The riddle of how to win the always chaotic, always unpredictable Rás Tailteann begins shortly before noon on Wednesday when a peloton of international riders will roll out of Portlaoise, complete a short neutralized section, and then go all out when the flag drops.
The race is one of the most aggressive on the international calendar and with a multitude of separate battles to be waged over the next five days, there will be attack after attack fired off from the drop of the flag.
Countless overseas teams have admitted being utterly perplexed by the tactics over the decades, with very strong riders winning early on but finding their equally strong squads completely unable to control the moves.
Few riders have ever led from start to finish, even since the race was shortened to a five day event several years ago.
The chaos is due in part to five-man squads, but also to the nature of the peloton; you've got many overseas riders completely unfamiliar with the Irish eyeballs-out approach to tactics, you’ve got many home riders building form specifically for the race, the biggest on the national calendar.
And you’ve also got an array of prizes and competitions, with the yellow jersey the biggest but the points, mountains and best young rider jersey also being highly sought after.
To further complicate things, the club teams have their own awards, as do the category 2 competitors plus the Irish county riders.
Little wonder that those used to the far more logical racing pattern of international events struggle to cope.
The action gets underway with a race to Kilmallock in County Limerick, with a 161.6km stage featuring three climbs and three bonus sprints.
Thursday’s 192.7km stage from Rathmore in Kerry to Banteer in Cork is the longest and one of the toughest, with no less than six climbs lurking along the route.
These include the second category ascents of Caha Pass Tunnel Road and Cougane Gap, with the third category Lyre coming less than 25km from the finish.
Friday’s stage three runs 155.6km from Mitchelstown to Enniscorthy and appears relatively straightforward with just three climbs. However such stages have been amongst the most unpredictable in the past, with more riders staying in contention and strong winds potentially coming into play.
Saturday will be a big showdown in the Wicklow mountains, starting in Carlow Town but then heading east en route to a finish in Baltinglass. There are a staggering eight climbs in the cards, including the ferocious first category Glenmalure and Wicklow Gap climbs which will shatter the peloton and could well upend the general classification.
That stage is 141.6km, just 600 metres longer than the concluding leg on Sunday. That race also begins in Carlow town and then winds its way to Dunboyne, with just the solitary Hill of Allen on the menu.
However such apparently innocuous stages can still provoke upheaval, with a similar stage to Blackrock in County Louth three years ago paving the way for Dillon Corkery to swoop, to get into a key breakaway and to seize the final yellow jersey.
The person who managed the team that week, Martyn Irvine, is back at the helm of the national team and could pull off something special again.
However, the chances of taking the overall victory is complicated by the youth and inexperience of the squad, with two junior riders getting a rare dispensation to take part. They are the 17 year old Hugh Óg Mulhearne and Fionn Killeen, while the 19 year old Conor Murphy will line out in what is his first year as a senior rider.
He was a superb second in last year’s European junior championship time trial, but lacks Rás experience. The race will be big test to show if his horsepower can make up for that aspect.
Liam Crowley (24) and Jack Conroy (21) complete the national quintet and, with former world track champion Irvine directing things from the team car, these three will try to steer the younger riders and to achieve the best possible team result.
Other Irishmen to watch include the 2022 winner Daire Feeley (Burren CC), as well as 2024 runner up and stage winner Conn McDunphy. He is part of the American APS Pro Cycling Team, and will be joined by last year’s Junior Tour of Ireland winner Matthew Walls plus Cian Keogh.
There will be the usual large number of Irish county teams, as well as a dozen overseas teams.
2024 winner Dom Jackson is back with one of six UK squads, Foran CT, with the others being Das Richardsons, Ride Revolution Coaching, Wheelbase/Cabtech/Castelli, Taap Kalas and Team PB Performance.
The other international teams are Hucare Factory Team (Germany), West Frisia (Netherlands), Cyclesport Specialized (USA), Natural Greatness-Rali-Alé (Spain) and Cycling Club Isle of Man.
This year’s race is longer and tougher than last year, totalling 792.5km and featuring 21 climbs.
Rás Tailteann 2026:
Stage 1, Wednesday May 20: Portlaoise to Kilmallock, Co Limerick, 161.6km
Stage 2, Thursday May 21: Rathmore, Co Kerry to Banteer, Co Cork, 192.7km
Stage 3, Friday May 22: Mitchelstown, Co Cork to Enniscorthy, Co Wexford, 155.6km
Stage 4, Saturday May 23: Carlow Town to Baltinglass, Co Wicklow, 141.6km
Stage 5, Sunday May 24: Carlow Town to Dunboyne, Co Meath, 141km
Total distance: 792.5km
