Obriens hyundai backing race the rs for nbcri

The 2015 edition of the An Post Rás began in Dunboyne today, and three hours ahead of it was the Race The Rás charity cycle.

There is a Mullingar connection to the latter as O’Briens Hyundai are providing the support vehicles, and on board them are Joe Duffy, directeur sportif, and Gerry O’Reilly.

The route goes clockwise around the country taking in stage finishes in Carlow, Tipperary, Bearna, Newport, Ballina, Ballinamore and Drogheda, before the finish in Skerries on Sunday May 24.

The riders will still have 21 categorised climbs to deal with, two of them second category.

Joe Duffy of Lakeside Wheelers explained the idea of the Race The Rás at O’Briens on the Lynn Road on Friday, as they picked up their cars.

“It’s a fantastic challenge, 1,200km in eight days over the same route as the Rás and some of the biggest climbs in the country,” said Joe.

“We will have 40 to 50 riders each day, including Paul McCormack and Philip Cassidy, former winners of the Rás, coming from the States.”

Joe said the event is not a race, but is a leisure cycle whose aim is to raise funds for Breast Cancer Research – see nbcri.ie.

“The riders will stay as a group but it will give the feel of the Rás and we will be at the finish every day to see the riders coming in,” said Joe.

Rás route 2015

Stage 1, Sunday May 17: Dunboyne to Carlow (154.4 kilometres)
Stage 2, Monday May 18: Carlow to Tipperary (137.2 kilometres)
Stage 3, Tuesday May 19: Tipperary to Bearna (155.9 kilometres)
Stage 4, Wednesday May 20: Bearna to Newport (155 kilometres)
Stage 5, Thursday May 21: Newport to Ballina (142.4 kilometres)
Stage 6, Friday May 22: Ballina to Ballinamore (160.1 kilometres)
Stage 7, Saturday May 23: Ballinamore to Drogheda (142.4 kilometres)
Stage 8, Sunday May 24: Drogheda to Skerries (132.6 kilometres)