The Healy Pass has always proven action-packed in the Rás, and now it is on the agenda for a new stage in Kerry Group Rás Mumhan in April.
By Brian Canty
The organisers of Kerry Group Rás Mumhan have just released details of the four stages facing the riders this coming Easter Bank Holiday Weekend from Good Friday to Easter Monday, April 18th to 21st.
Host club Killorglin CC has shaken up the event with a new stage 2 for Easter Saturday, the highlight of which is the category 1 ascent of Healy Pass after just 30 kilometres of racing.
But of as much concern to the 180 or so riders racing will be the six climbs throughout the 144km leg breaker.
Good Friday’s opening stage, Sunday’s Waterville stage and Monday’s concluding stage will remain the same as last year. But all the talk will centre on what race director Tadhg Moriarty has deemed a “ beast” of a stage on Saturday.
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“We felt we needed to shake it up again this year and keep people guessing,” explains Moriarty.
“It's going to be another beast of a stage and definitely one for the climbers. It'll start and finish in Kenmare and will take us to Lauragh, then over the cat 1 Healy Pass and on to Adrigole.
“Then we’ll turn left for Glengarriff, and onwards to Ballylickey; like the Rás went last year. Then, the race turns left at Ballylickey for Kealkil and on to the Pass of Keimaneigh.
“That’s about 25 kilometres from Glengarriff and caused havoc at the Rás last year. It’s a category 2 but it’s a really difficult climb.”
The race continues on some more draggy difficult roads, into Ballingeary and up another leg zapper at an area known locally as Reenaree.
From there the riders will take a left turn and via some twisting narrow roads to Ballyvourney-Ballymakeera they will go back over the county bounds into Kerry and onto the main Cork-Killarney road.
The final leg of the stage was used in 2010 with the riders turning left there for Kilgarvan and continuing to the finish at Kenmare, cresting a total of six climbs.
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Stage Details
Stage 1: Good Friday, April 18th
The Sliabh Luachra stage will start at 3.30pm. It will be a 105 km race that will take the riders to the Sliabh Luachra area of East Kerry, starting in Killorglin, on to Killarney, Kilcummin, Scartaglin, Castleisland, Firies, Castlemaine, Milltown and back to finish in Killorglin approx 6.30pm. Route link http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/fullscreen/345346045/
Stage 2: Easter Saturday, April 19th
Starting in Kenmare at 12noon and finishing around four hours later, the stage is grueling. Six climbs, two inside the opening 30 kilometres, is definitely going to see a nervous start. And for those caught out in a likely split it will be a very long day in the saddle. The stage is 144 kilometres in total and the longest of this year’s race. Route link http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/fullscreen/308912593/
Stage 3: Easter Sunday, April 20th
Waterville and Valentia Island stage, in south Kerry. It has proven to be a huge success over the last few years. There is a 12noon start again, with the route the same as last year, starting and finishing in Waterville. The route will take the riders from the start at Waterville to the Glen, on to Cahirciveen, Dromid and back to within 3km of the start before the trip to Valentia Island, St Finian's Bay, and back to finish in Waterville around 3.30pm after a total distance of 142km. Route link http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/fullscreen/343423467/
Stage 4 Easter Monday April 21st
Beaufort and Killorglin stage in mid Kerry. It has an early start at 10am to give everybody with long journeys home an early finish at 1pm. The route will be familiar to many as it has been used on the final day many times. There are 3 laps of the Beaufort-Killorglin circuit and then on to the shorter Donal McKenna lap to be covered 10 times before the final chequered flag , after 114km. Route link http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/fullscreen/343428491/
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