Rás set up to be 'toughest in quite a while'

CYCLING

UNVEILING A progressively-difficult FBD Insurance Rás for what is his last edition at the helm of the race, Dermot Dignam has said he expects this year’s contest to be the most testing of recent years.

The 2010 edition will cover 1,219 kilometres of undulating roads as it travels counter-clockwise around the country, starting in Dunboyne on Sunday, May 23rd and ending one week later in Skerries.

It will feature 24 categorised climbs, amongst them a tough summit finish on the legendary Seskin Hill in Carrick-on-Suir.

“I think that this year is going to be the toughest in quite a while,” said Dignam yesterday. “It is going to be a good all rounder who will win out.

“The race gets progressively harder as the days pass, with the first two stages suited to bunch sprints, the following ones likely to see breakaway groups stay clear, and then the climbers coming increasingly to the fore.

“It means that the final outcome should be in question right up until the end of the race, prolonging the suspense and making for a superb contest.”

The opening stage includes three hot-spot sprints plus the second category climb of the Long Women’s Grave, yet despite this ascent Dignam expects a bunch gallop in Dundalk.

The same outcome is forecast for the 155 kilometre second stage, which crosses Bellavalley Gap, some 45 kilometres before the finish in Carrick-on-Shannon.

Stages three and four head to Oughterard and Tipperary, and are the longest of the race at 171 and 169 kilometres respectively. Rough roads could well lead to breakaway groups, and reveal who are the strongest riders.

The gauntlet will be fully thrown down on Thursday, May 27th, with a 1570-kilometre stage concluding at the top of Seskin Hill. The race will blow apart on the category one climb, and should again be rent asunder on the following day’s 127-kilometre run to Gorey. The stage covers seven categorised ascents, including the second category ramp of The Heights plus the first category legbreaker of Corrabutt, and will be a real wearing-down process.

The penultimate stage again suits the climbers as it scales the first-category Drumgoff and Wicklow Gap mountains, as well as the second cat Slieve Corragh en route to the finish in Kilcullen.

The general classification should be pretty much settled by that point, although if there’s still small time gaps between the big guns, everything could come down to the final stage.

This 140-kilometre leg runs from Kilcullen to Skerries, and takes in two laps of the now-customary finishing circuit there. Huge crowds are once again expected as the eight-day race comes to a crescendo.

FBD Insurance RÁS (2.2):Stage 1, Sunday, May 23rd: Dunboyne-Dundalk, 149 km. Stage 2, Monday, May 24th: Dundalk-Carrick-on- Shannon, 155km. Stage 3: Tuesday, May 25th: Carrick-on-Shannon-Oughterard, 171km. Stage 4: Wednesday, May 26th: Oughterard-Tipperary, 169km. Stage 5: Thursday, May 27th: Tipperary-Seskin Hill, Carrick-on-Suir, 157km. Stage 6: Friday, May 28th: Carrick-on-Suir-Gorey, 127km. Stage 7: Saturday, May 29th: Gorey-Kilcullen, 151km. Stage 8: Sunday, May 30th: Kilcullen-Skerries, 2 laps of 13.7km circuit, 140km.