Daire Feeley after winning last year’s Rás Tailteann. Picture: Lorraine O’Sullivan

Roscommon cyclist and defending Rás Tailteann champion, Daire Feeley, has made a solid start to this year’s race by finishing seventh on today’s first stage into Birr.

Feeley had said beforehand that the opening stage, which featured the Category 1 Wolftrap climb in the Sliabh Bloom Mountains near the end, might not win him the race this afternoon, but he could certainly lose it if things didn’t go according to plan.

He remained prominent throughout and got into the leading group before they tackled the Wolftrap challenge.

In a stage that was won by Conor McGoldrick, Feeley finished seventh, just ten seconds behind the stage winner.

He is currently placed tenth on General Classification, 20 seconds behind McGoldrick.

Tomorrow’s second stage is a 154.5km trek between Birr and Ennis.