Tayler Wiles was a classy winner of Rás na mBan last year and with such a big international field assembled for next month's race, the battle for the pink jersey will be intense (Photo: Lorraine O’Sullivan – Inpho)
The top domestic event of the year for women, An Post Rás na mBan, will be bigger than ever due mainly to a surge in interest from British riders.
While women from Ireland and all over the world will make up the field again this year, the number of British teams signed up has jumped to 10 compared with five last year.
Race director Valerie Considine has confirmed 112 riders will be on the start line, compared to an entry of 100 for the 2014 edition.
The increase in interest, especially from the thriving women’s scene in the UK, is a strong vote of confidence in the race with word having clearly spread in Britain about the quality of the event.
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The six-stage race will be fought out over five days next month in Co Clare, having switched from its Co Kerry base of Sneem a couple of seasons ago.
Olivia Dillon wins stage 5 into Ballyvaughan last year (Photo: Lorraine O’Sullivan – Inpho)
Considine said as well as the 10 teams from Britain there are seven from Ireland and three from the Netherlands.
France, Norway, Denmark and the USA each supply one team for the race, which was won by top US pro rider Tayler Wiles last year.
Indeed, victory in the Irish race by such an internationally successful rider as Wiles was a major boost in itself for the An Post-backed event.
Her gaining selection to represent the USA at the World Road Championships just after her victory in Co Clare last September underlined the calibre of athlete the event is attracting.
And with riders from Sweden, Australia, Belgium and New Zealand all included in the 24 teams down to the start next month’s race, that trend appears to be continuing at a pace.
The Co Clare coast is spectacular on a clear day but will prove savage if the wind blows (Photo: Lorraine O’Sullivan – Inpho)
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A total of 13 nationalities will be represented when hostilities get underway on September 9th.
"It's particularly encouraging to see so many teams from at home and abroad preparing for the tenth edition of our race," said Considine.
"It's great that so many talented Irish riders are focused on doing battle against an increased entry from abroad.
"Looking at the entry list, I truly believe that this is one of the most open fields in years and there will be many riders with genuine hopes of pulling on the final pink An Post overall winner's jersey in Ennis on September 13th."
Among the Irish set to compete is national road race champion Lydia Boylan, national team rider from last year and one of the women of the 2014 edition Eve McCrystal and Belgian-based Michelle Geoghegan.
The Irish team has been very successful in the race before and will look to reclaim the title this year (Photo: Lorraine O’Sullivan – Inpho)
As well as having a stronger international feel than ever this year, a team from Kerry has been assembled specifically for the race, which also sees Lakeside Wheelers and a Cycling Ulster selection returning.
There will be debut appearances from a number of Irish outfits including De Ronde Von Cork, Nenagh Cycling Club and NRPT-Magnet.ie.
Talented junior Emily Birchall will ride with NRPT-Magnet.ie and having already been very successful in her fledgling career it will be interesting to see what she can do.
Ciara Doogan, who recently put in two fantastic shifts in the junior races at the European road and track championships, will guest with the Danish Rytger squad.
We will preview the race in full and analyse the strength in the field when the start list is published.
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