The route has already been announced, and Rás Tailteann 2023 is ready to go, with entries now open and Irish teams getting first option. Race director, Ger Campbell, of the Cáirde Rás Tailteann group, recently told stickybottle he could fill the race several times over such is the demand for places. Interest from British squads is off the scale this year.
However, Campbell and the other organisers are opening the entry system to Irish teams first. And when that stream is assessed and completed, teams from abroad will have a chance to enter, adding an extra level to the event. Rás Tailteann starts on May 17th in Navan, Co Meath.
Entries officially opened at 12 noon today and will remain open for 10 days, closing at noon on Sunday, March 26th. However, if you are considering riding or entering a team, you should get going immediately.
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"This window is only for Irish domestic club and county teams to enter. International teams will be given the opportunity to enter at a later date," Campbell confirmed.
The entry process will be facilitated on the EventMaster platform and you can enter, and find out more information, by following this link.
Entire teams must be entered at the same time. The person completing the entry must have the following details before starting:
- Team name, team manager name and contact details, emergency contact name and details.
- All riders name, DOB, licence number and UCI ID (all this information can be found on the
riders licence). - Payment card.
All teams will be comprised of five riders and the fee per team is €700. EventMaster also applies a six per cent booking charge, meaning the entry fee per team will be €742.
Amendments to teams after entering are permitted and should be sent to [email protected]. For any further issues or concerns, contact race director Ger Campbell on 086 8192205 or [email protected].
Rás Tailteann 2023 | The Route
Stage 1: Navan-Birr
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After a ceremonial start in Navan – marking 70 years of Navan Road Club – the race will travel mostly on flat roads taking in two cat 3 climbs within the first 90km. The final part of the stage gets much tougher as the race crests the cat 1 Wolf Trap mountain climb 20km from the finish. A fast run-in to Birr via Kinnity concludes the stage. Not a day when the race can be won but a day that could put riders out of contention from the off.
Stage 2: Birr-Ennis
Stage 2 will be a tough day in the saddle as the race departs from Birr and makes its way along the rolling roads of North Tipperary, skirting Lough Derg and taking in the cat 3 climb in Portroe before crossing the Shannon into Killaloe. The final 50km of the stage could be very telling with three back-to-back cat 3 climbs and the cat 2 Maghera Mast climb all featuring. A relatively flat final 25km into the finish at Barefield awaits on the outskirts of Ennis town.
Stage 3: Ennis-Castlebar
Stage 3 is dedicated to the memory of Tommy Devereux, a Castlebar native and stalwart of Irish cycling & Rás Táilteann who sadly passed away in December 2022. On paper, it’s a day for the sprinters, with mostly fast and flat roads making up the route. But there are two cat 3 climbs thrown in for good measure. The route takes in the towns of Ardrahan, Craughwell, Athenry, Tuam and Ballinrobe before making its way into Castlebar for a finish on Lanagh Road.
Stage 4: Charlestown-Monaghan
The race transfers to Charlestown for the longest stage of Rás Táilteann 2023, some 176km. The first half of the stage features mainly flat roads passing through Tulsk, Strokestown and Longford. The race then makes a directional change northwards in Longford, then featuring harder roads for the second half of the stage. The undulating roads through Co Cavan, where three cat 3 climbs are featured, are sure to take their toll on the riders before a relatively flat run-in from Clones to Monaghan town. The final twist of stage 4 is the last 300 metres uphill to the finish outside Monaghan Cathedral.
Stage 5: Monaghan – Blackrock
After a ceremonial start in the centre of Monaghan town, the riders will make their way through the towns of Ballybay, Shercock, Kingscourt, Drumconrath, Ardee, and Castlebellingham before passing onto a slightly tweaked and extended finishing circuit in Blackrock. The riders will complete 4 laps of an 11.1km circuit before they become ‘Men of the Rás 2023’. Stage 5 also features one cat 3 climb, at Meath Hill, en route to Blackrock. After last year’s thrilling finale, more of the same is promised in the beautiful Co Louth seaside town this time around.
