Ronan McLaughlin is from Donegal and says the An Post Rás 2017 stages in the region will blow the race apart.
By Brian Canty
Expect the unexpected for this year’s An Post Rás. That’s the message from Donegal man Ronan McLaughlin who was on hand in Dublin today for the announcement of this year’s route.
The former Irish international and An Post rider knows the roads well as he’s from the town of Muff in the county while he also had the ignominy of coming within 100 metres of a stage win in 2012.
“Coming from Donegal you couldn’t ask for any more with half the race is in the county,” he said.
“It looks like the organisers said ‘how can we get to Donegal as quickly as possible and stay there for as long as possible!”
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“I went very close to winning in 2012 but it wasn’t to be, so the aim of winning a stage in Donegal is still on my mind,” he added.
Indeed, with stage finishes in Bundoran, Donegal, Buncrana and Dungloe, McLaughlin will be licking his lips at the prospect of taking an elusive win.
“It has been my big target all winter. I knew it was coming up to Donegal and that has been my motivation all winter.
“Obviously it didn’t have a happy ending in 2012 but what can you do, that’s the way things go,” he continued.
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David McCann,Taiwan RTS Racing, on the Gap Of Mamore in Rás 2012.
“We were in Donegal for the Rás five years ago and it was 28 degrees and five years before that it was a winter day with wind and rain.
“I think Tony Martin (reigning world champion) pretty much won the race that day when it was blown to pieces five kilometres into the stage.”
The weather is always a huge talking point and a great leveller, he added.
“The stage to Buncrana (stage four) on paper is the GC stage.
“There are four tough climbs. Even though one of them is a category three and one is a category two they’re still very tough climbs in the last 14k and then the Mamore Gap thrown in there as well (makes it harder).
“There’s a climb between the Mamore Gap and the finish that was categorised in 2012 but isn’t categorised this year so on paper it doesn’t jump out.
“Connor McConvey made the selection on Mamore Gap the last time over it but was dropped on the last climb before the finish so that could make a difference.
“There’s plenty of roads up there that’ll cause the selections.
“That stage into Dungloe (stage five), it only has two third category climbs but it’s up and down and left and right.
“It’s a tough day and exposed to any weather; it could be the decisive stage.
“I remember the second stage in 2011, it looked like nothing on paper but it was actually the stage where (Gediminas, eventual winner) Bagdonas showed himself.
“He didn’t take the jersey but he pretty much swept the overall on the second stage because of the wind and the conditions. You could get the same again.”
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