Ras na mBan - 2018 edition - 5th to 9th September

Beasty

The Ras na mBan returns to Kilkenny starting on Wednesday 5 September, with six stages culminating on Sunday 9 September

This year they hopefully have a full complement of riders - 25 teams have entered and if 5 turn up for each team it will be a record 125 entries

Valerie and team have done an incredible job this year just getting the race on following the withdrawal of the prior title sponsor An Post

Race Website

I'm planning on heading over on Saturday for the crit around Kilkenny, and will see if I can also get to the morning's TT. Friday sees the daunting prospect of another finish atop Mount Leinster where returning Rikke Lønne delivered a spectacular victory in somewhat "testing" conditions two years ago

If you get a chance please try and get out to cheer the women on in what promises to be another great event - the premier women's racing event in Ireland, which always draws a top class field

ballyharpat

My girlfriend is racing on the Verge team, it may not be as fast as the mens, but it's very exciting!

Any chance TG4 will have highlights? I noticed they had a decent highlights package of the Junior tour a while ago as I randomly flicked over on a Saturday afternoon.

EDIT: Well done whoever did the web site the landing when you click the link looks fantastic.

Beasty

Deleted User wrote: »

Any chance TG4 will have highlights? I noticed they had a decent highlights package of the Junior tour a while ago as I randomly flicked over on a Saturday afternoon.

EDIT: Well done whoever did the web site the landing when you click the link looks fantastic.

Declan Quigley is on the organising committee and has overseen the highlights package that has aired on Eurosport in recent years

You will also see on the TV section of the website that highlights have been available on the RTE player for 2017. Hopefully there will be something similar again this year

daragh_

Is the start list published yet?

Beasty

daragh_ wrote: »

Is the start list published yet?

Start list only came out the day before the first stage last year, so we may see something later in the day

1bryan

I followed this around last year. It's a superb race. Course selections, organisation, everything, is top notch. I'm out of the country this year so will miss it, but will keep tabs via social media, etc.

The crit stage around Kilkenny city, in particular, was a very enjoyable stage to watch. I'd certainly recommend taking that in.

And who can forget the summit finish up Mount Leinster, on the absolute poxiest of days ever. Was great stuff.

Thud

the classification jerseys look great:
http://www.rasnamban.com/about/jerseys/

Wow they do look nice.

Beasty

No full starter lists up yet, but some of the main Irish contenders are mentioned here with details of some pf the overseas riders in this article

buffalo

https://www.rte.ie/sport/cycling/2018/0904/991611-eve-mccrystal-leads-irish-challenge-in-ras-na-mban/

National Road Race Champion Eve McCrystal heads a strong Irish challenge in Rás na mBan which gets under way in Kilkenny on Wednesday.

Always good to see coverage from the national broadcaster.

fat bloke

Eurosport round up is going to be a full hour long this year and will be broadcast internationally.
Crit is a crackin event on saturday to go spectate, and the TT is on that morning - its a hilly route, so another good one to go and watch.
Break out the silly costume and get yourself on the telly!

Beasty

fat bloke wrote: »

Break out the silly costume and get yourself on the telly!

Looks like you may be quite easy to spot in the crowds on Saturday fatbloke. In fact I've already been provided with a preview from someone who is very close to the event

fat bloke

Honestly that's just not fair. I ditched those horn-rimmed glasses months ago.

Steve SilverMint

What kind of level are the riders at, similar standard to the mens Ras?

1bryan

Steve SilverMint wrote: »

What kind of level are the riders at, similar standard to the mens Ras?

there were olympic champions in it last year. You don't get that in the men's Ras, so I'd say the standard is better.

fat bloke

Steve SilverMint wrote: »

What kind of level are the riders at, similar standard to the mens Ras?

Well, huge female equivalent, absolutely. If you watch the women's pro races, they're packed with previous Rna mBan winners and participants.

ballyharpat

they are really upping the pace, Mccrystal is off the back with 50km to go.... exciting stuff.

ballyharpat

ballyharpat wrote: »

they are really upping the pace, Mccrystal is off the back with 50km to go.... exciting stuff.

Crash about 15 minutes ago


https://twitter.com/RasnamBan/status/1037375232208723969

Beasty

Looks like there's already been a lot of action with that crash, breakaways, the peloton being decimated

There is a start list posted up on that Twitter feed - 119 starters:

Beasty

Nina Kessler of Team NH takes the stage in a bunch sprint

Interview with today's winner

https://twitter.com/RasnamBan/status/1037395277278334977

eeeee

Steve SilverMint wrote: »

What kind of level are the riders at, similar standard to the mens Ras?

Much higher than the mens. An Olympic champion won it last year and there are far more World Tour graduates from it than the mens too.
It's tough as fcuk!

ballyharpat

Steve SilverMint wrote: »

What kind of level are the riders at, similar standard to the mens Ras?

Really the level would be the female equivalent, some of the best up and coming riders on the continent, Tony Martin won the An Post Ras, many of the past winners went on to great results.

eeeee

ballyharpat wrote: »

Really the level would be the female equivalent, some of the best up and coming riders on the continent, Tony Martin won the An Post Ras, many of the past winners went on to great results.

No current Olympic champions ride the mens Ras It's a step up really.
Women's racing is quite fluid at the highest level.
Amelie Diedriksen became a World Champion a year (maybe two, my memory isn't the best) I think after her Ras stage win.

ballyharpat

Best Irish rider is Agnieszka Wozniak.

eeeee

Are the full results out yet?

ballyharpat

nee wrote: »

Are the full results out yet?

I haven't found them...

ballyharpat

http://www.irishcyclingnews.com/stage-1-results-ras-na-mban-2018-rasnamban-rnmb18/

Irish Raven

Looking at the results...its Strange that they put an Irish team selection in, took any of the girls on its chances away from the green jersey domestic rider comp...considering 3 of them race domestically every week!!

They prob should of filled the team with non domestic Irish riders, and entered a strong domestic team under a sponsor name or one of the riders clubs, like Garda cc, or Ballymena!!

Beasty

Nice to see Andy Schleck back on the podium!

1bryan

Beasty wrote: »

Nice to see Andy Schleck back on the podium!

In Kilkenny too! I remember him lining up at the start there for the inaugural (but short lived) Tour of Ireland back in around 2009.

Beasty

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XA4xPxAwQOA

Beasty

Rhona Callandar of Team GB takes Stage 2 in a bunch sprint

ballyharpat

The poor weather made for sketchy conditions, lots of falls.

eeeee

ballyharpat wrote: »

The poor weather made for sketchy conditions, lots of falls.

Shyte everyone up and riding again?

ballyharpat

nee wrote: »

Shyte everyone up and riding again?

I haven't heard about anyone not making it back, but Kessler was down and may have been injured-too early to tell.

Beasty

Full results from Stage 2 including GC

3 DNFs and 2 outside the time limit. Field down to 112 for tomorrow's ascent of Mount Leinster.

Looks like tomorrow's weather will not be a patch on 2016 but there may be the odd shower

Beasty

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdgYXD2G_HE

68 lost souls

McCrystal possible fractured arm but starting tomorrow

buffalo

68 lost souls wrote: »

McCrystal possible fractured arm but starting tomorrow

So that is her in this photo:



Sounds like yesterday was a hell of a stage. Hardy women, good luck for today!

Thud

Beasty wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdgYXD2G_HE

greasy road at 48 seconds?

andy69

Thud wrote: »

greasy road at 48 seconds?

That looked terribly familiar to me, so I checked back and I see from the 2017 Thread that the highlights video has a very similar crash, maybe on that same stretch?

(go to 50sec in)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A8bxtceI5gw

Wonder if it was the same stretch of road :eek:

cdaly_

Beasty wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdgYXD2G_HE

My take away from that was "a summit finish on Mt Leinster" :eek:

Thud

andy69 wrote: »

Wonder if it was the same stretch of road :eek:

looks like it, you can see this wall in both videos (@57second in the 2017 video and @51seconds in this years video):
https://www.google.com/maps/@52.8507624,-7.0715635,3a,60y,97.08h,84.69t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sCtSKYDTxORZsm8E8ymGy3w!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

greenspurs

Thud wrote: »

looks like it, you can see this wall in both videos (@57second in the 2017 video and @51seconds in this years video):
https://www.google.com/maps/@52.8507624,-7.0715635,3a,60y,97.08h,84.69t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sCtSKYDTxORZsm8E8ymGy3w!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

I thought the very same thing when I saw it !!


How is Eve McCrystal facing the wrong way !? must have whiplashed around !! :eek:

Beasty

Nikki Juniper takes today's stage, and with it the overall leaders, QOH and points jerseys

CramCycle

greenspurs wrote: »

How is Eve McCrystal facing the wrong way !? must have whiplashed around !! :eek:

Looks like it, you catch the end of it in the video, her just skidding around. I imagine her wheel went to slip and she taped the front brake to try and stop and spun around. Fair play to them for catching back on.

Beasty

Stage 3 results and overall classification

Juniper holds a 2s lead going into tomorrow's TT. 8 riders are within a minute of Juniper, so there could be changes in the GC.

Beasty

And some Stage 3 highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8sNNn-e46k

ballyharpat

buffalo wrote: »

So that is her in this photo:



Sounds like yesterday was a hell of a stage. Hardy women, good luck for today!

Class pic, where did you find it? that's my girlfriend in the green jersey about to fall. (not the one on the ground).