Some of the hardest and best known ascents in the country have been included in the route for the 60th edition of the An Post Rás.
Riders will be set for a whole host of knee-pumping challenges during the eight days of racing, with 28 categorised climbs featured in total.
On its sixtieth anniversary, there are a number of Rás legends already signed up to participate, including ‘Iron Man’ Mick Murphy, four-time winner Sé O’Hanlon and the first ever winner of the race, Colm Christle, who were all present at the launch of the Rás alongside rising Irish star Sam Bennett at the GPO today.
According to Rás organiser Dermot Dignam, this year’s race is going to be one of the toughest in years.
“It is going to be the most challenging course in recent memory,” said Dignam.
“This is Stephen’s (cyclist Stephen O’Sullivan) second year to design the route and he has really planned a very hard eight days of racing.
“There are a huge number of difficult ascents littered throughout the route, and overall it is probably leaning more towards the climber than the all-rounder. There is something tough in store every single day, so there’s no doubt it will be a very exciting race.
The race will pass through 14 counties in total and cover a rather daunting sounding 1168 kilometres over eight days.
The race will get underway in Dunboyne, Co. Meath (home club of O’Sullivan) on Sunday 20 May and will follow a roughly clockwise direction, heading north west with stage finishes in Kilkenny, Gort, Westport, Bundoran, Buncrana, Killybegs, Cootehill and Skerries.
Cyclists from home and abroad are expected to participate, including strong international professional and national teams from Europe and further afield and the An Post Sean Kelly team, with whom the defending champion Gediminas Bagdonas rides.
Details of more international teams set to join this year’s An Post Rás will be released over the coming months.
For more information on the Rás, visit the website here.
