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This Year's FBD INSURANCE RÁS To Finish In Skerries
By
Jan 12, 2006, 15:58
The seaside town of Skerries in north county Dublin will experience all the thrills and colour of world-class international cycle racing with the exciting news that in a dramatic break with tradition the final stage of this year’s FBD Insurance RÁS will finish in the town on Sunday 28th May.
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| Bill Moore Meath Martin Donnelly winner of the final stage in 2005 |
Ireland’s most important cycling event had finished for several years with a short circuit race in places like the Phoenix Park and O’Connell Street, which, while visually spectacular, tended to have little effect on the overall classification.
However now with the selection of Skerries as the venue for the grand finale and the inclusion of two tough laps bringing the riders through the town on 3 occasions the race will go right down to the wire. Following seven tough stages around Ireland, the riders will line out in Clara, county Offaly on Sunday May 28th with 155 kilometres still to be covered. The route will take them over twisting, undulating roads and through towns such as Kinnegad, Trim, Dunshaughlan, The Naul and Balrothery, before the peleton arrives in Skerries and begins two laps of the 13.8 kilometre circuit.
Race organiser Dermot Dignam is excited about the change. “I think the Skerries finish will prove to be a spectacular innovation to the FBD Insurance RÁS,” he says. “the stage should be great to watch, a major challenge to the riders and an intriguing battle for the final yellow jersey of race winner”.
The decision to finish the race in Skerries was welcomed by Mr. Andy Tolan of Skerries Tourism who said “it’s a wonderful opportunity for showcasing the town and should be great for the local economy and an ideal opening for promoting cycling as a very healthy exercise” he thanked “Skerries Chamber of Commerce, Skerries Community Association and the two neighbouring cycling clubs Swords and Stamullen for backing the project”.
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