Five things we'd love to see at the An Post Rás over the coming week

The An Post Rás starts tomorrow, Sunday, in Dunboyne and it's a race we love getting revved up about here at stickybottle.

It's always a thrilling event to follow - and even more so when the Irish are competitive. We hope the home-based guys can be as aggressive as Adam Armstrong, centre, was in 2012.

We're also hoping for the following...

1) Good weather

As things stand the forecast is not great for the race but we’re hopeful of at least some sunshine... though we don't think any riders will be taking a dip in the 40-foot at any point during the week...

Mother Nature has been very kind to the riders in recent years with 2012 and 2013 being particularly Med-like, with scorching temperatures and very little rain.

Good weather means safer, more enjoyable, less stressful racing.

It also brings more fans and followers to the roadside to cheer on the riders.

Besides, a lot of these guys are on holidays so they deserve some Vitamin D...

2) An Irish stage winner

With the level of talent in the country now it’s reasonable to expect a stage win.

Conor Dunne, above, (2013) and Sam Bennett (2013 x2) are two of the most recent Irish stage winners but there’s plenty more who can go close.

Martyn Irvine (Madison Genesis) is in superb form and looks like he can do something special - like he did when he soloed to that marvellous win in Kildare in 2011.

Peter Hawkins is no longer riding with Madison Genesis but he's still a class act and has worn the yellow jersey here in 2013.

Those two are among the best bets for stage wins, as are the aforementioned Dunne and his An Post Chainreaction teammate Ryan Mullen.

What a pity it is that Eddie Dunbar is out of the race.

3) An Irish GC threat... or two

Sean Downey (An Post Chainreaction) was the best-placed Irishman overall last year in sixth and that marked a career-high for him.

He won’t be in the race this year as he’s sick but there are plenty more who can take up the slack, we think.

Roger Aiken, above, was inside the top 10 two years ago and could be up there again while Irvine is another who could push for it, if that is a priority for him.

4) The county men making an impact

Robin Kelly will ride for the Fitscience/Mayo team next week and is in superb form right now. He will love the rolly stages and you can bet on him being there or thereabouts on a few stages (Photo courtesy of DC Images)

Rarely has the domestic racing been better in recent times than it is now, with a host of really strong teams.

To name but a few, Aquablue have Sean Lacey, Anto Walsh and Sean McKenna capable of sticking it to the bigger teams.

Team ASEA have Aiken, Bryan McCrystal and Damien Shaw equally capable of causing trouble.

Fitscience have Robin Kelly, Sean Hahessy and Paddy Clarke. DID Electrical Dunboyne have Mark Dowling and UCD CC have Eoin Morton.

The North Down CC team have David Watson.

County men shouldn’t feel in any way inferior to their professional or full-time counterparts.

5) Ryan Mullen showing his class

Though he won't be allowed the time-trial bars in the Rás Ryan Mullen has more than enough in his legs and lungs to smash it up next week (Photo: Stephen McMahon - Sportsfile)

It’s impossible to ignore the reigning national road and time-trial champion and his chances.

He’s in his debut Rás but that won’t concern him because he’s ridden the Tour of Britain last year and has plenty stage races in his legs from over the years.

He’s a horse of a man and will be highly motivated to get into the breaks next week.

We think he can be one of the stars of the show.