‘I just got a bit lucky I think’ – Alex Pritchard delights in opening stage win of 2024 Rás Tailteann

Pritchard went clear with compatriot Dominic Jackson and Clare man Paul Kennedy, riding for the US Skyline–Cadence team, after around 30km of racing.

With a strong tailwind behind them, Kennedy took the opening Hot Spot sprint in Birr after 29km and the trio had around a minute lead by the time Jackson outclimbed Pritchard to the summit of the third category John Caulfield Memorial Bike Park after 40km.

Jackson repeated the feat on the climb of Birdhill, after 93km, to earn himself the first Irish Independent King of the Mountains jersey of the race, while the unorganised peloton were now four minutes back and scrambling to get their act together.

A last-minute chase, spearheaded mainly by the Irish national team, reduced the deficit to 23 seconds on the line but the gap was enough to give Pritchard the stage win and the first yellow jersey of Rás leader this year.

“I can’t believe that,” said Pritchard afterwards of his first day on the Rás. “I came here thinking it was going to be really hard. I wasn’t wrong but I didn’t expect that break to stick.

“The boys behind did a really good job blocking. It got a bit ‘cat and mouse’ in the end and I just got a bit lucky I think. The other two were pretty strong in the sprint. In the last kilometre I went at the bottom of the centre and just held the gap. I can’t believe that!”

Defending champion Dillon Corkery led the peloton over the line for fourth with Ireland teammate Ódhran Doogan fifth.

Carlow’s Matteo Cigala was best county rider in seventh place on the stage.

Today’s second stage begins in Kanturk and features six categorised climbs, including the tough category one ascent of Ballaghasheen Pass and the category two climbs of Coomakista en-route to the finish in Sneem.