This Sunday sees the start of the ‘Race Around Ireland’ 4th annual World Cup event, with teams and individual riders from around the world facing a 2,100km route as they pass through 22 counties and endure 75,000 feet of climbing.
The event gets underway from Trim Castle in Trim, Co Meath, with the riders setting out at 7.30pm to tackle the first miles of the gruelling challenge ahead of them.
There are crews and riders from seven nations taking part this year, with riders spending up to 22 hours day on the bike until the event is completed.
Race director Alan Heary said with the evening start time on Sunday and the street entertainment laid on in Trim for that start by Trim Chamber of Commerce, he believed a large crowd would turn out for this unique and internationally very well regarded event.
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“We want everyone to be able to come out and support these two wheeled warriors,” he said.
Spectators will also be able to track the progress of the riders and teams throughout the race with internet tracking supplied by BlackBox on the race’s website www.racearoundireland.com
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The 2011 men’s solo race was won by Monaco rider Valerio Zamboni in a victory that saw him become the Ultra-Marathon World Champion. He returns this year in the hope of retaining his title.
However, he will not have it all his own way because 2010 Race Around Ireland winner Bernd Paul from Germany and Irish riders - including Race Across America finisher Donncha Cuttriss – are in the field and will be looking for a result.
Teams will cycle in a relay format, day and night, to finish the event in less than four days. This year the Race Around Ireland sees the British team ‘Strategic Lions’ taking part. As an eight-rider team they won the ‘Race Across America’ last year.
In Ireland they will compete as a four-person team, with a line-up that includes three-time Rás stage winner and former British road race champion, John Tanner as well as Kevin Dawson who is the current British 100 mile time trial record holder.
The associated charity for this year is Aisling Group International. Sponsors of the event include: Carvalho Custom, Planet X, Andalucian Cycling Experience and Meath Sports Partnership.
On the race’s website people can enter a draw for a weekend for two in Trim Castle by simply taking photos of the riders and back-up crews out on the roads and sending them into the site. For more information check out www.racearoundireland.com
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