Rás na mBan 2025

Team lined up for stage 1 of Rás na mBan.

Riders with Jonathan O'Brien (event sponsor and Orwell member) at the start in Portlaoise

Yvonne, Rihanna, Ivan (manager), Claire, Carmel

The whole crew before the Crit start

Yvonne in the Crit

Yvonne at the TT finish in the rain

Rihanna with her finisher's medal

Women of the Rás Claire and Yvonne

Yvonne

Claire

Rihanna

Stage 1

Ready for stage 1 of Rás na mBan. The rain has cleared and all set for a speedy 70km to Freshford. Two QOMs, one sprint and lots of fun awaits.

Stage 2

Stage 2

A hard day in Rás na mBan with sun, torrential rain, thunder and all the rest of it. Carmel found the step up to this level of racing one step too hard and was off the pace early. She rode bravely to the finish and got a huge cheer! Rhianna lasted in the peloton until the halfway point and then rode in with a Team Ireland rider who has suffered a bad mechanical. Heaps of learning and a strong day out. Yvonne was gapped on the first QOM and wouldn’t wait for the group behind! One rider bridged to her and they rode in together. Claire was unlucky to get caught up in the one big crash of the day: a punctured front wheel with the car caught behind the ambulances cost her dearly but she rode strongly to get back to within a minute of the second group on the road. Three riders ready to ride on through their baptism of fire in Kilkenny!

A seriously hard day on stage 2. First hour at 44kmh did some damage. A big crash on the descent from the QOM led to a puncture for Claire. All in safely, thankfully, with only a new tyre needed. Onwards!

Stage 3

Stage 4

A great day on the road today. Good solid racing on a challenging course with all our riders in the bunch until the second QOM. When the field split, Yvonne and Rhianna were in the second group on the road which all held together until the final dash to the line up The Rower. In group one Claire was unlucky to get caught behind a small crash with under 10km to go and the effort to get back on left her empty for the final climb. A very respectable 40th on the day. And all set for the TT and final crit tomorrow.

I O’B