Rás na mBan 2019 Ireland’s Premier Women’s Bike Race 5 Day International Cycle Race Kilkenny 4th - 8th September Item Hosted on www.IrishCyclingNews.com Website CONTENTS Welcome Address 2 Start list Teams and Riders 4 Riders to Watch 6 Roll of Honour 7 Route Details & Time Schedule 8 Stage 1 8 Stage 2 11 Stage 3 14 Stage 4 17 Stage 5 19 Stage 6 21 Epic Stages 25 Race Rules & Regulations 26 Hospitals 28 Prize List 29 ADig LITTLE Race Officials 29 Where to Watch 30 DEEPER Explainer 31 Uncover Kilkenny’s hidden gems and turn your visit into an amazing journey of discovery. www.visitkilkenny.ie Did you know? The first Rás na mBan champion was Stephanie Gronow from Berlin who won the inaugural two-day event in County Dublin in 2006 against 74 other riders representing teams from Poland, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, the Isle of Man and Britain, as well as Ireland. Coralie Demay from Brittany won the stage four time trial on her way to overall victory in 2018, the first win for a French rider in Rás na mBan. 1 Item Hosted on www.IrishCyclingNews.com Website WELCOME ADDRESS It’s my very great pleasure to welcome We’re grateful to Laois County Council for their riders, officials and all bike racing fans assistance in running stage three. The race benefits from a dedicated committee of to Rás na mBan 2019, the fourteenth skilled and committed personnel performing myriad edition of the race and the fourth to be unseen tasks throughout the year. To this core group based in County Kilkenny. I’m delighted can be added a dedicated band of commissaires, POWERED timekeepers, finish crew, drivers, mechanics, to say that once again we have top motorbike marshals, static marshals and countless international riders from all over the other officials without whom this event would not BY ADRENALINE world making the journey to beautiful occur. To all of them I say thank you and remind all competitors of their sacrifice for the good of women’s Kilkenny City by the River Nore. cycling. THE UBER EFFICIENT Whether you’re a first timer or a regular competitor We are very grateful for the support of some of the I’d like to wish you all a heartfelt ‘céad míle fáilte’ and best backers in Irish sport. CIVIC DIESEL I hope you enjoy your week’s racing. Cycling Ireland has again recognised the importance Last year’s event was popularly judged the best of this race to the development of the sport with an to date so we have focused on retaining the main increased commitment, the Women’s Commission elements of a successful formula, with four road of Cycling Ireland are backing the Young Rider stages, a time trial and a city centre criterium circuit Classification again, while the Irish Veterans Cyclists race making up 400km of racing from Wednesday Association continue their support of the Wicklow through to Sunday. 200 Queen of the Mountains classification that It’s been especially uplifting to experience the stretches back to the very start of the event in 2006. welcome of all in County Kilkenny for the event and Honda Ireland has stepped in once more to provide the help we have been given by all in Kilkenny County official race cavalcade vehicles and support the stage Council, local cycling clubs and the local business four time trial while Europcar Kilkenny have supplied community has helped ease the daunting task of vans to help with transport and logistics. We’re promoting a five-day international bike race. delighted to welcome a new commercial partner with We would also like to acknowledge the great help Pactimo supplying the superb new jerseys to be worn and support from An Garda Síochána in Kilkenny and by classification leaders. surrounding counties for their assistance in running The refreshed look of the event has been aided by the the event assistance of Just-Print.ie in providing event signage We have two all-new stages that I feel confident will and Just-Print.ie have increased their involvement to be a hit with both riders and spectators. The stage support the stage winner’s jersey. Fáilte Ireland have two journey south to Piltown includes a finishing also brought vital support to this landmark event. circuit with a challenging climb while stage three is Our event timing service is provided by Joe Daly our first visit to County Laois and includes the tough Cycles while InForm Sport Media continue to supply climbs of the Wolftrap Mountain and The Cut in the their excellent PR and event marketing support. Slieve Bloom Mountains. A single other individual has also provided significant financial assistance to the event and we’d like to thank them again for their wonderful support this year. They know who they are and we really are very grateful. To all involved, I hope you enjoy the race. 5 Door Petrol * 4 Door Sedan ** 5 Door Diesel ** - 1.0L/1.5L i-VTEC - 1.6 i-DTEC/1.0 i-VTEC - 2.0 i-VTEC - Fuel Economy: Yours in cycling, Turbo Engines Turbo Engines Turbo Engine 3.5L/100K - 127/180 BHP - 120/127 BHP - 320 BHP - 1.6 i-DTEC Engine *Civic 5 Door Petrol available in Manual and CVT. **Civic 5 Door Diesel and 4 Door Sedan available in Manual, all-new 9-Speed Auto and CVT. Valerie Considine Race Director Nicola Juniper (TC Racing) taking the win in Kilkenny on stage 5 of Rás na mBan 2018 Find your Civic style at honda.ie 2 Item Hosted on www.IrishCyclingNews.com Website RIDERS TO WATCH ROLL OF HONOUR Rás na mBan 2019 is the 14th edition of the event in its current guise and the fourth time the race has been based in County Kilkenny. It marks 33 years since the first women’s international stage race in Ireland. Year Winner Year Winner 2018 Coralie Demay, France 2002 Esther van der Helm, Netherlands 2017 Elinor Barker, Wales 2001 Esther van der Helm, Netherlands 2016 Rikke Lønne, Denmark 2000 Julie Hooper, England 2015 Stephanie Pohl, Germany 1999 Louise Jones, England 2014 Tayler Wiles, USA 1998 Claire Moore, Ireland 2013 Olivia Dillon, Ireland 1997 Susan O’Mara, Ireland 2012 Kamilla Vallin, Denmark 1996 Angela Hunter, England 2011 Olivia Dillon, Ireland 1995 Helena Kinsella, Ireland Lara Gillespie (right) collect her bronze medal at the recent 2010 Olivia Dillon, Ireland 1994 Marie Purvis, Isle of Man world championships in Poland with the silver medallist and 2009 Emma Trott, England 1993 Claire Moore, Ireland fellow Rás na mBan rider Elynor Bacsktedt (left). 2008 Louise Moriarty, Ireland 1992 Claire Moore, Ireland This year’s entry for An Post Rás na mBan is among the most competitive in the 13-year history of 2007 Marit Huisman, Netherlands 1990 Kim Staff, England the event. Here is a selection of some of the riders likely to feature during the week. 2006 Stephanie Gronow, Germany 1989 Patricia Anderson, Ireland Alice Sharpe (Ireland) - Team Ireland Rhona Callander (Scotland) – Team Great Britain 2005 Elisabeth Braam, Netherlands 1988 Claire Moore, Ireland Ireland’s national road race champion won her title in A stage winner for Team GB in Rás na mBan 12 months 2004 Louise Moriarty, Ireland 1987 Fiona Madden, Ireland emphatic fashion in June to add to a body of racing ago, Scotland’s Rhona Callander is an all-rounder who 2003 Angela Hunter, England 1986 Marie O’Donoghue, Ireland performances across the last 12 months that suggest has a fine sprint in her armoury. The Edinburgh rider is a talent still in blossom. Impressive solo rides in the part of a strong Team GB line up which has animated Rás European Championships in Glasgow and at the world na mBan with big performances over the past two years. championships in Innsbruck last September helped Her Scottish team mate Anna Shackley was best British Sharpe to earn a place on the UCI World Cycling Centre rider in the recent Tour of Scotland emphasising the team this season. Eighth overall in 2017 and twice 15th strength in depth of the GB line-up. WHO WILL CLAIM THIS YEAR’S JERSEYS? either side of that result, Sharpe is on a different level Elynor Backstedt (Wales) – Storey Racing now and ready to contend. Silver medallist in the World Championship Individual Lydia Boylan (Ireland) –Torelli Assure Madison Pursuit last month, Backstedt has won numerous RÁS NA mBAN POINTS IVCA WICKLOW 200 Dubliner Boylan won a world championship silver medal national, European and world medals on track and road OVERALL CLASSIFICATION CLASSIFICATION QUEEN OF THE MOUNTAINS with her stunning late attack in the Points Race in Poland and won the Ghent Wevelgem Junior race in March.. last March. She is also a European medallist in the Keirin Daughter of former British road race champion Megan and she has an impressive palmares on the road, too. Hughes and Paris Roubaix winner Magnus Backstedt, A three-time Irish National road race champion and a Elynor is continuing a grand family tradition stage winner in the past in Setmana Ciclista Valenciana and finished 12th overall in Spain, Boylan was second overall in the 2016 and 2012 in Rás na mBan two years ago. Rás na mBan and will relish an opportunity with the Amalie Lutro (Norway) - Team Torelli Assure Madison team to pitch for a place on Team Region Sør the top step. First year professional Lutro rides week Lara Gillespie (Ireland) – Team Ireland to week with the Norwegian Hitech A world championship bronze medallist in the Individual UCI team and comes to Ireland as Pursuit at the junior world championships last month, guest of her regional squad with a season of tough UCI racing in KILKENNY COUNTY COUNCIL WOMEN’S CYCLING IRELAND JUST-PRINT.IE Wicklow’s Gillespie continues to deliver at the highest BEST IRISH RIDER BEST YOUNG RIDER STAGE WINNER level after national and European championships success her legs.