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Boost to Irish cycling calendar as Rás Mumhan stage race returns at Easter

Race will be over four stages in Kerry with spectator-friendly finish

Ben Healy won the last staging of the Kerry Group Rás Mumhan in 2019. Photograph: Bryan Keane/Inpho

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Shane Stokes
Thu Jan 20 2022 - 20:17

Three years after it was last held, the Kerry Group Rás Mumhan will again be fought out this Easter Weekend. The four-day race was cancelled in 2020 and again last year due to the Covid pandemic but is set to return this year with stages in Kerry and Cork.

It will begin on April 15th with a 90 kilometre stage starting and finishing in Tralee. The following day is the longest stage in the race, a 120 kilometre leg from Killarney to Sneem, which the Easter Sunday stage 10 kilometres shorter and starting and finishing in Knocknagree. The event will then conclude on Easter Monday with a 96 kilometre battle based out of Knocknagashel.

The Killorglin Cycling Club was previously heavily involved in the organisation, but those behind the race indicated in 2020 that they would give up the role and hand the event over to a new group. Plans to run the 2021 event in Tipperary did not come to pass and the stage race now returns to Kerry, with previous sponsors the Kerry Group again backing the contest.

Daithí Creedon is the new race director and said that there will be an emphasis on terrain which will open up possibilities for more of the riders in the peloton.

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“This year’s route will allow the riders to race every day, with undulating roads and deliberately staying away from big category one climbs,” he said. “This will open up the race for aggressive racing. Stage four will be a spectator-friendly stage and will be a great finale to KGRM 2022.”

Race entries will be open to senior and junior riders. Registration will begin next month.

Ben Healy (Team Ireland) won in 2019. He signed a WorldTour contract last autumn and will make his debut with the EF Education-EasyPost team in the coming weeks.

Kerry Group Rás Mumhan 2022

April 15th, Stage 1: Tralee-Annascaul-Castlemaine-Tralee, 90km

April 16th, Stage 2: Killarney-Killorglin-Ballaghisheen-Sneem, 120km

April 17th, Stage 3: Knocknagree-Rathmore-Kishkeam-Knocknagree, 110km

April 18th, Stage 4: Knocknagashel-Headleys Bridge-O'Leary's Cross-Knocknagashel, 96km

Kerry GroupBen HealyDaithi Creedon