The KERRY GROUP RAS MUMHAN 4 Day International Cycle Race gets under way on the roads of Kerry and Cork on Good Friday next March 25th and will finish on Easter Monday morning March 28th.
The total race distance for the 4 days is 500km and includes 23 categorised climbs.
180 Elite riders representing teams from Ireland, England, Scotland, and Holland will face the starter. A prize fund of over €7,000, this year sees one of the biggest fields ever to compete in the long history of this great Race.
Stage 1. Good Friday March 25th. 3.00pm Killorglin-Sliabh Luachra-Killorglin.
This is the sixth consecutive year to go to the Sliabh Luachra region of East Kerry. The Ras will start at 3.00pm in Killorglin taking the riders to Killarney, on to Kilcummin, Scartaglin, Castleisland, Currans, Ballyfinnane , Firies, Milltown and finishing in Killorglin around 5.15pm – a total of 106km with three climbs.
Stage 2. Saturday March 26th. 11.00am Kenmare- Beara - Kenmare.
This will be a big day for cycling in Kenmare & West Cork. The race will leave Kenmare at 11.00am. The route will take the riders to Lauragh, on to the Category 1 climb over the Healy Pass, which is one of the two Category 1 climbs this year , down into Adrigole, on to Glengarriffe, Ballylickey, Kealkill, the Climb of Keimaneigh, Ballingeary, then Category 2 climb of Reanaree, Ballyvourney, another Category 2 Climb over the County Bounds, on to Kilgarvan and finish back in Kenmare at 2.15 pm, a total journey of 145km.
Etape Ras Mumhan : Saturday March 26th. Venue Waterville. This is a change from the last few years and it now takes place on the roads of the South Kerry stage on the day before the race visits the area.This non-competitive event is for the Leisure and Sportive riders, giving participants the opportunity to ride a classic stage of a major race. The Etape Ras Mumhan starts at 11am in Waterville and will cover the full route of Stage 3 of the race, which takes place the following day. Full details at www.etaperasmumhan.com
Stage 3. Easter Sunday March 27th 11.15am. Waterville and Coom an Easpaigh Stage.
This stage has an 11.15 start in the South Kerry town of Waterville and the leading riders are expected at the finish back in Waterville at 2.15pm.. The 135km route includes the Category 1 Coom an Easpaigh climb introduced last year for the first time in many years. The stage takes in Ballinskelligs The Glen, Cahirsiveen, Dromid , Portmagee on to the Category 1 Climb at Coom an Easpaigh , St Finians Bay before going back to Ballinskelligs and on to the finish in Waterville. There are 4 other Climbs along the way including two Category 2 ascents in what is regarded as one of the classic road stages of any race in these islands.
Stage 4. Easter Monday March 28th. 10.00am. Beaufort and Killorglin Stage.
The final Stage will start at 10.00am , a fter 3 laps of the Killorglin–Beaufort-Killorglin circuit, the riders will go on to the Donal McKenna circuit for 10 laps which will take them up the famous hill in the town centre each time, a total distance of 117km. There is a Category 4 climb at the line each time which will keep the King of the Mountain title up for grabs right to the finish line. This is where the race was won and lost last year which adds to the excitement on the last day. Expected finish time of 12.30.pm
Formidable Line Up. The lineup of riders includes Mark Dowling , who won this race in 2014 , he leads his new Asea Wheelworx team , and he is many peoples favourite to take the title again. He will have Ali McAuley, 3rd overall last year with him in a very strong team that won the team title last year.. Sean Lacey leads the Aqua Blue Team and he is another former winner taking the title in 2011. Another Kerryman Cathal Moynihan is back on the Tralee Manor West Ibike team this year, Cathal was 1st and 2nd on stages 2 years ago . Other top Irish outfits include the Ireland Development team and UCD Fitzcycles. David O Loughlin is back with the Cunga Racing GMIT team, and multiple stage winner, and 5th overall last year, Paidi O Brien is in the Osborne Meats/McCarthy colours, Stephen Murray (Strata3/Velorevolution) was 6th overall last year and could go better this year and National Hill Climb Champion Denis Dunworth in the MODA colours will target the Mountains classification.
The foreign challenge is big again this year. The are 2 Dutch teams in the line up again this year, Combilift West Frisia , they took the Team title two years ago and were runners up last year, they have Ruben Dorren runner up in the Mountains classification last year and Robert Jan Moll is a former stage winner. The other Dutch team is WV Noord Holland, they bring a young team of Under 23 Espoir riders to the race.
SCOTLAND are the other National Team in the race and they bring mostly an Under 23 squad to back Philip Troden who was 12th overall last year. There are 3 Club teams from the UK. Surrey League-Casco Europe, Rapha Cycle Team, and Team Bikehaus.
The emphasis by the Race Organization on the Under 23 element of the event has attracted 35 riders in this category ,which is sponsored by O Sullivan Cycles this year.
There are 93 Category 1, 69 Category 2, and 18 Category 3 Riders in the field.
Paddy O Callaghan Cup. There will be a new cup for the winner of the final stage on Easter Monday. The cup is being given to the race by Gene Mangan . The cup was known as the Lanco cup in the 1950’s and Gene was the last winner in 1958, the year he won Ras Mumhan also. The cup was given to the National Cycling Club in Dublin by Joseph Veslansky who was a Swiss Jeweler in Dublin. Paddy O Callaghan gave his life to cycling and was the man who ran this great race on many occasions. He was an official at all levels of the sport of cycling from his home club, Killorglin CC to International level where he represented Ireland at UCI level. He will also be remembered as a great bike rider and was National 100 mile T.T. champion in 1955.
It is a fitting tribute to a great cycling man.
His son Micheal O Callaghan will present the cup to the Stage winner on Easter Monday.
This International Race will be on the roads of Kerry & Cork for 4 days. The public are encouraged to come out and see this great spectacle as it passes by. However safety is paramount so you are asked to cooperate with the Gardai and Stewards at the event. Please keep dogs under control and expect traffic delays while the race is in your area.
KERRY GROUP are the main sponsor of the event.
Other Sponsors are:
Stage 1 Sliabh Luachra Chaseresourcing Ltd Killorglin. Stage 2 Kenmare & Beara RVR Energy Technology Experts (Kenmare). Stage 3 Waterville & Coom an Easpaigh IRD Waterville ( Childrens Festival & Charlie Chaplin Comedy Festival). Stage 4 Beaufort & Killorglin FEXCO.
Jerseys DMC Sport. King of the Hills Billy O Shea’s Pub Killorglin . Points Classification Owens McCarthy Claims Specialists, Killorglin. Under 23 Classification O Sullivan Cycles , Senior 2 & 3 Classification Mosca McGillicuddy & Associates,. Most Combatitive rider Award IBIKE
Pauline Sugrue Auctioneers Waterville, . Merrion Group Dublin. Keane’s Supervalu Killorglin. Parknasilla Resort & Spa, Dream Ireland Holiday Homes, Eurospar Killorglin, Killorglin Sports & Leisure Centre, Killorglin Cycling Club, Annadale Technologies, G. Moriarty & Sons Electrical Contractors Listowel, Kevin Moynihan Scaffolding Services.
Full details of Kerry Group Rás Mumhan on www.rasmumhan.com.
Facebook Kerry Group Ras Mumhan Twitter @rasmumhan