Sport

Rás Tailteann race to go ahead despite loss of title sponsor

Organisers of cycling event will seek number of smaller sponsors to fill An Post gap

Mark Downey, pictured celebrating after winning gold medal in the UCI Cycling World Cup in February in Colombia, will join the Team Wiggins squad in 2018. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images

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Shane Stokes
Thu Dec 21 2017 - 20:05

The organisers of the Rás Tailteann have confirmed that the race will take place in 2018, despite the loss of the title sponsor An Post. New race director Eimear Dignam told The Irish Times on Thursday that the search for new backers continues, but that the event won't face cancellation.

“We have pitches in with a number of companies but nothing solid,” she said. “We have made a decision that after Christmas we are seeking a number of smaller jersey sponsors, but we are continuing to push ahead with plans as the race will go ahead.”

The news calms fears that the event might have to be called off for the first time in its long history. It was first held in 1953 and has had a number of sponsors in that time, including the National Dairy Council, FBD Insurance and An Post.

The latter confirmed in May that it would be ending its long association with the event. The company is under financial pressure due to the constriction of the postal sector. It also dropped its backing of the Sean Kelly team and the Rás na mBan.

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The Kelly team has been forced to take a year out as it was unable to find a replacement backer. According to Kelly and the general manager Kurt Bogaerts, they are hoping that it can return in 2019.

New backer

The Rás na mBan is still searching for a new backer. It takes place in September, and so has a little more time to work with than the men’s event.

Dignam is the daughter of longtime race organiser Dermot Dignam. She and the rest of the family have been involved with the race for a number of years. She told The Irish Times in recent weeks that she would succeed the departing race director Tony Campbell, who announced his resignation in September.

Dignam said that the race could be run on a limited budget in 2018. She is still hopeful that a full title sponsor might be secured prior to the running of the race in May, and welcomes approaches from interested companies.

In other news Mark Downey has been confirmed as joining the Team Wiggins squad in 2018. He told said in recent weeks he had secured a contract with a Continental-level team, but was unable to reveal the squad at that point in time.

However, the British squad confirmed his signing this week, saying that he will join fellow Irish men Michael O’Loughlin and Matthew Teggart in the team.

Downey is one of the most talented young Irish riders. In November 2016, he won the points race in the Apeldoorn World Cup in November, then took the same event in Cali, Colombia in February. His performances saw him secure overall victory in the World Cup standings for that event, a superb feat.

In addition to that, he and racing partner Felix English won gold in the Madison event in Los Angeles and silver in Cali. They went on to net sixth in the event in the track world championships.