NEWTON TO DEFEND HIS FBD RÁS TITLE

Last year’s FBD Insurance Rás winner Chris Newton will once again be one of the big danger men when the big 8 day international cycle race gets underway from Dublin on Sunday 21^st May. Confirmation that Newton will lead the powerful British professional squad, Recycling.co.uk, in defence of his title was announced today by his team manager, John Herety.

Chris Newton on stage 5 to Abbeyleix 2005

The talented 32-year-old Briton has twice topped the podium, winning overall in 2003 and again last year. He appears to be in solid form again this season, taking gold earlier this month in the Commonwealth Games team pursuit. He will be aiming to use that track speed to winning effect on the roads of Ireland.

“Chris Newton has always ridden well in Ireland and his participation plus that of the Recycling.co.uk team guarantees aggressive and tactically astute racing,” said FBD Insurance Rás director Dermot Dignam today.

“We are bringing a strong squad to the race,” confirmed team manager John Herety, who takes over at the top of the new-look squad after several years of working with the Great Britain national team. “Chris Newton, Robin Sharman, Kristian House, Rob Partridge and Evan Oliphant are down to ride.”

“Every one of them were selected for their respective home nation for the recent Commonwealth Games. Newton took gold in the team pursuit and will of course have ridden the World Track Championships by the time the Rás starts. I hope that there will be a current World Champion in the race as a result.”

Newton has an undeniably impressive pedigree as a rider. In addition to his two Rás victories, he has also won the Circuit des Mines stage race in France, taken an Olympic silver medal in the team pursuit and been world champion in both the team pursuit and points race disciplines. His gold in the Commonwealth Games adds further to what is a glittering medal collection.

Chris Newton wins stage 3 into Lisdoonvarna the second of his 3 stage wins in the 2005 event

The others on the team also have good results to their credit. Sharman finished an excellent ninth overall in the Tour de Langkawi and was fifth in the 2005 FBD Rás. He was also second on a stage of the Tour of Britain. Oliphant was second on a stage of the Tour de Langkawi, while the Recycling.co.uk squad also took fourth overall in the team standings in the prestigious Malaysian race, faring very well against more established professional line-ups. 

Herety says he is looking forward to returning to the FBD Insurance Rás. “It is a unique race that, despite the changes the UCI has made to stage races of this type, has managed to keep it's original identity and maintain its core values that were put in place when the race first started,” he said. “No matter where you go in Ireland everyone knows about "The Rás" and almost everyone you meet has a little story to tell, either of their own experience of the Rás or that of someone they know.”

“We experience 5 star hotels around the world. But nothing beats the 5 star hospitality we receive at the many small hotels and guest houses we stay at during our time on the race.”

The 2006 FBD Insurance Rás begins in Dublin on May 21^st and finishes eight days and over 1200 kilometres later in Skerries on Sunday 28^th May following stage finishes in Enniscorthy, Cobh, An Daingean (Dingle), Listowel, An Cheathrū Rua, (Carraroe), Westport and Clara. The world-ranked race is once again sponsored by FBD Insurance and receives valuable financial support from the Irish Sports Council.