The line-up of this year’s FBD Insurance RÁS has been further boosted by the confirmation that double winner Ciarán Power will take part in this year’s race, which starts in just over two week’s time.

Ciaran Power double Rás winner 1998 -2002

After winning overall in 1998 and 2002, Power last competed in the FBD Insurance RÁS three years ago when he won stages into Ballina and Oldcastle and finished second in the points classification.

Since then he has missed the race due to commitments with his professional Navigators team, but will return this year as part of his build-up to full fitness after an operation earlier this season. In recent years Power, who was a superb 13^th in the Olympic road race in Athens, had been increasingly affected by a blood flow obstruction that led to numbness and a loss of power in one of his legs. That problem has now been successfully treated and he is raring to go.

“I am feeling really great now, I can’t remember the last time my legs felt this good,” he says. “The problem seems to be totally fixed”

Power returned to racing last weekend after an eight month absence and immediately showed strong form, dominating the King of the Mountains classification in the Tour of Ulster. He was also fifth and sixth on stages and finished the three day race a very respectable sixth overall.

He is likely to further build form in the next fortnight and is looking forward to the FBD Insurance RÁS. “I am going to do the race with the Tipperary Dan Morrissey team,” he says. “I spoke to Frank Campbell, manager of the Irish team, and he said that maybe I could do it on the Irish team, but I didn't want the pressure of that.  I want to be able to train through it, but obviously do a good Rás too so I can prove to myself, to Tipperary Dan Morrissey’s and also to my Navigators team that I am going well.”

FBD Insurance RÁS organiser Dermot Dignam feels Power will make a good impact. “We are very pleased that Ciarán, a double winner of the race, is taking part once more. Although he had a long break from racing, he is clearly coming back in good form and should make an impression on the race.”

Peter McDonald FRF Couriers Carravello Australia

Meanwhile Dignam has also confirmed the participation of yet another professional international team for the 2.2 ranked race. Australia – FRF Couriers Carravello will make their debut in the Irish tour and are expected to mount a strong challenge. Peter MacDonald, a strong climber and time trialist who recently won the Tour of New Caledonia, will lead the Continental squad. Namesake Peter Herzig should also challenge in the general classification, having been the team’s best rider in the Giro del Capo in South Africa earlier this year.

Cody Stephenson and Josh Marden are expected to challenge in the sprint finishes. Stephenson is the most experienced rider on the team, having previously competed as part of Team Cyclingnews.com in Europe and winning a stage in the recent Tour of Hungary. Marden is a former Australian national champion at speed skating and has made a successful conversion to cycling, winning many criteriums over the summer months there. Joe McDonnell, a strong workhorse over all sorts of terrain, will complete the squad.

Josh Marden FRF Couriers Carravello Australia

“The team hope for a strong showing in all aspects of the race this year,” said manger Andy Portess. “The riders will be arriving in good form having competed in the Lincoln GP and Rutland Melton Classic in the UK. Although a lot of the FBD Insurance RÁS riders will be unfamiliar with the team, our guys regularly compete with great success in the European winter against Tour de France stars such as Robbie McEwen, Stuart O’Grady and other top European based pros.”

Following the races in Britain the Australians will travel to Ireland on a Stena Line Ferry. Stena is the official maritime carrier for the race and as such is responsible for transporting many of the teams from different parts of Europe.

This year’s FBD Insurance RÁS will begin in Dublin on May 21st and finish eight days and over 1200 kilometres later in Skerries on Sunday May 28th. The world-ranking race will also feature exciting stage finishes in Enniscorthy, Cobh, An Daingean, Listowel, An Cheathru Rua, Westport and Clara.