The Rás Tailteann made a very welcome return to the roads of Ireland yesterday for the first time since 2018. With a packed field - demand for places was at a high this year - and a massive cavalcade of support staff training behind, the field raced from Tallaght in west Dublin to Horse & Jockey in Co Tipperary.
Some of the riders are in it to win it and others are just happy to be living the dream for a week; racing their bikes for the five-stage race and making memories that will live a long time.
Photos by Sean Rowe, Lorraine O'Sullivan, Toby Watson
