Strong Kerry interest in Easter’s Rás Mumhan

THERE will be strong local interest in this year’s Kerry Group Rás Mumhan which takes place on the roads of Kerry and Limerick this weekend Friday, with Conor Kissane from Killarney to ride with the Ireland Development Team, while Killarney Cycling Club, Killorglin CC, Sliabh Luachra CC and Tralee Manor West BC have teams entered with plenty of local riders in them.

Kissane is part of a very strong Ireland Development Team that includes Ben Healy, who was on duty in the Tour of Flanders U-23 race over the weekend, Adam Ward, who also has International experience, and two other newcomers to the Irish jersey, Sean Moore and Matthew Sparrow, as well as Kissane.

Aidan Crowley, whose Velo Revolution company sponsors all the Classification jerseys this year, brings a strong line up this year including previous winner Damien Shaw and Kerry man Richard Maes, who steped up to the top table of sprinters at last year’s Ras Tailteann.

The Leinster team includes Mark Dowling, who won this race in 2014.

Another Kerry man Cathal Moynihan leads the Tralee Manor West team this year. Cathal was first and second on stages in the recent past.

Dillon Corkery, who was on International duty in Flanders last weekend, is another who will make a big impression. Other top Irish riders in the Rás are Charles Prendergast in the Castlebar colours, multiple stage winner Paidi O’Brien lines out in the Killarney colours, and Limerick man Paul Kennedy who won stage 2 last year on home roads two years ago.

The lineup of Irish riders and teams include last year’s winner Conor Hennebry, who is in flying form at the moment and is clear favourite to win again with his Dan Morrissey-MIG.IE-Pactimo Team.

The foreign challenge is top class again this year. Active Edge Race Team/B Cooper/BMW, Holohan Coaching Race Team, Ribble Pro Cycling, Zero BC and Surrey League, all have been at the race in previous years, while Pedal Power Cycles Ipswich and Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli, are newcomers this year. It shows how popular the race is in the UK with 7 teams making the trip. Liam Holohan leads his own team and is a former Continental level Pro with Madison Genesis and Team Wiggins, joining him are Ollie Hayward, sixth on the Queen stage in to Waterville last year and Mattew Garthwaite who was 4th overall last year, and Chris Pook who all return to the Ras for the third time.

Regular visitiors Combilift-West Fisia from Holland are back again this year. They include Wouter Been winner of Stage 2 last year into Athea and Sven Broekaart who has figured prominently in the race previously also on board is Sprinter Mattew Overste, who also competed at Continental level last year.

The total race distance for the four days is 500km and includes 26 categorised climbs, with the one category one ascent of Coom an Easpaig outside Portmagee on Sunday.

With 155 Elite riders representing 31 teams from Ireland, England, and Holland included it will add an International mix to face the starter on Good Friday. A prize fund of over €7,000 is on offer to make sure it is highly competitive.

The emphasis on the U-23 element of the event has attracted 31 riders in this category. There are two A+, 96 A1, 38 A2, and 19 A3 riders in the field.

The overall race winner will receive the Donal McKenna Cup. On Saturday in Listowel / Athea the stage winner will get the Gene Moriarty Cup. Sunday’s winner in Waterville will receive the Eamonn Scully Cup and the final stage winner will get the Paddy O’Callaghan Cup. The U-23 winner overall will be presented with the John Doyle Cup and the best Kerry rider will get the Paul O’Shea Cup.

Stage 1 on Friday takes the riders from Killorglin out through Sliabh Luachra and back to Killorglin for 100km over three climbs. Saturday’s stage leaves Listowel at 11am, taking the riders over 130km around north Kerry and West Limerick before finishing in Athea around 2pm. Sunday’s stage leaves Waterville at 11.30am and takes the riders up the Category 1 Coom an Easpaigh on to Valentia Island and back to Waterville. Easter Monday’s concluding stage sees the riders on the Donal McKenna circuit for 10 laps up the famous hill in Killorglin for a finish around 12.30pm.