Rás Mumhan kicks off Irish stage race cycling calendar in April

Rás Mumhan will once again make a return to the roads of Cork and Kerry over the Easter weekend in early April.

One of the highlights of this year's international event sees a return to the amphitheatre that is Killorglin, taking in the traditional Beaufort loop before they head on to the circuit around the town for ten laps with the finish on the main street up the hill.

This is the first major stage race of the Irish cycling calendar; the international event will take place over the four days of the Easter weekend from Friday, 7 April to Monday, 10 April.

The field comprising of the elite of Irish cycling will be challenged by Scottish and English squads and will ensure aggressive racing over the course taking in the rough terrain of the region where tactical decisions will determine the overall winner of this year’s edition.

New Race Director John Breen said: "This year’s event has been built on the success of 2022, the course has been designed to allow for aggressive racing from the outset, the geography of the route allows for no let-up in intensity and will certainly bring the hard men of the event to the fore as we enter the final stage that will be Killorglin."

Last year's winner, Lindsay Watson of Velo Revolution, will make a defence of his title, and will, no doubt, make a serious claim for the throne. He will be challenged by local riders who have laid their claim in the form of Tom Moriarty from Castlegregory who had a successful year in 2022 in the professional ranks, as well as Lorcan Daly of Milltown who is the current Munster criterium champion.

The final stage in Killorglin is a fitting tribute to the great John Mangan who won the Ras Tailtean in 1972.