SKERRIES is preparing for the climax of the 2016 An Post Rás which begins this Sunday, May 22 in Dublin city centre and finishes in the seaside town a week later.
International cycling teams from far and wide will descend on Ireland for the 64th edition of the race.
They will take on Ireland’s finest domestic riders in a bid to lift the coveted trophy and be crowned the ‘Men of the Rás’.
This year’s race starts at Dublin Castle. The peloton will then travel anti-clockwise around the country before returning to the capital for its customary finale in Skerries on Sunday, May 29.
An Post Rás organiser Tony Campbell is expecting a huge Dublin crowd for both the start and finish stages.
“You can certainly feel the adrenaline beginning to build and Rás fever is definitely taking hold,” said Mr Campbell.
“It’s absolutely brilliant to be able to begin and finish the race in Dublin and I know it will hugely add to the spectacle.
“We’re expecting the Dublin locals to come out in their numbers and cheer on the riders.
“Skerries do it year after year and I’m confident there will be a huge crowd around Dublin Castle this year when it gets underway.”
Mr Campbell is encouraging local communities to come out and support the riders.
“We’ve teams coming from all around the world to compete so it’s a spectacle not to be missed,” he added.
The ceremonial start gets underway at 12noon where the riders will roll out and begin a 15-kilometre neutralised section, passing by Christchurch Cathedral, the Guinness Brewery and Heuston Station, moving through the Phoenix Park and out to Clonee where the flag will drop and the 144.6 kilometre battle for the first yellow jersey will begin.
An Post has partnered with RTÉ for the event and cycling fans eager to follow the action can log on to www.anpostras.ie for regular race updates, exclusive rider interviews, highlights from each stage, results and classification standings.
Local woman Alma Grimes has been nominated as An Post Miss Rás.
“I am looking forward to welcoming the competing cyclists to Skerries for the final stages of the Rás, and hope they will enjoy the welcome and festival we will hold in celebration,” said Ms Grimes.
“The enthusiastic support Skerries has for the cyclists and the Rás itself, encouages people to take up cycling and maybe we will have a local winner of the An Post Rás in the future.”
Skerries has a reputation among the cycling fraternity as being an enjoyable route for a challenging cycle and welcomes groups of cyclists to the town at weekends all year round.