George Kimber scooped both the stage win and yellow jersey in Saturday’s penultimate stage of the Rás Tailteann, winning a three-man sprint after a dramatic day of racing to Mountrath.
The Isle of Man Cycling Club rider outsprinted Team Ireland’s Jamie Meehan and Dean Harvey. Those three plus Adam Lewis (USA Team Skyline) went clear of the other overall contenders on the category one Wolftrap climb, which topped out just 14 kilometres from the finish.
Lewis lost contact but the other three floored it to the line, reaching it almost half a minute ahead of the chasers. Kimber was then clearly quickest in the sprint, powering in ahead of Meehan and two seconds in front of Harvey.
Overnight race leader Odhran Doogan (Cycling Ulster) trailed in as part of the next group 28 seconds behind and yielded the yellow jersey as a result. It passed to Kimber, who had been fourth overall starting the stage.
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“I’m just so happy,” the later told RTÉ. “Obviously, with such a prestigious race, I’m taking a lot of pride right now. I’m sure it will take a while to sink in, but I’m just so happy to finally finish it off.”
Starting in Ennis, the stage was the shortest of the race at 128.1km. Several big breaks got clear, with one 14-rider move including Doogan, and a subsequent one including the 2024 Rás champion Dom Jackson (UK: Foran CT).
However, this was overhauled by Harvey, Meehan, Kimber and Lewis on the climb.
Team Ireland manager Martyn Irvine later said of the day’s tactics: “It was 99 per cent exactly how we wanted to go today. It’s bittersweet not getting the jersey, obviously.
“I knew our two lads are the best climbers in the race. We just had one strong guy we couldn’t get rid of, and it’s scuppered our plans. What should be a really good day feels really shit now, to be honest.”
Things are still very tight overall, with Kimber only holding a five-second advantage over Meehan. Doogan is at 22 seconds and there are 11 others within a minute, making things far from over.
Indeed Irvine knows well how things can change. Two years ago the-then Team Ireland rider Dillon Corkery went into the final stage seventh overall, 19 seconds off yellow.
Guided by Irvine from the team car, the Corkman got clear in a breakaway and finished over two and a half minutes clear of the main bunch and British race leader Conor McGoldrick. The dramatic late move won him the Rás. Irvine’s riders will try to follow the same template on Sunday.
“We’ve done it a couple years ago with Dillon,” he said. “So everything’s to play for. But we need some weather on our side. We want hard winds, that kind of day.”
The concluding stage of the Rás Tailteann leaves Kildare town just before noon on Sunday and covers 155.7 mainly flat kilometres to Bective. Kimber is in the driving seat now, but the final yellow jersey is far from decided.
Rás Tailteann Stage 4 results
Ennis to Mountrath: 1 George Kimber (Isle of Man Cycling Club) 2:39.47, 2 J Meehan (Team Ireland) same time, 3 D Harvey (Team Ireland) at 2 sec, 4 S Brenes (Mexico: Canel’s – Java) at 28 sec, 5 M Teggart (Down: Banbridge CC Specsavers)
General Classification: 1 George Kimber (Isle of Man Cycling Club) 13:35.13, 2 J Meehan (Team Ireland) at 5 sec, 3 O Doogan (Cycling Ulster) at 22 sec, 4 M Cigala (Carlow: Dan Morrissey Pissei) at 25 sec, 5 S Brenes (Mexico: Canel’s – Java) at 28 sec, 6 D Feeley (Clare: Burren CC) at 32 sec, 7 M Teggart (Down: Banbridge CC Specsavers) at 33 sec, 8 A Lewis (USA: Team Skyline), 9 M Richard (USA: Good Guys Racing NYC), 10 H Macfarlane (UK: Ride Revolution)
Points classification: Sebastian Brenes
Mountains: Adam Lewis
Under-23 rider: Jamie Meehan
Irish County rider: Odhran Doogan
Cycling Ireland Category 2: Ben Murphy
National/International Team: UK: DAS Richardsons
Irish County/Provincial Team: Down: Banbridge CC Specsavers
