An Post Ras na mBan 2014

Sr. Assumpta

The "season" may be more or less over for the boys, but for women who like to race their bikes the next couple of weeks represent the Queen Stage of what has been a very long campaign....

'Ras na mBan', Ireland's premier stage race for women, starts a week from tomorrow, in Co. Clare, and continues until Sunday 14th September, ..... and then a week later the rescheduled Women's National Championships Road Race takes place in Mullingar, on Sunday 20th September.

'Ras na mBan' is a multi-nation affair again this year, with over 100 riders from 13 different countries taking to the start line for Stage 1, in Ennis, at 5pm next Wednesday. This line up includes 6 Irish club/provincial teams, as well as the Irish National Team. Teams are made up of a minimum of 3, maximum of 5 riders.

This year's race includes 4 road stages, an individual TT, and a spectator-friendly Friday evening circuit race close to Ennis town. The road stages will take riders to every corner of County Clare, with Stage 2 (Thursday 11th) consisting of an epic trek from scenic Loop Head Lighthouse at the southern-most tip of the county, along the windswept coast, to pretty Ballyvaughan near the border with County Galway to the north.

In the run up to the race, team previews, routes etc. are being posted on our website http://www.rasnamban.com/ and stage results and reports will be also be posted there, and our FB page. Their will be in-race (well, in-car, in cavalcade, in race!) twitter feed from our account @rasnamban and we expect the good folks at Cycling Ireland, Sticky Bottle, and Irish Cycling.com etc. will also cover the event.

And sure, if anyone here has any interest, well now they have their very own thread

Beasty

Was going to start a thread myself on this. Women's cycling in Ireland is really starting to come along now and this is the most significant women's stage race in Ireland. They seem to have attracted another impressive field and hopefully this event will continue to build. I know the move to Clare created one or two new challenges to the organsiers, but it looks like it was a very positive step for this event.

Last year's thread here

RobFowl

Rumours of an evening stage GC abound as well.....

eeeee

Awesome, can't wait. Thanks for the tread and following details! Will it be on tg4 at all do you know?

Beasty

RobFowl wrote: »

Rumours of an evening stage GC abound as well.....

Is Mrs Fowl fully au-fait with what happens at these evening stages?

RobFowl

Beasty wrote: »

Is Mrs Fowl fully au-fait with what happens at these evening stages?

She feels the Lion of Fingal and the Skerries pro are a good influence....

The Crunch

RobFowl wrote: »

Rumours of an evening stage GC abound as well.....

I'm going for the Pints jersey myself...

nak

The Crunch wrote: »

I'm going for the Pints jersey myself...

You'll have a few challengers in that classification. Looking forward to it, looks like I'm team chef.

Sr. Assumpta

gadetra wrote: »

Awesome, can't wait. Thanks for the tread and following details! Will it be on tg4 at all do you know?

The Crunch is better placed to answer your question....
(hello)

Our Race Highlights program was shown on both British Eurosport, and Setanta last year, and while I don't expect there will be live coverage on any channel (but I live and hope!), the making of a similar (bigger, better, shinier!) highlights package for tv will be part of race week again this year, and it is something everyone enjoyed hugely last year... the racing looked awesome, and County Clare looked spectacular (because it is)!

ednwireland

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-Q6_HNm6VU

people enjoying themselves in 2012 - disgraceful

Sr. Assumpta

Ah yes, 'An Post Ras na mBan' will be forever indebted to Orwell Wheelers and their dynamic duo of documentary makers for that fantastic footage from Sneem, Co. Kerry, in 2012!!

RobFowl

Sneem is one of the most beautiful parts of the world and the hotel there run by Louis Moriarty is extremely welcoming towards cyclists.
Good for the race to move around though as reinforces its image as an Irish national race.
Good luck to all those riding this year and hoping for an Irish county rider to win a stage

QueensGael

A fair few racers making their Rás debut, including our own boardsie NamelessPhil Best of luck ladies!

NamelessPhil

Sure it's only 427km, I've ridden further than that in a day. The only problem is it's over 5 days, 6 stages and at twice the speed. It'll be an experience.

cdaly_

Best of luck missus. You're hard enough for it anyway. It's just a matter of being fast enough on the day!

dfdream

Last year it was one Eurosport a few weeks later... Not sure if same for this year.

http://www.rasnamban.com/10-news/80-british-eurosport-to-broadcast-an-post-ras-na-mban

fits

Good luck namelessphil! Sad I'm not going to be around for this..

fat bloke

dfdream wrote: »

Last year it was one Eurosport a few weeks later... Not sure if same for this year.

http://www.rasnamban.com/10-news/80-british-eurosport-to-broadcast-an-post-ras-na-mban

Eurosport and the mellifluous tones of the Baul Thady Quigley* secured again this year afaik


(*For rambling for roving, for cycling, for sporting... etc)

jimm

Sr. Assumpta wrote: »

...........'Ras na mBan', Ireland's premier stage race for women, starts a week from tomorrow, in Co. Clare, and continues until Sunday 14th September, ..... and then a week later the rescheduled Women's National Championships Road Race takes place in Mullingar, on Sunday 20th September......

That should read Saturday 20th September. Wouldn't like to see anyone turning up 24hrs late.

onimpulse

Really looking forward to this - unfortunately not riding this year but I'll be following on line & hoping to get down at the weekend to cheer the county riders on!

Best of luck to all the Irish girls!

The Crunch

fat bloke wrote: »

Eurosport and the mellifluous tones of the Baul Thady Quigley* secured again this year afaik


(*For rambling for roving, for cycling, for sporting... etc)

Mostly rambling, although in the last couple of days I've been roving in a part of Germany that thinks wifi is an expensive luxury hence the tardy reply.
Suffice it to say, Boards and Fat Bloke may have an exclusive on this. Watch out for a press release coming soon!

I love this race. Savage racing and a really great atmosphere.

Sr. Assumpta

dfdream wrote: »

Last year it was one Eurosport a few weeks later... Not sure if same for this year.

http://www.rasnamban.com/10-news/80-british-eurosport-to-broadcast-an-post-ras-na-mban

And, as predicted, and by popular demand..... don, don, don....

http://www.rasnamban.com/news/119-eurosport-to-show-tv-highlights

'An Post Ras na mBan' hits your screens again on 5th October, - as a half hour show to be aired in support of coverage of the Tour of Lombardy World Tour race.

Sr. Assumpta

The much anticipated Start List has been released,....

http://www.rasnamban.com/news/120-start-list-announced

(I note that NamelessPhil is using an alias)

Big Mig

Seems to be a few good local girls from the domestic scene missing. No Leinster team this year!

onimpulse

Theres no Leinster team but there are more club teams from Leinster so actually probably more riders than last year.

jimm

Going down tomorrow and will be doing support in the Towers CC team car. Will also be bike washer/gofer/general dogsbody.

Will be bringing the bike too, but was told by a few clever heads "You wont get a minute for a spin"

Best of luck to all the Irish ladies (especially TCC)

buffalo

jimm wrote: »

Going down tomorrow and will be doing support in the Towers CC team car. Will also be bike washer/gofer/general dogsbody.

Will be bringing the bike too, but was told by a few clever heads "You wont get a minute for a spin"

Best of luck to all the Irish ladies (especially TCC)

The trick is not to dawdle. So straight after the stage, wash/service everything - just get it done - then go spinning.

You're making me want to bring my own rothar now.

jimm

buffalo wrote: »

The trick is not to dawdle. So straight after the stage, wash/service everything - just get it done - then go spinning.

You're making me want to bring my own rothar now.

I was told, a close comparison would be the duties of a Rose of Tralee escort (but I'll have 5) :eek:

Might see you for a spin so. (if we can get out!)

buffalo

onimpulse wrote: »

Theres no Leinster team but there are more club teams from Leinster so actually probably more riders than last year.

Aye, great to see Towers and Lakeside with teams in it, as well as the return of Orwell and Joe Daly Cycles. Plenty of domestic riders there, along with the guests.

QueensGael

Best of luck to all who are hitting the starting line and the support crews this Wednesday!

If you're heading to Clare to watch the race, here's a handy guide for the best viewing spots. They think of everything, these organisers!

http://ht.ly/BaVXU

Will be keeping up with the action on the thwitter machine from thar lear

Sr. Assumpta

Right so, let's be having you....

sign-on 2pm - 3:15pm, stage start, at The Inn at Dromoland, at 5pm, forecast is good, roads are out, bring it on (kinda sad I'm only going to be in a car for it this year.... as distinct from last year, when the rain outside left me wanting to pick up all the poor riders at the back and put them into the car!)

ragazzo

Sr. Assumpta wrote: »

Right so, let's be having you....

sign-on 2pm - 3:15pm, stage start, at The Inn at Dromoland, at 5pm, forecast is good, roads are out, bring it on (kinda sad I'm only going to be in a car for it this year.... as distinct from last year, when the rain outside left me wanting to pick up all the poor riders at the back and put them into the car!)

Good luck to all riders racing this year. Hopefully it will be as exciting as ever!

on_the_nickel

Hell of a result from Fiona Meade today.

http://www.irishcyclingphotos.com/?p=39468

fat bloke

Any photos?

dfdream

I took a few as the race passed near home.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.868482809829329.1073741849.157206044290346&type=1

fat bloke wrote: »

Any photos?

NamelessPhil

Well 20 minutes down on GC as expected. I'll contest for the lanterne rouge. The Wild Atlantic Way is our jaunt for tomorrow.

Peterx

NamelessPhil wrote: »

Well 20 minutes down on GC as expected. I'll contest for the lanterne rouge. The Wild Atlantic Way is our jaunt for tomorrow.

Best of luck today. I love the team designation for the team.

JOE - Dublin Joe Daly Cycle

NamelessPhil

It would be better if we had a team car and a manager present as well. We are resourceful women though, and the other teams and the organisers are assisting us.

fat bloke

Taylor Wiles (right) is fairly ripping up the roads of North, South and East Clare!



It's one thing to bring your girlfriend to your home race, it's another thing altogether when she starts threatening your title defence!!:eek::)

onimpulse

Great to see a domestic rider ripping it up down in Clare - Fiona Meade has the points jersey as well as being the leading Irish rider going into the final stage. Great stage win yesterday evening too!

Beasty

Today's result and GC here

Good luck to everyone heading into the final stage tomorrow

buffalo

buffalo

Brilliant race so far, helped by the cracking weather. Doing support is exhausting, but massive respect to the riders who tackled some horrible climbs yesterday and kept pace with the pros, or rode their own race to complete 100km+.

Joint 2nd in the table quiz was entirely down to the boundless knowledge of NamelessPhil!

Don't want to go back to reality, but at the same time, can't wait for a day off!

Beasty

Final stage and GC here

Congratulations to Tayler Wiles on winning the overall, mountains and points competitions, as well as to everyone, particularly the county riders who were prepared to give this a go. Another step in the right direction for women's cycling in Ireland, and hopefully this will be built on further in future years

And buffalo - one for you (think there may be a glimpse of Robfowl in a former existence in this one!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84gmKIKTk40

NamelessPhil

I finished the race and I wasn't last. I managed to stay ahead of the broomwagon all the way round yesterday. Thanks to Orwell Wheelers and Towers Cycling Club for the moral support and assistance. I couldn't have got home without you.

QueensGael

Well done lady! Some accomplishment being able to get around that circuit at that speed, congrats on being a Rás finisher

ford2600

QueensGael wrote: »

Well done lady! Some accomplishment being able to get around that circuit at that speed, congrats on being a Rás finisher

She would be even faster if her training wasn't nearly all audax rides!

Tough cookie to do audax and racing together

NamelessPhil

Ah, it'll be a great base for winter training. I've no speed in the legs and the last day I knew I was going to be off the back from the start so I just used it as a solo training ride. As someone on the Rás said a couple of years ago, "A break of 80 women went up the road and I couldn't catch them."

I didn't get faster as the days went on just remained at the same level. I need more speed and better bunch positioning but given the standard there's no way I was ever going to be competitive. It was still a great opportunity to take part.

smurphy29

I made it down for the weekend to catch some of the specatcle and cheer from the sidelines. My OH was riding her first Ras, for Team Orwell.

I can only commend the organisers on what is an incredible race. The riders probably almost don't see what a huge 'thing' it is, but when you're standing by the roadside you witness the garda cars, the lead vehicles, the huge tail of team cars, it's an awesome spectacle.

It's hard to comprehend the sheer level of organisation to put on such an event, both as a whole and within each team. The routes and the scenery are also really awesome. And the racing is incredibly hard, the pros make it look so easy. The county riders have it incredibly tough, the routes are that bit harder and longer than anything they race in the domestic calendar, and that's before you throw in the foreign teams. Chapeau to the lot of them.

fat bloke

smurphy29 wrote: »

I can only commend the organisers on what is an incredible race.
It's hard to comprehend the sheer level of organisation to put on such an event.

Fair play to you for taking the time to comprehend and acknowledge it. It is indeed a massive and year long (and ten years in the making) undertaking for all of the volunteers who voluntarily put their time aside all year to organise and assemble all of the myriad of tiny pieces that together make up the event as a whole, and then take their work holidays to be there for the duration of the event itself, working tirelessly from morning to night so that the riders need only concentrate on putting their best efforts into participating in the racing.
They're not in the pictures or on the podiums but they as deserving of praise and thanks and plaudits as anyone else and are equally wrecked after the week.

Mo cheol sibh.

buffalo

fat bloke wrote: »

They're not in the pictures

I beg to differ! A fine bunch of people altogether!