The MyHome.ie-Meath team celebrate winning the team prize at the 2008 FBD Insurance Rás. And what a team it was too, with Aidan Crowley, Eugene Moriarty, double-stage winner Brian Kenneally, Scott McDonald and Stephen O'Sullivan in their ranks. Crowey and O'Sullivan have had to withdraw from this year's race which starts on Sunday.
By Brian Canty
Two riders synonymous with the An Post Rás have had to withdraw from this year’s race on the eve of the event.
Stephen O’Sullivan and Aidan Crowley have nigh on 40 editions of the race completed between them but both have made the difficult decision to pull out this year.
O’Sullivan, a former stage winner, was hoping to make it Rás number 22 this year and Crowley was looking for his 18th.
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But they’ll have to wait until next year to achieve those landmark figures.
Incredibly, both have racked up their respective tallies in consecutive years - and have absolutely no intention of retiring yet.
Aidan Crowley on the Rás podium in 2007. He and O'Sullivan have completed 38 Rásanna between them.
Both have ridden as teammates for many years in the race, most recently in the colours of DID Electrical Dunboyne but in the past with the MyHome.ie/Meath team.
Crowley has finished every position from sixth to last and been a team prize winner six times over the course of his Rás career.
‘Sully’ admitted he’ll miss being in the peloton this year but knows he made the correct decision opting not to start.
“In one way I am disappointed,” he said, “but I’m pragmatic.”
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“I didn’t have the time to commit to training and I’m not going to fool myself. I know what’s involved and it’s not a race you can take lightly.
“I had some injuries holding me back over Christmas and my training was curtailed.
Stephen O'Sullivan wins stage 8 of the 2000 FBD Rás into Tullow from team mate David McCann.
“That’s one of the reasons (I had to pull out) but I’m just too busy with work as well and I made the call last week.”
Similarly, Crowley, who’s been so close to a stage win on several occasions, said it was a difficult decision to have to make, but the correct one also.
“I’ve been sick the last while with a flu and couldn’t shake it,” he said.
“I couldn’t train and there’s no point in going in doing it if all you’ll be doing is suffering in the bunch all week.
“I would’ve only been able to train properly since last weekend and that was too tight.
“It’s probably a young man’s race now unless you have trained a lot so I’m afraid I’ll be managing the team now.”
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