RAI 2017 Day 5 Update - Reist On The Home Straight

Nicole Reist, Switzerland, Race Around Ireland 2017. Photo: Georgie Francis

With just the final big obstacles in Wicklow stretched out in front of her Nicole Reist is heading for the home stretch and heading for glory in Moynalty.

As darkness fell over the Wicklow mountains on Thursday night, Reist was Carnew with 188km still to complete.

But with some of the toughest hills on this extraordinarily demanding route still ahead of her, she could not yet begin to think of the finish line. All through Thursday from early morning she and the other seven solo riders left in the race ticked challenges off the list.

From the precipitous St Patrick’s Hill in the dead of night, across windswept Mount Leinster in Carlow to take on the tortuous triptych of Slieve Maan, Drumgoff and Glenmacnass Military Road in Wicklow, Reist continues her relentless march to victory.

The Swiss engineer has enjoyed another day of metronomic consistency, drawing further clear of what is now a titanic tussle for second place between Valerio Zamboni of Monaco and England’s John Musgrove.

Zamboni was in County Waterford, some 196km behind Reist with Musgrove just 25km behind. Meanwhile Henk Verouden of the Netherlands was 25km further back with Erikur Ingi Johannsson of Iceland just over 15 further in arrears and swapping places in a battle for fourth place on the road.

All being well Reist is expected to reach the finish line in Moynalty some time after 4am with her current estimated time of arrival just after 5.30am on Friday morning.

Meanwhile, the two-rider class was decided earlier today in favour of the Mick/Ted Racing duo of Michael McCarthy and Francis Melia who arrived back in Moynalty after 2153km and 93hours and 45 minutes of epic tag team racing.

Canadian duo Jean Pierre Genereux and Nicholas F Martire of Team Aldo Racing were expected to reach the finish line some time after midnight.

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About Race Around Ireland

On Sunday 27th of August 2017, cyclists from all over the world will line up in Trim, County Meath, to take on the ninth Race Around Ireland and the Irish Ultra Challenge.

Race Around Ireland is regarded as one of the toughest cycling challenges in the world and will take the racers on a 2,151km journey past some of the most stunning scenery in Ireland. The route takes in Newgrange, The Causeway Coast, Malin Head, The Cliffs of Moher, The Ring of Kerry, Mizen Head, the Garden County (Wicklow) and back to Moynalty in County Meath and ALL within a week.

The Irish Ultra Challenge is a 1,100km race and is seen as being the perfect stepping-stone into the world of ultra-cycling. Solo riders have 68 hours to finish. There is no team devision in the Irish Ultra Challenge.

For more information, please visit: www.racearoundireland.com