Will Perrett (DAS Richardsons) has won stage 2 of Rás Tailteann on a day when the field exploded during 170.9km of very tough racing from Charlestown into Clifden, Co Galway.
Yellow jersey Tim Shoreman (Wheelbase-Cabtech-Castelli) missed the select group, though Irish rider Odhrán Doogan (Cycling Ulster) made the cut - after a prolonged hard chase by his small group.
And that means Doogan is now the new leader of the race; a huge day for the 21-year-old and his team.
He has deservedly taken the most coveted yellow jersey in Irish cycling after riding out of his socks on the opening two stages, including being in the breakaway yesterday and still getting up in the bunch sprint that decided stage 1 into Boyle.
Today, Ireland's Cian Keogh (Team Skyline) showed real character in putting in a huge effort to try and win the stage after being in great form on the home scene this season where he has taken four victories.
Advertisement
Keogh attacked from the leading group, of about 18 riders, in the final 2km, with Perrett sensing the danger and going after him. When they hit a drag just before the finish, British rider Perrett pressed on alone as Keogh went back to the chasing group.
Perrett rode flat-out for the line, where he celebrated victory just a few seconds ahead of the chasers, with two Irish riders in the top four today.
Will Perrett, Richardsons Trek DAS, Stage 2 winner. pic.twitter.com/xX7sTBQk7I
— Rás Tailteann (@rastailteann) May 22, 2025
Josh Charlton (Great Britain) was 2nd with new yellow jersey Odhrán Doogan (Cycling Ulster) 3rd and former race winner Daire Feeley (Burren CC) placing 4th. Charlton, Doogan and Feeley missed the key move of the day only to get across in a chasing group very close to the finish.
How it unfold | Race explodes
Related News
Though the start of the stage was characterised by the traditional frantic attacking of most Rás Tailteann stages - with yellow jersey Tim Shoreman even trying his hand about 30km in - it took some time for a group to stick.
And when a breakaway became established, it was on the approach to Windy Gap - the cat 1 ascent crested 50km into the stage. The attack numbered just two riders; Josh Charlton (Team GB) and George Peden (PB Performance).
They built an advantage of 45 seconds and led up and over the climb, with Peden taking the honours from Charlton. Behind them - at less than 30 seconds - the Team Ireland duo of Dean Harvey and Jamie Meehan were 4th and 6th on the climb, suggesting they were on a good day.
A group of almost 20 initially formed after the climb, including yellow jersey Shoreman, chasing the two leaders. Harvey (Team Ireland) and former stage winner Kevin McCambridge (Cycling Ulster) attacked from that group and got across to Peden and Charlton, making for four up front.
However, though the peloton was at one point over a minute behind the four leaders, the race regrouped, to form a peloton of about 65 men, with approximately 80km covered. Another group - of about 45 riders - was well over three minutes down, with four climbs still to come.
As the riders approached Tuar Mhac Éadaigh, with about 90km completed, seven riders got up the road.
Cian Keogh (Team Skyline) was leading solo for a period but was eventually caught by six chasers: William Perrett (DAS Richardsons), Charlton (Team GB), Cormac McGeough (Canel’s Java), Sebastian Brenes (Canel’s Java), Maxime Richard (Good Guys Racing) and Ronan Tuomey (O'Leary Stone Kanturk).
However, they were recaptured by the bunch by the time the race crested the Cill Dubh, cat 2 climb, after 120.7km, where Team Ireland's Meehan led the way.
At that point, 15 men formed a breakaway/select group including: George Kimber (Isle of Man), Adam Lewis (Team Skyline), Josh Housley (Primera-TeamJobs), Cian Keogh (Team Skyline), Matteo Cigala (Dan Morrissey Pissei), Maxime Richard and Satchel Kim (Good Guys NY), Sebastian Brenes (Canel’s Java), William Perrett (DAS Richardsons), Jamie Meehan (Team Ireland), Danny Riwnyj (Foran CT), Aaron King (Wheelbase-Cabtech-Castelli), Harry McFarlane (Ride Revolution), John Buller (Banbridge CC), Ruairi Byrne (Team Ireland).
An eight-man group then formed behind them including yellow jersey Tim Shoreman (Wheelbase-Cabtech-Castelli) and last year's race winner, Dom Jackson (Foran CT). They were 33 seconds down with 25km to go. However, that gap soon began to creep out into the headwind, soon reaching almost 1:30.
Another group - first on the road after the leaders - then formed, containing: Jordan Giles (DAS Richardsons), Josh Charlton (Great Britain), George Peden (PB Performance), Cian Keogh (Team Skyline), Odhran Doogan (Cycling Ulster), Daire Feeley (Burren CC) and Matt Teggart (Banbridge).
The gap between the two groups was 25 seconds with 15km to go and gradually it closed further. However, though it came down to a matter of five or six seconds, with Feeley and Charlton driving on the chase, the gap remained very small, but not closing, for a long time. However, they eventually made the catch on the final run-in to the finish.
