The KERRY GROUP RAS MUMHAN 4 Day International Cycle Race will get under way on the roads of Kerry and Cork on Good Friday, 3rd April & will finish on Easter Monday morning, April 6th.
The total race distance for the 4 days is close to 500km and includes 23 categorised climbs.
210 elite riders representing teams from Ireland, England, Scotland, Holland and Lithuania will face the starter. With a prize fund of over €7,500, this year sees the biggest field ever to compete in the long history of this great Race.
Stage 1.Good Friday April 3rd Killorglin-Sliabh Luachra-Killorglin.
This is the fifth consecutive year to go to the Sliabh Luachra region of East Kerry. The Ras will start at 15.30 in Killorglin taking the riders to Killarney, on to Kilcummin, Scartaglin, Castleisland, Currans, Ballyfinnane , Firies, Milltown and finishing in Killorglin around 18.00 – a total of 106km with three climbs.
Stage 2. Saturday April 4th Kenmare- Beara - Kenmare.
This will be a big day for cycling in Kenmare & West Cork. The race will leave Kenmare at 12 noon. The route will take the riders to Lauragh, the Category 1 Healy Pass Climb, 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 15.15 – a total journey of 145km.
Another dimension to the event will be the “ Etape Ras Mumhan”. 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 9am in Kenmare and will cover the full route of the Stage .
Stage 3. Easter Sunday. April 5th Waterville and Coom an Easpaigh Stage.
This stage has a 11.30 start in the South Kerry town of Waterville and the leading riders are expected at the finish back in Waterville again after 14.00.. The 125km route has a change from previous years, with the Category 1 Coom an Easpaigh climb introduced 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 Cat 2 ascents in what is regarded as one of the classic road stages of any race in these islands.
Stage 4. Easter Monday April 21st Beaufort and Killorglin Stage.
The final Stage will start at 10.00. After 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 cat 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 13.00.
Mark Dowling who won this title last year after a great performance from his DID Electrical team on the final two stages Is back to defend his Title. He showed in Carlow race two weeks ago that he is ready. Damien Shaw is another former winner who will be keen to do a repeat and he brings what looks like the strongest team in the race with him , the new Team ASEA. Sean McKenna another man who made a big impression last year, took the yellow jersey after Stage 2 and was 4th overall last year, he is the top man on the Domestic scene so far this year, and he leads the IRELAND Under 23 Development team. Sean Lacey leads the Aqua Blue Team and he is another former winner taking the title in 2011. He was 5th overall last year also. He will have another Kerryman Cathal Moynihan on the team this year, Cathal was 1st and 2nd on stages last year. Siobhan Horgan is the only lady in the line up, she has been here before and she lines out in the IBIKE colours, they are the sponsors of the most combatitive rider award on each stage this year. Other top Irish outfits are , UCD, Liquidworx Fitscience ,who will have Patrick Clarke runner up last year, multiple stage winner Paidi O Brien in the Osborne Meats colours and Phoenix CC from Ulster,
The foreign challenge is big again this year. The are 2 Dutch teams in the line up again this year, Combilift West Frisia , Who took the Team title last year, have Sjors Dekker back to defend his Under 23 Title, while Tino Haakman and Robert Jan Moll are no strangers to the Race. The other Dutch team is WV Nord Holland,
Bram Imming was 5th overall in 2011 and he leads a young squad. SCOTLAND are the other National Team
In the race and they bring mostly an Under 23 Track squad to back Grant Ferguson who rode well in the recent Herald Sun Tour in Australia. The emphasis by the Race Organization on the Under 23 element of the event has attracted the Cheshire JLT Condor team for the 1st time. While the Champion System VCUK RT team are also newcomers. Felt Colbornes are back again this year also. The Top Team is a compromised of Lithuanian riders with Ryan Sherlock as a guest rider.
There are 117 Category 1 riders, 58 Category 2, and 35 Category 3 in the field. There are over 40 competing for the Under 23 Classification.
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 this event.
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 Sports/SMS Santini. Cycling Munster . King of the Hills Billy O Shea’s Pub Killorglin . Points Classification Owens McCarthy Claims Specialists, Killorglin. Under 23 Classification Mosca McGillicuddy & Associates. Senior 2 & 3 Classification Annadale Technologies Ltd. Most Combatitive rider Award IBIKE
Pauline Sugrue Auctioneers Waterville, . Merrion Group Dublin. Keane’s Supervalu Killorglin. The Square Pint Kenmare. Quills Kenmare & Killarney. Parknasilla Resort & Spa, Dream Ireland Holiday Homes, Eurospar Killorglin, Killorglin Sports & Leisure Centre..