The 2014 An Post Rás winner Clemens Fankhauser and his new team have become the first riders to be confirmed for this year’s race, with the Austrian set to return to Ireland for the May event.

Josef Benetseder

Recently back in the country for a fundraiser for the Junior Tour of Ireland, Fankhauser spoke about his passion for the An Post Rás and how winning his first stage race transformed his cycling.

“There were so many memories. For me it was the first time I wore yellow in a stage race,” he said. “Fortunately I could defend it. It was the only stage race I won so far. Also, there was a great flair with the race – the people around it, the spectators, and there was great media coverage on the race. It was brilliant.

“Also, with the last stage in Skerries – there was such a big, amazing crowd. You don’t have many 2.2 races where you see such enthusiasm from the people. So I’m really happy to be going back again this year.”

Fankhauser took over the yellow jersey at the end of last year’s fifth stage and held onto it until the end. He showed considerable strength and tactical awareness to do so, and has continued to progress since then.

The team is yet to be finalised but, according to directeur sportif Stefan Rucker, three out of the five riders for the Hrinkow Advarics CYcleanG squad have been decided.

They are Fankhauser, former Austrian hill climb champion and Tour de Suisse sprint jersey wearer Josef Benetseder plus the experienced former Pro Continental rider Dominik Hrinkow.

Andreas Graf

“Rider numbers four and five will be either one of our European Madison track champions Andreas Müller and Andreas Graf or one of our young guys like Andreas Hofer, the elite Austrian time trial champion in 2011,” said Rucker.

“The clear goal will be to win the Rás again. Clemens is talking about the race every day, so we expect him to be there with top motivation. With him, Josef and either the track riders or Andreas Hofer as a former TT champion, I think we'll have a very strong team at the Rás. All of us are looking forward to being there.”

The team will do races in Croatia and Austria as part of its buildup, as well as UCI events in Slovenia and Bosnia plus the Tour of Azerbaijan.

The 2015 An Post Rás will begin in Dunboyne on May 17 and will feature stage finishes in Carlow, Tipperary, Bearna, Newport, Ballina, Ballinamore, Drogheda and Skerries. It will total almost 1200 kilometres in length and will include 21 categorised climbs.

An Post Rás route 2015 (UCI 2.2, May 17th – May 24th):

Stage 1, Sunday May 17: Dunboyne to Carlow (154.4 kilometres)

Stage 2, Monday May 18: Carlow to Tipperary (137.2 kilometres)

Stage 3, Tuesday May 19: Tipperary to Bearna (155.9 kilometres)

Stage 4, Wednesday May 20: Bearna to Newport (155 kilometres)

Stage 5, Thursday May 21: Newport to Ballina (142.4 kilometres)

Stage 6, Friday May 22: Ballina to Ballinamore (160.1 kilometres)

Stage 7, Saturday May 23: Ballinamore to Drogheda (142.4 kilometres)

Stage 8, Sunday May 24: Drogheda to Skerries (132.6 kilometres)