Route confirmed for four-day Ras Mumhan

THE route for Kerry Group Rás Mumhan has been announced, with the four-day stage race covering 500 kilometres over the Easter weekend, April 10 to 13.

Stage 1, on Good Friday. covers 100km, starting and finishing in Killorglin and taking the riders through in Killarney, Scartaglin, Castleisland, Ballyfinnane, Firies, Castlemaine, Milltown, before finishing on the new road to Killorglin after Milltown. The KOH here will be a stiffer climb, and will be only 5km from the finish and is sure to impact on the stage result. The Category 2 Climb at Knocknaboul at the half way point on narrow winding roads is the feature of the stage.

Stage 2 on Easter Saturday, is 130km leaving Listowel for a tough stage that finishes in Athea in West Limerick after 130km of undulating roads. The stage is built for the real strong men, with a number of category 2 and 3 climbs.

Easter Sunday’s 155km stage covers South Kerry, with a series of loops once described by Irish cycling legend Phillip Cassidy as “the finest road racing stage in Ireland”.

The fact that it includes the Category 1 climb at Coom An Easpaig only adds to the intrigue. This will come at the 130km point of a 155km route that includes six other climbs, including the climb on Valentia Island. The stage starts and finishes in Waterville.

The champion will be crowned on Easter Monday after the 115km flat stage, starting and finishing in Killorglin, with the usual sting in the tail. The 25km loop through Beaufort is covered three times and then it is on to the final 10 laps of the town circuit and up the hill each time to add a further 40 km.

The crowd that turned up last year to witness this stage was huge and brought a great atmosphere to Killorglin.

There will again be a major change to arrangements for the laps of the Donal McKenna finishing circuit on Easter Monday. Riders that are 3m:30s down on the leaders will be withdrawn from the circuit. They will be credited with a finishing time appropriate to the lap they were removed at. This amendment will greatly facilitate the ease of movement of motor traffic in Killorglin and contribute significantly to race safety.

TEAMS:

The Team structure is the same as last year. Teams will consist of 5 riders. Priority for engagement to the start list will be given to teams with the highest number of A1 riders. Teams may not contain more than two A3 riders. A maximum of 40 teams will make up the field.

ENTRY:

Entries are open on Monday, March 2 and close two weeks later on Monday, March 16, or earlier if the entry list is full.