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Cáirde Rás Tailteann 2020 Announce Race Details
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| Robert John McCarthy, Ireland National Team winning stage two Athlone to Tipperary 2018 Rás Tilteann |
While up to eight teams from abroad will likely ride Rás Tailteann next June the race will be refocused on domestic riders, new route planner Ger Campbell has said.
The Drogheda Wheelers stalwart is among a six-man group that has assumed control of the race which will run Wednesday to Sunday in June.
Campbell and five others are part of a newly-formed promotions group, Cáirde Rás Tailteann. It has taken over the running of Rás Tailteann from Cumann Rás Tailteann. More>>>
‘The Rás – The Story of Ireland’s Unique Bike Race’
The 2019 cycling season passed in Ireland without our beloved Rás Tailteann stage race for the first time since 1953. The recent press release announcing its return in 2020 came as a welcome relief to all concerned.
The preservation of the race itself is not the only thing at stake as an annual Rás is crucial in sustaining a vibrant racing calendar and the ongoing development of the sport is dependent on this.
However, there is still the somewhat contentious question about which type of Rás best serves that secondary purpose of promoting the overall best interests of Irish cycling: the so-called ‘old’ Rás, prior to the event’s inclusion in the UCI calendar in 2000, or that ‘new’ Rás we have seen from then to 2018. More>>>
Ras Tailteann Back For 2020
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| Colm Christle, Dublin First Rás Winner 1953 |
The Rás will find its rightful place back on the Cycling Ireland calendar in 2020, promoted and run next year by a newly-formed promotions group, Cáirde Rás Tailteann, and thanks in huge part to significant collaboration with its historical organising club, Cumann Rás Tailteann.
Cumann Rás Tailteann have this week shown huge support to the promotions group, which compromises a number of long-time volunteers on the Rás, to run the race next year.
Following a long and committed search for sponsorship for Rás Tailteann, 8 Day International Race in 2019, the race
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| Luuc Bugter Netherlands Rás Winner 2018 |
ultimately fell victim of insufficient financial support and dropped off the calendar. Today the historical organisers confirmed that they will not themselves run an event in 2020, but are delighted to see the race go ahead under new organisers, with Cumann Rás Tailteann’s full support.
The promotions group will continue to follow the historical identity of the Rás Tailteann in the ethos of County and International teams. The 2020 edition of the Rás is likely to be over fewer days, possibly five, but the new organisers endeavour to promote this unique Irish race back to its UCI status in the coming years over eight days. More>>>
2019 Rás Tailteann Cancelled Due To Lack Of Sponsorship
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| 2019 Rás Tailteann Cancelled Due To No Sponsorship |
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No World-Ranked Rás Tailteann To Be Held In 2019
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| Eimear Dignam Race Director |
Following a long and committed search for sponsorship for the Rás Tailteann, the organisers have today taken the difficult decision not to run an eight-day world-ranked race in 2019.
The event is a 2.2 event on the UCI international calendar, earning world-ranked points for those who excel on stages and in the overall classification. It has been part of that calendar since the 2000 edition and while this has added greatly to the prestige of the event, the extra requirements under UCI rules have greatly ramped up the budget.
The race finances were covered in recent years by An Post, but it stepped back from its backing of the race specifically and cycling in general in 2017. The Rás Tailteann took place as usual last year thanks to a reserve fund, but the depletion of that made it vital that new backing was secured for 2019
“We have exhausted all opportunities in relation to sponsorship for a UCI race this year,” states race director Eimear Dignam. “I am extremely disappointed. I have been involved in the race my whole life. But I am satisfied that I explored every opportunity to us to secure a sponsorship. We never envisaged that it would come to an end like this, but hopefully it won’t be an end.
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Rider Blog Team Gerard DHL
Normally nerves play a huge role leading into a cyclist’s first participation in the Rás, but for me, there was no time to be nervous. With a heavy college schedule building up to exams that finished just 2 days before stage 1, the Rás was just a date on my calendar.
2018 marked the first year of Team-Gerard DHL but also the first Rás for 80% of our Rás squad. To help us through 8 days of chaos was Paidi O’Brien. A man with huge experience and success in the sport, most of which I am still unaware of. More>>>
Luuc Bugter Delta Team Netherland Takes Final Overall Victory In The 2018 Rás Tailteann
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| Luuc Bugter Delta Team Netherlands Overall Winner |
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Rás Taileann Overall Results 2018
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ESB At 1961 Rás Tailteann
In the summer of 1961, staff from ESB’s Rural Electrification Office (REO) took to the road with the Rás Tailteann, a national multi-stage cycle race across Ireland. Instead of bicycles, their mode of transport for the race was a rather large Mobile Display van known as LIK 650.
This large demonstration vehicle, traditionally used for local shows around the Cork area, was relieved of its usual duties on this particular occasion and dispatched to Dublin to undertake an important if not somewhat unusual mission. More>>>
Bugter Grabs Final Overall Victory Ghys Wins Dramatic Last Stage Of Ras Tailteann
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| Luuc Bugter Delta Team Netherlands Overall Winner in two Classifications Yellow Jersey and Points |
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| Robbe Ghys, Belgium National Team winner of the final stage of the 2018 Ras Tailteann |
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| Luuc Bugter Delta Team Netherlands Overall Winner |
On what was a highly dramatic final lap of racing in Skerries, Robbe Ghys (Belgian National Team) won the last stage in the Rás Tailteann, while Luuc Bugter (Netherlands Delta Cycling X) snatched the yellow jersey from longtime leader Cyrille Thiery (Switzerland National Team).
Ghys and Bugter made their move on the second and final lap of a 13.7 kilometre finishing circuit, bridging across to Bugter’s teammate Sjoerd Bax and then driving hard all the way to the line. Thiery chased and at one point looked like he would defend yellow, but finally ended up finishing 12 seconds behind Ghys, 11 behind Bugter and, crucially, one second back from Bugter overall.
“I was in the top five every day. I won a stage, I am in the best form of my life. It went really well,” said Bugter. “I knew there was a chance that I could take the win on the last day, I had to take some seconds on the leader as there are no bonuses at the finish.
“Our team did an amazing job. One rider attacked on the final climb and I was attacking after him and I went to him and we were riding together. And a guy from Belgium came to us and we were three guys. We went full gas to the finish. Then I heard that I had enough seconds to win – it was a crazy feeling.” More>>>
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