With just under a month to go until the race, the first three international teams have been announced for this year’s Rás Tailteann.
Two English squads and one team from the US will travel for the May 17th start date, with up to eight more overseas teams to join them.
The England – Halesowen Academy squad competed in the Kerry Group Rás Mumhan stage race at Easter, attuning to the rhythm of Irish racing. Joe Brookes was one of those riding for the West Midlands squad and finished seventh in the young rider classification there.
“The race featured some tough climbs, and we’re expecting An Rás Tailteann to be no different,” said team principal William Fotheringham. “The boys rode extremely well earlier in the year so we’re hoping this bodes well for the Rás”.
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England – Richardson Trek are the second squad crossing the Irish sea and, according to team principal Andy Lyon, have long wished to take part. “We are so pleased to have been given the opportunity to ride An Rás Tailteann this year. It’s a race with a great history and with so many fantastic winners over the years. The team have wanted to ride An Rás for some time but unfortunately for the last few years, it has clashed with the Tour Series so we couldn’t make the dates. This year, we’re bringing our strongest squad to Ireland.”
The third overseas team announced is the USA – Good Guys Racing squad. The New York squad made its debut last year, finishing as second-best international team on stage four. Kerry native and current NY State Champion Cormac Daly will return, as will Will Hackman. The squad will also include Josh Lipka, an experienced category 1 rider who clocked up nine wins in 2022, as well as new members Trevor August and Jake Castor.
“We are very happy to welcome Good Guys Racing back again from the USA,” said race director Ger Campbell. “There is no doubt that this team added to the flavour of the 2022 edition and I look forward to their inclusion again in 2023.”
Entries have been open to Irish teams for a number of weeks. There has been high demand from domestic and international squads, with 34 out of 35 slots already filled. Campbell told the Irish Times on Tuesday that the final slot is on offer to a county team, but will otherwise be awarded to a foreign squad by Wednesday evening.
Thus far the composition of squads is the Irish national team, 23 Irish domestic teams and 10 visiting teams. The addition of one more team will see 175 riders line out at the start line in Navan on May 17th.
The 68th edition of the race will cover 768 kilometres and scale 14 categorised climbs. The clockwise route will feature stage finishes in Birr, Ennis, Castlebar, Monaghan and Blackrock, Co. Louth.
Last year’s race was the most successful in decades for Irish competitors. Daire Feeley (All Human/Velo Revolution) beat the Briton Louis Sutton (Brocar-Ale) to become the first Irish champion in 14 years, while four of the five stages were won by Irish riders.
Matthew Teggart (Cycling Ulster), Adam Ward (Ireland), Rory Townsend (Ireland) and Kevin McCambridge (Trinity Racing) were all victorious, with Townsend then going on to win the Irish road race championship one week later.
