Gerard Campbell Race Director

CYCLING fans will have a rare opportunity to see international-class racing on their own doorstep when the iconic Ras Tailteann passes through east Meath and Drogheda on its way to the finish in Bective on Sunday week.

The 2024 edition of the Rás - the 69th since it was first formed in 1953 - starts next Wednesday with a 147.6km stage from Tullamore to Kilmallock in Limerick, and on Thursday the competitors face a further 183.8km from Kanturk to Sneem in County Kerry.

The riders remain in Munster for Stage 3 on Friday as they snake their way through the countryside from Kenmare to Cahir in Tipperary, a distance of 154.8km.

Saturday’s fourth stage is the shortest, covering a distance of 139.2km from Horse & Jockey to Kildare Town.

The fifth and final stage on Sunday 26th begins in Maynooth and ends 155.6km later in Bective, and just after 1pm the riders will pass the Gabriel Howard Memorial Plaque in Stamullen - named after the late cycling legend who won a stage of the Ras back in 1965, formed Stamullen Road Club in 1983 and dedicated his later life to organising races, going on to be inducted into the Hall of Fame at the Drogheda Independent Sport Star Awards.

The riders then pass through Gormanston, Julianstown and Laytown before arriving into Drogheda on the R132, before turning left at the bus station and arriving into Donore, the home village of Ras Director Gerard Campbell, eventually reaching Bective where the race will finish with three laps of a 14.1km spectator-friendly finishing circuit.

In all the race will cover a distance of 784.8km across the five days, with a total of 18 categorised climbs, including two category one climbs on stages two and four.

Get ahead of the day with the morning headlines at 7.30am and Fionnán Sheahan's exclusive take on the day's news every afternoon, with our free daily newsletter.