This article is from page 53 of the 2011-02-08 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 53 JPG
FOLLOWING on from the success of last August’s Etape Hibernia, Clare landed another coup yesterday when it was announced that two stages of the An Post Rás would pass through the Banner county.
In it’s 59th year, 2011 marks a new era for the Rás as it comes under the banner of new sponsor An Post for the first time.
Starting in Dunboyne, Meath, on Sunday, May 22, Stage 1 will finish up in Portumna that evening.
Stage 2 heads 164 kilometres from Portumna to Kilrush, passing through Gort and Lisdoonvarna and featuring the second category Corkscrew Hill just over 60 kilometres from the finish line.
Stage 3 will leave from Kilrush and cover 175.3 difficult kilometres from Kilrush to Castleisland, and includes third category ramps at Barnagh Gap, Ahaneboy and Glanshearoon, plus a finishing circuit which takes in the fearsome category one climb of Crag Cave.
Last year there were three Clare cyclists involved in the Rás. Eoghan Considine, from Ennis was competing with Galway Bay Cycling Club, while Michael Storan, from Clon- lara, and Stephen Teeling-Lynch, from Shannon teamed up with with Kildare Newbridge.