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Cáirde Rás Tailteann 2020 Announce Race Details
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| Robert John McCarthy, Ireland National Team winning stage two Athlone to Tipperary 2018 Rás Tilteann |
While up to eight teams from abroad will likely ride Rás Tailteann next June the race will be refocused on domestic riders, new route planner Ger Campbell has said.
The Drogheda Wheelers stalwart is among a six-man group that has assumed control of the race which will run Wednesday to Sunday in June.
Campbell and five others are part of a newly-formed promotions group, Cáirde Rás Tailteann. It has taken over the running of Rás Tailteann from Cumann Rás Tailteann. More>>>
Ras Tailteann Back For 2020
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| Colm Christle, Dublin First Rás Winner 1953 |
The Rás will find its rightful place back on the Cycling Ireland calendar in 2020, promoted and run next year by a newly-formed promotions group, Cáirde Rás Tailteann, and thanks in huge part to significant collaboration with its historical organising club, Cumann Rás Tailteann.
Cumann Rás Tailteann have this week shown huge support to the promotions group, which compromises a number of long-time volunteers on the Rás, to run the race next year.
Following a long and committed search for sponsorship for Rás Tailteann, 8 Day International Race in 2019, the race
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| Luuc Bugter Netherlands Rás Winner 2018 |
ultimately fell victim of insufficient financial support and dropped off the calendar. Today the historical organisers confirmed that they will not themselves run an event in 2020, but are delighted to see the race go ahead under new organisers, with Cumann Rás Tailteann’s full support.
The promotions group will continue to follow the historical identity of the Rás Tailteann in the ethos of County and International teams. The 2020 edition of the Rás is likely to be over fewer days, possibly five, but the new organisers endeavour to promote this unique Irish race back to its UCI status in the coming years over eight days. More>>>
No World-Ranked Rás Tailteann To Be Held In 2019
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| Eimear Dignam Race Director |
Following a long and committed search for sponsorship for the Rás Tailteann, the organisers have today taken the difficult decision not to run an eight-day world-ranked race in 2019.
The event is a 2.2 event on the UCI international calendar, earning world-ranked points for those who excel on stages and in the overall classification. It has been part of that calendar since the 2000 edition and while this has added greatly to the prestige of the event, the extra requirements under UCI rules have greatly ramped up the budget.
The race finances were covered in recent years by An Post, but it stepped back from its backing of the race specifically and cycling in general in 2017. The Rás Tailteann took place as usual last year thanks to a reserve fund, but the depletion of that made it vital that new backing was secured for 2019
“We have exhausted all opportunities in relation to sponsorship for a UCI race this year,” states race director Eimear Dignam. “I am extremely disappointed. I have been involved in the race my whole life. But I am satisfied that I explored every opportunity to us to secure a sponsorship. We never envisaged that it would come to an end like this, but hopefully it won’t be an end.
More>>>
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