Matt Teggart will take it day-by-day in search for Rás glory 

Matt Teggart summits Mamore Gap (2nd from right) in the 2017 race. ©INPHO/Morgan Treacy

It's 24 years since an Irishman has won the Ras but Matt Teggart is one of a number of home-grown talents who might just end that drought this week.

The 26-year old from Banbridge comes from one of the more well-known Irish cycling families - his late grandfather Noel rode in the 1972 summer Olympics in Munich - and how ´Matty´ would dearly love to become the first Irishman since Stephen Gallagher in 2008 to win overall.

Teggart is a former stage winner from 2017 and knows the race very well having ridden it twice already. Five years ago he was heralded as one of the country´s really promising young talents and his sprint win into Bundoran against a stellar field packed with international talent underlined his potential.

He would go on to finish ninth overall that year and though a step up to the World Tour never materialised for him, he is still a force to be reckoned with on his day.

“I´m going into the race in pretty good shape, I´m going well,” he said confidently ahead of today´s 140-kilometre opening stage from Tallaght to Horse and Jockey.

“We have an exceptionally strong (Cycling Ulster) team, arguably the strongest in the race with plenty of cards to play and plenty of options.” Teggart has been riding well this season, dominating the National Road Series by winning the three races he´s entered and performing strongly in UCI-ranked races with his WiV SunGod team.

He was fourth in the recent Paris – Troyes in France and forms part of a strong five-man lineup that also includes Kerry Group Ras Mumhan winner Lindsay Watson, Gareth O´Neill, Conor Halvey and Darnell Moore.

“It's going to be so unpredictable, especially being an amateur race. I'm expecting five days of just uncontrollable, unpredictable racing so for me, I think I just have to race it from the front, treat it as five one-day races and not think about the overall (GC) too much.” 

Asked if being one of the favourites will change his approach he said, “No, you just have to be aggressive and take it day by day.

“It's only five days, with small teams and relatively short stages so my objective will be to split it up and race hard and just be on the attack as much as I can.” Among those likely to challenge him are a number of other home-based riders like runner-up in last year´s National Championships Daire Feeley and Irish international Rory Townsend, a teammate of Teggart´s at WiV SunGod.

EvoPro Racing have huge ambition as they were one of just two UCI-ranked teams permitted to enter the race by Cycling Ireland. They lost their main GC hope Conn McDunphy to Covid last week but in Mitchel McLaughlin, Liam Curley, Tom Moriarty, JB Murphy and Cian Keogh they have five very ambitious and capable young riders.

While the race lacks the same level of quality as before - owing to losing its UCI status, there will be international teams from Spain, Holland, USA and the UK among the 175-strong peloton this year.

It´s also been shortened to five days from eight, which may look like an easier race on paper, but that doesn´t mean the exchanges will be any less fierce.

Today´s opener will see time bonuses awarded for the first three over the line at Hot Spot sprints at Dunlavin after 33km, Athy after 60km and Urlingford (122km), meaning a furious chase to get in the day´s break.

These sprints may decide who takes home the first yellow jersey of the Rás, while the first mountains jersey of the race will be decided on the ascents of Glasna after 75km and the second-category Deenside after 93km before the peloton are expected at Horse and Jockey around 2pm.

The forecast is for south-westerly tailwind and only a small chance of rain, meaning a lightning quick stage.

Three young guns to keep an eye on 

Archie Ryan (20): The Wicklow youngster normally races with the development team attached to the WorldTour Jumbo Visma squad, but is this week on the five-man Irish National team. He is a promising talent with huge climbing ability. The race will likely be too ´easy´ for him with only eight categorised climbs, so his focus will be on learning as much as he can. And he should get a good education with former world track champion and Cycling Ireland coach Martyn Irvine calling the shots from the team car this week.

Kevin McCambridge (20): An up and coming rider who can climb and time-trial very well. He´s part of the Trinity Racing team managed by a certain Nicolas Roche this week, and along with fellow Irishman Matthew Devins he can do some damage.

JB Murphy (23): More known as a quality track rider, his bronze at the Scratch Race at the Euros last year was a breakthrough ride that illustrated his class. Domestically, he has taken some huge wins over the years - a stage at Kerry Group Ras Mumhan in 2019 and the Tour of Ulster a year later. The Ras is a perfect style of racing for his own gritty approach, and he should challenge for a stage or two.

STAGE DETAILS:

Stage 1: Wednesday June 15 – Tallaght Stadium to Horse and Jockey (140.1km) Stage 2: Thursday June 16 – Horse and Jockey – Castleisland (154.8km) Stage 3: Friday June 17 – Castleisland to Lisdoonvarna (173.8km) Stage 4: Saturday June 18 – Lisdoonvarna to Kilbeggan (154.1km) Stage 5: Sunday June 19 – Kinnegad to Blackrock (135.3km)