The UCD CC men feel the strain of the cat 1 Coomanaspic during stage four of last year's An Post Rás. The climb has been included on stage 3 of Kerry Group Rás Mumhan. (Picture: Stephen Kelleghan - [email protected])
By Brian Canty
The route for this year’s Kerry Group Rás Mumhan, from April 3rd to 6th, has been announced, with riders in for a tough Easter showdown in Kerry.
The organisers have opted to break with tradition and make a significant change to the third stage, which has been pivotal in deciding the race in the past.
The abolition of a loop around Valentia Island on the 135km Easter Sunday stage will be a talking point.
However, host club Killorglin CC have gone for something arguably even more brutal with the very steep climb of Coomanaspic thrown in to the latter part of stage 3.
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It's an ascent tough enough for the climbers in the field to impose themselves and will undoubtedly split the race to pieces.
Reigning champion Mark Dowling (DID Dunboyne) will be among those who will undoubtedly savour the challenge.
Dylan Foley (Irish U23 Development Team), far right, won a memorable stage on Easter Saturday at Kerry Group Rás Mumhan last year. The 145-kilometre stage is once again included in this year's race (Picture: Brendan Slattery)
There is still plenty racing left once the riders come off the climb, with 45kms remaining at 90km already in the riders' legs.
While a solo attack on the ascent is unlikely to stay away to the finish, a small group of favourites could go clear to carve up the stage and the overall.
Anyone who rode the An Post Rás last year will remember the climb as a monster.
It was there that the main breakaway on stage four, featuring county riders Ronan McLaughlin, Paddy Clarke and Eugene Moriarty, was caught.
And many of the riders through the field came to a near standstill.
Patrick Bevin of the New Zealand team would go on to win in a sprint from a dramatically reduced group and it’s likely the same outcome will occur again.
The Rás Mumhan riders will ascend Coomanaspic the opposite way the peloton went up at the An Post Rás, though it will be no less painful.
Reigning Kerry Group Rás Mumhan champion Mark Dowling (DID Dunboyne) timed his race-winning attack to perfection last year, snatching victory from the grasp of runner-up Paddy Clarke (Fitscience) in the closing kilometres. The Meath man will be back for more again in a few months. (Picture with thanks to Pat Doherty & www.rasmumhan.com)
Those with designs on winning the race outright will need to be right at the head of affairs on this stage.
It's a case of 'as you where' for the race's other stages. Easter Saturday’s leg-sapper dipping into Co Cork again getting the nod.
It starts and finishes in Kenmare but not before cresting a number of stinging climbs.
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The first of these is the Healy Pass after 30 kilometres and anyone shelled out the back here could have a very long day in the saddle.
After the Healy Pass it’s down into Adrigole, Glengarriffe and Ballylickey followed by Ballingeary.
From there it's over the cat 2 climb at Reenaree, into Ballyvourney, over the County Bounds cat 2 and turning left off the main road at Poulgorm Bridge and back into Kilgarvan and on to the finish.
The last 30 kilometres are flat so there could be a regrouping of sorts here.
Kerry Group Rás Mumhan has played host to some of the most exciting battles on Irish roads in recent times and the growing number of foreign teams is a ringing endorsement of the race's standing (Photo: George Doyle)
Last year, first-year U23 rider Dylan Foley claimed a marvellous win after being in the first break of the day that escaped inside five kilometres.
That five-man move was to be joined by around a dozen others but Foley had the legs to attack on the run-in for home and hold off the others for the biggest win of his career.
Riders can expect fireworks again this year on what is the longest stage of the race at 145 kilometres.
Meanwhile, stages one and four have lost none of their appeal and are back again.
The opener on Friday is always a tension-filled affair with the 105-kilometre leg starting and finishing in Killorglin.
Along the way they field will fly through Killarney, Kilcummin, Scartaglin, Castleisland, Currans, Ballyfinnane, Firies, Castlemaine and Milltown before returning to Killorglin.
The big pinch of the day – the cat 2 climb at Knocknaboul - is a really sticky one and has been known to cause significant splits.
Local man Cathal Moynihan was a very popular opening day winner and yellow jersey wearer last year. Now riding with Cork-based Aquablue CC, the Kerryman will be hoping for more of the same. (Picture: Pat Doherty)
The final day is a real crowd-pleaser as it is centred around the town of Killorglin on Easter Monday.
Three 20-kilometre laps of one circuit is followed by 10 laps of a four-kilometre circuit right up the sharp climb in the town.
It was on this ramp last year that Dowling stole the yellow jersey from overnight race leader Clarke. In the past, Ryan Sherlock also lost it in similarly cruel fashion.
Once again the best of the Irish teams will take part while there's set to be a strong overseas contingent from the UK and mainland Europe.
Clubs and teams interested in taking part should contact the race secretary Mary Concannon by email at [email protected] or by phone at 00 353 64 6644396 or 00 353 87 2802071.
Full details of route and further information will be available shortly on the race website: www.rasmumhan.com
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