Foreign riders take spoils at Rás Mumhan but young Irish break through

Gabriel Dellar of Ride Revolution Coaching leads home a 1-2-3 by the foreign riders on the final stage at Dornan Rás Mumhan, but there was plenty to cheer from an Irish perspective through the weekend (Photo: Caroline Kerley)

The foreign riders took the spoils on the final stage at Dornan Rás Mumhan in Killorglin today, Monday, and also claimed the overall victory. But there was plenty to cheer from an Irish perspective as a number of U23 riders, and emerging juniors, really proved themselves over the weekend of racing.

On today's final stage, concluding with the circuits of Killorglin, Gabriel Dellar (Ride Revolution Coaching) enjoyed a really strong ride and managed to succeed where others had failed; getting up the road and gaining a winning advantage.

The 24-year-old British rider stuck out for glory with Archie Peetm (O’Neills Spirit) with the best part of three laps to go. And though Jack Conroy (U23 Velo Performance) went close to getting across to them, after a long solo chase, he just came up short and was caught by the bunch.

Approaching Killorglin to take the bell, Dellar pushed on solo and when he began the final lap of the circuit, he was leading by 20 seconds from the bunch, the biggest gap he had enjoyed since the initial escape.

In the end, it was enough as he held on for a fine win. He was just four seconds up on the line taking victory 24 hours after finishing 2nd to Ireland's Curtis Neill (U23 Velo Performance) on the Kerryman's Table finish to stage 3.

Danylo Riwnjy of Foran CT took yellow on stage 2 and defended it really well over the past two days to win Dornan Rás Mumhan 2026 (Photo: Caroline Kerley)

Today, the bunch just behind sprinting for 2nd place, was led in by stage 2 winner, Dutchman Niek Hoornsman (West Frisia), from Lars Rouffaer (Limburg Cycling Selection).

Yellow jersey Danylo Riwnjy (Foran CT) was in that bunch and he took a deserved overall victory, especially after his incredible ride on stage 2 to bridge across to the winning move at the arguably the hardest point of the race.

For his efforts, Neill not only came away with a stage win, but was 2nd overall, some 56 seconds down on Riwnyj. Niek Hoornsman (West Frisia), who won stage 2, was 3rd overall, at 1:17.

Josh Callaly (U23 Velo Performance), who claimed victory on stage 1B from the breakaway, was 4th overall at 1:28. Hugh Óg Mulhearne (Dornan Cycling Munster) was 5th in GC, at 1:43 - a superb ride by the junior.

Liam Crowley (Orwell Wheelers) who took the yellow jersey from team mate Evan Keane on stage 1B, was 9th overall at 2:15. And Fionn Killeen (Shay Murphy Leinster) was 10th at 2:40 - a brilliant ride by the junior, especially as he took 3rd yesterday on the uphill finish.

Dellar also won the points classification, Hoornsman was king of the hills from stage 2 breakaway hero Lindsay Watson (Caldwell Powerhouse) and Crowley. Neill took the best young rider classification, with Callaly 2nd, with West Frisia best team; from Foran CT and U23 Velo Performance.

How the final stage unfolded

Earlier in the stage, before the winning move, a six-man group escaped and looked like it might having a fighting chance. In that move were: Liam Kilkenny (Galway Bay CC), Luke Keaney (Orwell Wheelers), Darnell Moore (Caldwell Powerhouse), Nico Annelli (Ride Revolution) and Sebastian Robles (West Frisia).

Galway Bay’s Kilkenny started that move with a solo effort, on the Beaufort circuit, before the laps of Killorglin, with the others getting across to him.

However, their advantaged reach a maximum of just over 30 seconds. And when Keaney and Annelli lost their places up front, cutting the breakaway to four, the leaders were under pressure. They were caught just before the final circuits began.

There was plenty more attacking before the winning move eventually went clear. Among those on the move off the front were: Mitchell McLaughlin (Burren CC), Ruairi Byrne (UCD Cycling Club) and Hugh Óg Mulhearne (Dornan Cycling Munster), among others.

However, that was all just a prelude to the winning move, by Dellar and Peet, before the former pressed on to win solo and the Dutch and British riders claimed 2nd and 3rd after proving fastest in the bunch sprint.

Niall McLoughlin (West Covey Wheelers), a stage winner on this race as a junior back in 2022, was first Irishman home today. His 4th place was a reminder of his talents.

Former national criterium John Buller (Burren CC), was 7th, with Patrick O’Loughlin (O’Leary Stone Kanturk CC) 9th. Junior rider Fionn Killeen (Shay Murphy Leinster Development) rounded off a breakthrough weekend with 10th on the stage.

Similarly, junior rider Hugh Óg Mulhearne (Dornan Cycling Munster), who was on the attack today, produced a really strong performance this weekend, looking every bit as good as the C1 riders in the country.

For others, the weekend may have an even greater transformative effect. The U23 Velo Performance team mates, Josh Callaly and Curtis Neill, took the biggest wins of their careers, on stages 1 and 3 respectively.

And though they have been respected road riders for a number of seasons, and have both won races on the Irish scene, their victories were bigger than anything they have achieved in the past. And that’s something they should take great confidence from.