Rs Tailteann 2024. Stage 2 Kanturk-Sneem 23/5/2024Irelands Con McDunphy on the Skyline CADENCE team wins todays stagePic : Lorraine OSullivanRs Tailteann Stage 2Promoted by Cairde Rs TailteannStage 2 of Rs Tailteann took the riders from Kanturk to Sneem over a distance of 183.8KM.The stage was won by Conn McDunphy, an Irish man riding as part of the USA Skyline-CADENCE team with Liam OBrien from Team Ireland in second. George Peden from UK Team PB Performance finished third with Dillon Corkery from Team Ireland finishing fourth for the second consecutive day.Dom Jackson from UK Foran CT takes the yellow jersey with Liam OBrien from Team Ireland in second and Conn McDunphy from USA Skyline-CADENCE in third. All three riders are on the same time overall. Defending champion Dillon Corkery of Team Ireland finds himself in fifth overall with a deficit of 32 seconds.Logan Maclean of Killarney CC is the leader of the KOH competition, and Matteo Cigala is leading the Irish county rider competition.Rs Tailteann Stage 2 How it unfoldedAgain, the race kicked off from the 0.0KM signs at speeds in excess of 50km/h. Early crosswinds caused havoc, with riders losing contact from the off. The winds didnt deter attacks, as Daire Feeley (All Human VeloRevolution), Pete Cocker (Richardsons Trek DAS) and Gareth ONeill (Challenge CC) attacked inside the first 30KM but were quickly reeled back in. ONeill was quick to strike again as the race approached the first KOH of the day and took the points over the first CAT 3 in Scartaglin after 37.8KM. Conor McGoldrick (Richardsons Trek DAS), Jack Luke Marshall (Brocar Rali Ale) and Jude Taylor (Team PB Performance) were second, third and fourth over the line, respectively. ONeill was reeled in after the KOH.Over the next 15KM, the race was pretty steady until ONeill attacked again, bringing Mitchell McLaughlin (All Human VeloRevolution), Patton Sims (Good Guys Racing) and Conal Scully (Dan Morrissey Primor by Pissei) with him. At maximum, the riders had an advantage of 27 seconds but were reeled back in as the second KOH, a CAT 3 in Callinafersey loomed. Conor McGoldrick (Richardsons Trek DAS) led over the KOH, with Corkery (Team Ireland), Martin (Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli) and Laverick (Ribble Rebellion) behind in second, third and fourth.Lots of attacks over the next 20KM as the race passed through the cycling stronghold of Killorglin, but nothing managed to get away. Next up, was the CAT 3 Bunglasha KOH after 91.2KM. This time around, Logan Maclean (Killarnery CC) led over the top with McGoldrick (Richardson Trek DAS) in second. Tom Armstrong (Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli) and Ryan Christensen (Foran CT) were third and fourth over the KOH.Maclean led out front after the third KOH and took the pivotal 15 points at the top of the CAT 1 Ballaghasheen Pass. OBrien (Ireland), Warren Scanlon (Brocar Rali Ale), Jackson (Foran CT), Corkery (Ireland), Kimber (Spirit TBW Stuart Hall Cycling) and OConnor (Leinster) were second to seventh across the crest of the climb.The race was now completely decimated following the KOH with groups all over the road. A fast descent off Ballaghasheen helped to form a leading group of 27 riders who had a near three minute gap over the second group on the road, which included both the yellow jersey, Pritchard (Richardsons Trek DAS) and white jersey, Doogan (Team Ireland). This gap dwindled over the next 30 kilometres, falling to just 90 seconds as the riders had 50KM of racing remaining. McGoldrick (Richardsons Trek DAS) led over the Coomakista CAT 2 ahead of Jackson (Foran CT), Maclean (Killarney), OBrien (Ireland), Martin (Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli) and Shoreman (Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli).After the KOH, with approximately 40KM of racing remaining, Irishman Conn McDunphy of USA Team Skyline-CADENCE and Liam OBrien of Team Ireland attacked. Their gap over the chasing group grew to over a minute with the yellow jersey group a further minute behind as the race approached the finishing loop in Sneem. As the leaders approached the final KOH of the day, McDunphy and OBriens lead was now a minute and 40 seconds as the yellow jersey group closed rapidly on the chasers, only a further thirty seconds behind. OBrien led over the KOH, with McDunphy in second. Corkery of Team Ireland and Shoreman of Team Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli took third and fourth over the final KOH, respectively.As the race approached the finish in Sneem, the gap was dwindling rapidly but it was obvious that OBrien and McDunphy had done enough to stay away. Sure enough, McDunphy took the stage win into Sneem with OBrien in second at the same time. George Peden (Team PB Performance) won the sprint for third, with Corkery leading in the chasing group two seconds behind for fourth at a 32-second deficit.McDunphys win puts him in the FBD Stage Winner Jersey. Corkerys fourth place finish was enough to allow him lead the Citybreak Apartments Points Classification. Logan Maclean (Killarney CC)s win in the Ballaghasheen Pass KOH put him in the Irish Independent Mountains Jersey. Liam OBrien moves into the Spin 11 U23 Jersey, taking it from his teammate Odhran Doogan who was caught up in an earlier crash. For the second consecutive stage, Matteo Cigala was the first Irish County Rider home and wins the Festina award, along with retaining the Sport Ireland County Rider Jersey. While, Dom Jackson (Foran CT) takes over the Bective Stud Yellow Jersey classification but OBrien and McDunphy are chomping at the bit with the exact same time it truly still is all to play for.Photos by Lorraine OSullivan [See image gallery at www.irishcyclingnews.com] Results Stage 2Start List Stage 3The post Photos & Results: Stage 2 Rs Tailteann 2024 appeared first on IrishCyclingNews.com | Irish Cycling News | IrishCycling.