Dignam promises new route will test riders to the extreme

CYCLING:UNDERLINING THE link to new sponsors An Post, the route of the 2011 Rás was launched yesterday at the GPO in Dublin. Over the course of 1,247 kilometres, riders from Ireland and overseas will slug it out between May 22nd and 29th this year, their battle starting in Dunboyne and concluding eight days later in Skerries.

Little is known yet as to what differences the new sponsorship will have on the structure, but if yesterday’s unveiling of the route is anything to go by, the race looks set to be even more polished in 2011.

An Post chief executive Donal Connell underlined the company’s commitment to the sport. “Over the past four years An Post has been the biggest supporter of Irish cycling at both elite and grass roots level, through our association with the An Post Sean Kelly team, the Tour of Ireland and the An Post Cycle Series,” he said.

“The Rás is a great addition to our support for Irish cycling”.

With this backing in mind, race director Dermot Dignam said that he believes there will be more publicity about the event in the lead-up to the event, and this is something which should increase interest in the race. It will hopefully also lead to a boost in participation in the sport in the long run.

This year is the first for Dignam to be in a new role, having acted as race organiser for over 30 years. He has been collaborating in recent months with a new working group, amongst them son-in-law Stephen O’Sullivan. The latter has ridden 17 editions of the previous FBD Rás and has an important role for the upcoming edition.

“This year we took the innovative step of asking a cyclist, Stephen O’Sullivan, to design the route,” said Dignam. “He has a wealth of experience as a Rás rider, having competed no less than 17 times, and was a stage winner into Tullow a few years ago.

“I believe he has come back with a route that will test to the extreme each and everyone of the riders from the 10 countries expected to participate.”

It looks like a well-balanced route which should keep things tight and ensure suspense right up to the final day.

The route

Stage One – The event begins with a mainly flat, fast 148km race from Dunboyne to Portumna. There are three Hot Spot Sprints – at Allenwood, Mountmellick and Clonaslee.

Stage Two – 164km to Kilrush, passing through Gort and Lisdoonvarna and featuring the second category Corkscrew Hill just over 60 km from the finish-line.

Stage Three – 175.3km from Kilrush to Castleisland, and includes third category ramps at Barnagh Gap, Ahaneboy and Glanshearoon.

Stage Four – A tough 142km race from Castleisland to Castletownbere, which includes the second category climb of Ladies View, the similarly-ranked Molls Gap, the Tousist (category 3), Knockanoughanish (category 2) and the first category showdown on the Healy Pass, just half an hour from the finish line.

Stage Five – Castletownbere to Blarney, with the 156km route beginning with a quartet of third category mountain primes, then ramping up over the second category climbs of Moskeagh and Windy Gap.

Stage Six – Includes six category three ascents on the 172kms between Blarney and Tramore, and concluding with an uphill finish on Main Street.

Stage Seven – Tramore to Kildare, with the 157km route taking in the category two slopes of Brown Mountain plus the category one climb of Clogrennane.

Stage Eight – At 133kms, the race between Kildare and Skerries is the shortest of the stages, but it does feature five category three climbs.