Home riders set to make strong Rás challenge

CYCLING: What looks like one of the strongest fields for the FBD Insurance Rás will begin eight days of aggressive racing on Sunday when the 2006 edition of the race starts in Tallaght.

The world-ranked event has attracted 12 strong overseas teams, including riders from as far afield as the American and Australian continents. Returning is defending champion Chris Newton, with the Olympic medallist leading an impressive Britain Recycling.co.uk squad.

Another strong challenge is likely to come from the USA-IAA CREF squad, fronted by 2001 world under-23 time-trial champion Danny Pate and former US Postal Service rider Mike Creed. They will be managed by Jonathan Vaughters, a Tour de France stage winner and former team-mate of Lance Armstrong.

Also originating from across the Atlantic is the Canada-Team Symmetrics line-up, while Australia-FRF Couriers Carravello similarly have a long way to travel.

Several strong squads are coming from mainland Europe, including the Belgium-Seán Kelly Racing Team, which comprises two Irish riders and three Belgians, the Poland-Legia Bazylisek line-up and Germany-Team Stevens. The Doncaster Stena Line squad is also likely to play a big part.

The Irish challenge looks to be a strong one. Irish road-race champion David O'Loughlin leads an impressive Grant Thornton Team Ireland squad, and will be joined by Conor Murphy, Páidí O'Brien, Roger Aiken and Ryan Connor. Double winner Ciarán Power is guesting for the Tipperary Dan Morrissey team, while the in-form Paul Healion will lead the Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group squad.

Contenders for the county team award include Dublin Usher IRC, Meath MyHome.ie/ Cycleways, and Cork Team Murray Ford Developments.

The race gets under way with a mainly flat, 121km stage from Tallaght to Enniscorthy, taking in two category three climbs along the way. The longest stage of 180km follows on Monday, the riders crossing three categorised ascents between Enniscorthy to Cobh, before the final steep uphill rise to the line.

Day three is from Cobh to An Daingean (Dingle), and once again features an uphill finish, plus four category three King of the Mountains primes. The last of these, An Bharog Bheag, is just 13km from the line.

What is probably the toughest stage follows, with the roads of Kerry bringing seven categorised climbs. This 150km-leg from An Daingean to Listowel includes the gruelling category one climb of The Maum, plus a very undulating run-in to the finish.

Following a ferry transfer from Kerry to Clare, a flatter stage follows next Thursday with just one climb on the 178km-leg from Kilrush to An Cheathrú Rua. The Gaeltacht town is also the setting for the following morning's innovative 24km team time trial, which is followed by an 83km stage to Westport.

Saturday's flat leg takes the riders 168km to Clara, and the race reaches its climax one day later with a 155km stage to Skerries. This is a departure from the traditional easier final stage, the four categorised climbs en route meaning the outcome of the race may go right down to the wire.