Adam Lewis (APS Pro Cycling) takes the yellow jersey of the 2026 Rás Tailteann after stage two, as Tim Shoreman (Wheelbase CabTech Castelli) wins a six-up sprint in Banteer for his fourth career Rás stage.
Adam Lewis (APS Pro Cycling) leads the 2026 Rás Tailteann after stage two, riding into yellow on a hard day through Kerry and Cork that ended in a six-rider sprint won by Tim Shoreman (Wheelbase CabTech Castelli) in Banteer on Thursday, his fourth career Rás stage win.
The 184.7-kilometre route from Rathmore to Banteer carried six categorised climbs — Morley’s Bridge, the Caha Pass, Glengarriff, the Coughane Gap, Cuan Mhuire and Lyre — threaded together with the Tunnel Road and other unclassified terrain. It was always going to be more selective than the opener.
A dangerous early break got up the road, containing APS Pro Cycling’s Matthew Walls, who would go on to take second on both Cat 2 climbs and finish the day second in the KOM standings. APS were therefore covered and untroubled by the move. The bunch eventually brought it back with around 40 kilometres remaining, and the race entered a punishing closing hour.
Image: Lorraine O’Sullivan
Liam Crowley (Team Ireland) was the day’s most consistent presence on the climbs, taking both Cat 2 primes — the Caha Pass and Coughane Gap — to ride himself into the Irish Independent King of the Mountains jersey by the finish. Walls was second on each, and Karl Hall (Hucare Factory) was a regular podium presence too. Lewis, who had worn the climber’s jersey overnight, picked up the maximum at the day’s final classified climb at Lyre.
Inside the final ten kilometres, the decisive selection took shape. O’Connor — chasing a home victory for the Kanturk team — went clear with McDunphy and Shoreman, and were later joined by Lewis, Martin and Dike. A chase group containing Niek Hoornsman (West-Frisia), Matteo Cigala (Dan Morrissey), Zach Walker (Isle of Man CC), Tadhg Killeen (Cycling Leinster) and Daire Feeley (Burren CC) would come in 46 seconds back, with Danylo Riwnyj (Foran CT) a beat behind that.
The composition of the leading six suited Shoreman. With Martin still alongside him and the GC shifting behind, he had the cover and the experience to make the opportunity count. O’Connor came within sight of a popular local win, but Shoreman had the finish, taking the stage and moving into second overall at 34 seconds.
Image: Lorraine O’Sullivan
Lewis’s fourth place was enough to take yellow. He has now been in the front group for both of the race’s decisive selections — a useful habit in a race where seconds can be made less by domination than by repeated attention. Lewis, who races full-time on the US UCI Continental scene with APS Pro Cycling, also gives the British presence at the front of this race an unusual texture: three different teams from three different countries — Wheelbase from the UK, Isle of Man CC, and APS from the US — all carrying British riders.
O’Connor’s second place takes him into both the Spin 11 U23 leader’s jersey and the Sport Ireland Irish County Rider classification, ahead of Walker and Cigala respectively. APS Pro Cycling, with three riders in the top six on the stage, also now lead the team classification from Wheelbase at 45 seconds.
Rowan Baker (Isle of Man CC) ceded the race lead but remains part of a strong Isle of Man presence, with Walker also involved deep into the finale. After two stages, the Rás has a distinctly British thread running through it: Baker first into yellow, Shoreman a stage winner again, Martin in the move, and Lewis now leading overall — three British riders inside the top six on general classification.
Image: Lorraine O’Sullivan
Speaking to the Irish Cycling Hub after the stage, Shoreman framed the win as something Wheelbase had been chasing since the opening day. “I’m super happy to have won the stage today,” he said. “Yesterday was a real hard day and a big disappointment because we came here to take yellow on the first day and, unfortunately, we didn’t make that. But we’ve more than made up for it today on the long stage.” The win itself, Shoreman said, was something of a surprise: “I thought it was all gone halfway through, but it came back together, we went over the top, and job done.”
Lewis, also speaking to the Irish Cycling Hub, was direct about how the race had unfolded for APS. “A dangerous group went early doors but we never panicked — we had Matthew represented in it,” he said. “Then it all came back together with about 40 kilometres to go and it was a hard final hour. We got a good group of 10 or 12 of us over one of the final KOMs and it just worked well together. Coming into the final it kind of split in two and I was on the right side of it, fortunately. KOM got third, I got fourth on stage, and I think I’m into yellow. So, happy days.”
Adam Lewis (APS Pro Cycling) leads the 2026 Rás Tailteann after stage two, riding into yellow on a hard day through Kerry and Cork that ended in a six-rider sprint won by Tim Shoreman (Wheelbase CabTech Castelli) in Banteer on Thursday, his fourth career Rás stage win.
Featured image: Lorraine O’Sullivan
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The 184.7-kilometre route from Rathmore to Banteer carried six categorised climbs — Morley’s Bridge, the Caha Pass, Glengarriff, the Coughane Gap, Cuan Mhuire and Lyre — threaded together with the Tunnel Road and other unclassified terrain. It was always going to be more selective than the opener.
A dangerous early break got up the road, containing APS Pro Cycling’s Matthew Walls, who would go on to take second on both Cat 2 climbs and finish the day second in the KOM standings. APS were therefore covered and untroubled by the move. The bunch eventually brought it back with around 40 kilometres remaining, and the race entered a punishing closing hour.
Liam Crowley (Team Ireland) was the day’s most consistent presence on the climbs, taking both Cat 2 primes — the Caha Pass and Coughane Gap — to ride himself into the Irish Independent King of the Mountains jersey by the finish. Walls was second on each, and Karl Hall (Hucare Factory) was a regular podium presence too. Lewis, who had worn the climber’s jersey overnight, picked up the maximum at the day’s final classified climb at Lyre.
Inside the final ten kilometres, the decisive selection took shape. O’Connor — chasing a home victory for the Kanturk team — went clear with McDunphy and Shoreman, and were later joined by Lewis, Martin and Dike. A chase group containing Niek Hoornsman (West-Frisia), Matteo Cigala (Dan Morrissey), Zach Walker (Isle of Man CC), Tadhg Killeen (Cycling Leinster) and Daire Feeley (Burren CC) would come in 46 seconds back, with Danylo Riwnyj (Foran CT) a beat behind that.
The composition of the leading six suited Shoreman. With Martin still alongside him and the GC shifting behind, he had the cover and the experience to make the opportunity count. O’Connor came within sight of a popular local win, but Shoreman had the finish, taking the stage and moving into second overall at 34 seconds.
Lewis’s fourth place was enough to take yellow. He has now been in the front group for both of the race’s decisive selections — a useful habit in a race where seconds can be made less by domination than by repeated attention. Lewis, who races full-time on the US UCI Continental scene with APS Pro Cycling, also gives the British presence at the front of this race an unusual texture: three different teams from three different countries — Wheelbase from the UK, Isle of Man CC, and APS from the US — all carrying British riders.
O’Connor’s second place takes him into both the Spin 11 U23 leader’s jersey and the Sport Ireland Irish County Rider classification, ahead of Walker and Cigala respectively. APS Pro Cycling, with three riders in the top six on the stage, also now lead the team classification from Wheelbase at 45 seconds.
Rowan Baker (Isle of Man CC) ceded the race lead but remains part of a strong Isle of Man presence, with Walker also involved deep into the finale. After two stages, the Rás has a distinctly British thread running through it: Baker first into yellow, Shoreman a stage winner again, Martin in the move, and Lewis now leading overall — three British riders inside the top six on general classification.
Speaking to the Irish Cycling Hub after the stage, Shoreman framed the win as something Wheelbase had been chasing since the opening day. “I’m super happy to have won the stage today,” he said. “Yesterday was a real hard day and a big disappointment because we came here to take yellow on the first day and, unfortunately, we didn’t make that. But we’ve more than made up for it today on the long stage.” The win itself, Shoreman said, was something of a surprise: “I thought it was all gone halfway through, but it came back together, we went over the top, and job done.”
Lewis, also speaking to the Irish Cycling Hub, was direct about how the race had unfolded for APS. “A dangerous group went early doors but we never panicked — we had Matthew represented in it,” he said. “Then it all came back together with about 40 kilometres to go and it was a hard final hour. We got a good group of 10 or 12 of us over one of the final KOMs and it just worked well together. Coming into the final it kind of split in two and I was on the right side of it, fortunately. KOM got third, I got fourth on stage, and I think I’m into yellow. So, happy days.”
Stage 2 result — top 20
General classification after stage 2 — top 20
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