Hucare Factory Team at a pre-season training camp in Tenerife - Photo Credit: Hucare Factory Team
|
Hucare Factory Team (Germany) announced for Rás Tailteann 2026!
Cairde Rás Tailteann is delighted to announce one of our visiting teams for the 2026 event: Hucare Factory Team from Germany.
Racing under a new name for 2026, the team returns to Rás Tailteann after making its debut in the race last year and will be aiming to build on that experience with a strong performance on Irish roads.
Hucare Factory Team comes into the 2026 edition with a solid block of early-season racing already behind them. In March, the team competed in the Tour of Antalya 2.2 in Turkey, where they recorded three top 16 stage results. Prior to that, the squad completed a training camp in Tenerife, giving the riders the opportunity to prepare in excellent conditions ahead of a busy spring campaign.
The team’s build-up to Rás Tailteann will also include several major German one-day races, along with a UCI 2.2 event in Benin, giving the squad a strong programme in the lead-in to this year’s race.
Among the riders to watch will be Luca Harter, regarded as one of Germany’s leading performers. A strong sprinter and cyclocross specialist, Harter has built up an impressive list of results. Maximilian Weber is another rider expected to feature prominently, with the young German seen as one of the team’s most promising talents. Moritz Czasa also returns to the race, having raced in Ireland last year and gained valuable experience of the challenges Rás Tailteann presents.
Dominik Merseburg from Hucare Factory Team said: “We are delighted to return to Rás Tailteann in 2026 after making our debut last year. We have had a strong period of preparation and we hope to arrive in Ireland in good shape. We enjoyed the race very much last year and we are looking forward to returning to compete again this May.”
Race Director Ger Campbell added: “We are very pleased to welcome Hucare Factory Team back to Rás Tailteann for 2026. They made a positive impression on their debut in the race last year, and it is always encouraging to see teams return with more experience and ambition. We look forward to seeing what they can do on Irish roads this May.”
APS Pro Cycling at a team photo shoot ahead of the new season - Photographer: Ron Short
|
APS Pro Cycling (USA) announced for Rás Tailteann 2026!
Cairde Rás Tailteann is delighted to announce one of our visiting teams for the 2026 event: APS Pro Cycling from the USA, who make their debut in this year’s race.
APS Pro Cycling by Team Cadence Cyclery is a new team out of Dallas, Texas. It is built around a small group of riders and backed by an organisation with considerable knowledge and experience.
Recent Des Hanlon winner Conn McDunphy will be looking forward to the Rás
|
Among those expected to feature is Adam Lewis, who enjoyed an excellent Rás Tailteann in 2025, winning the KOM jersey and finishing in the top ten overall. Conn McDunphy, a Rás stage winner and second overall in 2025, is also likely to be part of the APS team. The squad is expected to have a strong Irish influence for this race, with the Junior Tour of Ireland champion, Matthew Walls, also likely to feature in the line-up.
The 2026 route will make for tough racing but APS Pro Cycling should be well prepared for the challenge ahead. Several of the riders have spent countless hours on the roads of Wicklow and will know the road to Baltinglass very well.
Welcoming APS Pro Cycling to the event, Race Director Ger Campbell said: “We are delighted to welcome APS Pro Cycling to Rás Tailteann for the first time in 2026. They bring plenty of strength and experience with them, and with riders who know Irish roads well, they will be a very interesting addition to this year’s race.”