Change to final stage of Ras

CYCLING: A dramatic conclusion to this year's FBD Insurance Rás could well be in store following the announcement that the final stage of the 2.2 ranked international event will conclude with a road race to Skerries.

In recent years the eight-day Irish tour finished with a short circuit race which, while visually spectacular, tended to have little effect on the overall classification. Indeed it is 13 years since the race lead changed on the final day.

However, there is a very real chance that, this time round, the scrap for the yellow jersey will go right down to the wire. On Sunday, May 28th, the riders will line out in Clara with 155 undulating kilometres ahead of them, the race passing through towns such as Kinnegad, Trim, Dunshaughlin and The Naul and taking in several category three climbs along the way.

Race organiser Dermot Dignam is excited about the change. "I think the Skerries finish will prove to be a spectacular innovation," he said yesterday. "The stage should be great to watch, a major challenge to the riders and an intriguing battle for the final yellow jersey of race winner".

Making the final day more difficult will be the fact that the riders will have seven days of hard racing in their legs before starting the last stage. Recent stage endings on Dublin's O'Connell Street and in the Phoenix Park were good locations to showcase the event, but both ended in bunch finishes. The overall classification remained unchanged as a result. However, things may well be different this time around.

Details of the race route will be announced later this month.

Meanwhile, the 2003 and 2005 Rás winner Chris Newton from Britain will give a talk at the National Coaching Forum to be held in Kilcullen Community Hall tomorrow.

The world champion and Olympic medallist will give a presentation on training programmes, goal setting and tapering, thus offering a valuable insight into some of the components of success.

Other subjects to be covered include the use of training aid devices such as heart rate and power monitors, drug testing and the safe use of supplements, plus alternative road bike training.

The coaching talks will be preceded by training spins at 10am, for which hard-shell helmets are required. Showers and lunch are included in the €10 cost. The presentations will follow in the afternoon.