After Kimber’s triumph, a new chapter awaits at Rás Tailteann 2026
The 71st edition of Rás Tailteann will return to the Wicklow Mountains for the first time in eight years as organisers unveil a five-stage, 785km route for 2026, a parcours that blends tradition, technical finishes and the kind of terrain that has shaped careers for more than seven decades.
The organisers of the 71st edition of Rás Tailteann have unveiled a five-day, 785-kilometre route that returns the race to some of its most storied terrain – and sets the stage for another chapter in a race steeped in heritage.
George Kimber claimed overall victory in 2025, lifting the famous George Plant Trophy and writing his name into a roll of honour that stretches back more than seven decades. With the 2026 route now unveiled – and Kimber having stepped up to a French team this season – the question becomes who will seize the opportunity next.
The race runs from 20–24 May 2026 and will begin in Portlaoise, Co Laois, before travelling through Kerry, Cork, Wexford, Wicklow and Meath across five stages and 21 categorised climbs.
Race director Ger Campbell described the route as a balance between “tradition and innovation”, with a deliberate return to areas that have defined the modern Rás – particularly the Wicklow Mountains, absent for eight years.
Stage 2 into Banteer and Stage 4 into Baltinglass stand out as the likely crucibles. The former packs six categorised climbs into 182.9km through Kerry and West Cork, including the famed Caha Pass and Gougane Gap. The latter is pure Rás folklore: eight categorised ascents, including the Category 1 climbs of Drumgoff / Shay Elliott Memorial and the Wicklow Gap, before a fast run-in to Baltinglass.
The opening stage to Kilmallock offers a rolling finale after a largely flat first half, while Stage 3 into Enniscorthy features a twisting, technical route and an uphill finish where seconds will be hard-earned. The organisers have confirmed that the final 3km rule will not apply on that stage.
The final day begins in Carlow before heading across the plains of Kildare and into Dunboyne, where three laps of a demanding 15km circuit will crown the 2026 champion. Flat in profile, rarely straightforward in execution.
George Kimber wins the 2025 Rás Tailteann. Image: Lorraine O’Sullivan
For British teams, the Rás remains a rite of passage. It is one of the few traditional stage races within reach logistically, yet demanding enough to test depth, cohesion and tactical maturity.
Kimber’s 2025 triumph reinforced that pathway. The 2026 edition – compact, mountainous and laced with technical finishes – offers another opportunity for riders seeking to prove they can handle the singular demands of Irish stage racing: narrow roads, unpredictable weather, and an atmosphere that feels closer to the sport’s past than its polished present.
If Wicklow delivers as it so often does, the general classification may be decided on the slopes of Shay Elliott or the Wicklow Gap. But as ever with the Rás, nothing is secure until the final circuit is done.
The organisers of the 71st edition of Rás Tailteann have unveiled a five-day, 785-kilometre route that returns the race to some of its most storied terrain – and sets the stage for another chapter in a race steeped in heritage.
George Kimber claimed overall victory in 2025, lifting the famous George Plant Trophy and writing his name into a roll of honour that stretches back more than seven decades. With the 2026 route now unveiled – and Kimber having stepped up to a French team this season – the question becomes who will seize the opportunity next.
The race runs from 20–24 May 2026 and will begin in Portlaoise, Co Laois, before travelling through Kerry, Cork, Wexford, Wicklow and Meath across five stages and 21 categorised climbs.
Race director Ger Campbell described the route as a balance between “tradition and innovation”, with a deliberate return to areas that have defined the modern Rás – particularly the Wicklow Mountains, absent for eight years.
Stage 2 into Banteer and Stage 4 into Baltinglass stand out as the likely crucibles. The former packs six categorised climbs into 182.9km through Kerry and West Cork, including the famed Caha Pass and Gougane Gap. The latter is pure Rás folklore: eight categorised ascents, including the Category 1 climbs of Drumgoff / Shay Elliott Memorial and the Wicklow Gap, before a fast run-in to Baltinglass.
The opening stage to Kilmallock offers a rolling finale after a largely flat first half, while Stage 3 into Enniscorthy features a twisting, technical route and an uphill finish where seconds will be hard-earned. The organisers have confirmed that the final 3km rule will not apply on that stage.
The final day begins in Carlow before heading across the plains of Kildare and into Dunboyne, where three laps of a demanding 15km circuit will crown the 2026 champion. Flat in profile, rarely straightforward in execution.
For British teams, the Rás remains a rite of passage. It is one of the few traditional stage races within reach logistically, yet demanding enough to test depth, cohesion and tactical maturity.
Kimber’s 2025 triumph reinforced that pathway. The 2026 edition – compact, mountainous and laced with technical finishes – offers another opportunity for riders seeking to prove they can handle the singular demands of Irish stage racing: narrow roads, unpredictable weather, and an atmosphere that feels closer to the sport’s past than its polished present.
If Wicklow delivers as it so often does, the general classification may be decided on the slopes of Shay Elliott or the Wicklow Gap. But as ever with the Rás, nothing is secure until the final circuit is done.
Featured image: Lorraine O’Sullivan
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