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2011 STAGE 1, SUNDAY 22nd. MAY, DUNBOYNE – PORTUMNA 148 KMS. Dunboyne, Maynooth, Clane, Prosperous, Allenwood Hot Spot Sprint, Rathangan, Bracknagh, Portarlington,Mountmellic Hot Spot Sprint, Rosenallis, Clonalsee Hot Spot Sprint, Cadamstown, Kinnitty, Birr, Riverstown, Portumna.
As was the case last year, the 2011 An Post Rás will begin in the Co. Meath village of Dunboyne, where the field of international riders will line out on Sunday May 22. Rolling out at 12.30, the peloton will head through Maynooth and Clane en route to the first Hot Spot Sprint at the An Post office in Allenwood. This comes after 36.5 kilometres.
After fighting there for the bonus seconds which will have an effect on the first general classification, the peloton will speed onwards to the second prime at Mountmellick post office (km. 80.2), and the third at Clonaslee post office (km. 94.6). This will be followed by a feed zone, where the riders will grab food from their teams in order to boost energy levels prior to the finish in Portumna.
“It is the traditional-type of opening stage and interesting in that we go from the border of Dublin and Meath and into county Galway in one big leap,” says Dignam. “I reckon it will be very fast, and we will get some indication of the sprinters in the race by the three hot spot sprints along the way. I would expect a bunch sprint, but as you know, we have expected those before and the race has completely fragmented: nothing is a given in the Rás.”
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