Stage 1 Portlaoise to Kilmallock As it happenedRs Tailteann 2026 Stage 1 ReportStage 1 of the 2026 Rs Tailteann opened with an aggressive and nervous day of racing from Portlaoise to Kilmallock, as riders battled for position from the very start of the race. Early attacks repeatedly tried to establish a breakaway while the peloton remained tightly organised, unwilling to let dangerous moves gain too much time. The stage featured rolling terrain and several Category 3 climbs that gradually increased the pressure on the field heading into Limerick. As the race approached Kilmallock, a breakaway of 4 riders had opened up a gap of over one minute following the final categorized ascent at Old Pallas after 120km of racing. Sprint teams took control and the pace intensified dramatically, but it was too little too late to catch the leading group of 4 riders.Rowen Baker of Isle of Man CC proved strongest in the final high-speed sprint for the first yellow jersey of the race. Ewan MacKie (Connaught Cycling) was second, followed by Danylo Riwnyj (Foran CT) all on the same time.Rs TailteannStage 1 Photos by Lorraine OSullivan [See image gallery at www.irishcyclingnews.com] Results Rs TailteannLoading results