “academy” tag – Halesowen’s squad has a secret weapon in the form of Will Truelove, who joins as a guest rider from the Muc-Off–SRCT–Storck team. Truelove, 23, is one of Britain’s hottest young talents on the road. Just last season he stormed to an impressive 2nd place at the Beaumont Trophy, one of England’s hardest one-day races, and hasn’t finished lower than 5th yet in a road race in 2025. Those results speak to a rider with both endurance and a finishing kick. The team also includes Piers Mahn, who took an impressive second overall at the Totnes Vire earlier this month and Luke Mannings, a first-year under-23 with Junior Tour of Ireland experience. Harry Howlett and Dan Ascroft round out the lineup.

Other domestic riders to watch

Irish team Spellman Dublin Port has bolstered its roster with two standout British guests from Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli, making them a de facto Anglo-Irish alliance to watch. Chief among them is Tom Armstrong, whose 2024 season was a model of consistency and grit. The 30-year-old Armstrong isn’t a pure climber or sprinter – instead, he’s a classic rouleur with an engine that never quits. He finished 4th overall in both the British National Road Series and National Circuit Series last year, underlining his versatility. Alongside Armstrong, 26-year-old Tom Martin gives Spellman a potent one-two British punch. Martin is an aggressive rider with a knack for timing the right move. He showcased this perfectly at Rás Tailteann last year, when he attacked out of a breakaway and sprinted to a stage win on Stage 4. That victory highlighted Martin’s tactical nous and fast finish. Third in this race last year, Martin will be hoping to go even better this time around.

The “Composite Black” team brings together an eclectic mix of riders from various British squads, and they’ve got serious firepower in their guest trio. Monte Guerrini of Le Col Race Team is one name that jumps out. At 27, Guerrini is known on the UK scene for his dominance in circuit races – an incredible 11 crit wins in 2024 testify to his top-end speed. Just a few weeks ago, he proved he’s more than a short-circuit specialist by winning the Royal Navy Cup road race in a two-up breakaway sprint. Alongside Guerrini is his recent breakaway companion Jamie Whitcher (from Bournemouth Cycleworks). At 21, Whitcher is an under-23 rider known for time-trial prowess – put him on the front and he can tap out a brutal pace. In that same Royal Navy Cup race, Whitcher matched Guerrini pedal stroke for pedal stroke, only losing in the final sprint and taking second. He’s a rider with a big engine who isn’t afraid to attack. Rounding out the Composite Black trio of guest stars is Alex Franks of Raptor Factory Racing. At just 19, Franks is the youngest of the bunch but carries an impressive junior pedigree. He once won a stage of the Aubel-Stavelot junior tour and even took victory in the junior Boucles de l’Oise in France – results that mark him out as a talented climber/puncheur. After a quiet 2024 where he briefly stepped away from racing, Franks is on the comeback trail and eager to prove himself again.

Local club team Burren CC has drafted in Finn McHenry (Edinburgh Bike Fitting) as a guest, and he’s a Brit (by way of Northern Ireland) that British fans will recognise as a burgeoning talent. McHenry, 20, made headlines in the UK last season with a breakout ride at the Lancaster Grand Prix – in his first ever National Road Series race, he infiltrated the early break, swept up mountain points, and hung on to finish fourth against a stacked field. A slightly built rider and an aerospace engineering student off the bike, McHenry has turned into a real climber with a penchant for aggressive racing.