Rowen Baker leads Rás Tailteann after British quartet stuns chasing peloton

Four riders against more than 50 didn’t seem like good odds towards the end of stage one of the Rás Tailteann in Kilmallock on Wednesday, but a quartet of Britons pulled off a big coup to stay clear. Rowen Baker (24) proved fastest, seizing the race lead when he led home Ewan Mackie (Cycling Connacht), Danylo Riwnyj (Foran CT) and Adam Lewis (APS Pro Cycling) in a frenzied sprint.

Rowen Baker leads Rás Tailteann after British quartet stuns chasing peloton. Four riders against more than 50 didn’t seem like good odds towards the end of stage one of the Rás Tailteann in Kilmallock on Wednesday, but a quartet of Britons pulled off a big coup to stay clear. Rowen Baker (24) proved fastest, seizing the race lead when he led home Ewan Mackie (Cycling Connacht), Danylo Riwnyj (Foran CT) and Adam Lewis (APS Pro Cycling) in a frenzied sprint. Irish riders Odhrán Doogan (Caldwell Powerhouse Racing) and Patrick O’Loughlin (Galway Bay Cycling Club) finished towards the fore of the chasing bunch, 46 seconds behind. “It is my first time doing the Rás and so it is really great on the first stage to be able to get the win and to be riding in yellow tomorrow,” said Baker. Lewis sparked off the key move at around the halfway point, l...