Progressively tougher Rás route guarantees dramatic battle

THE former stage winner may have ridden the race 17 times and an 18th appearance is in his plans for this year but when Stephen O’Sullivan was handed the title of Route Director for this year’s An Post Rás by his father-in-law, Dermot Dignam, avoided soft options and came up with one of the most difficult routes in the history of the event.

Even Dignam himself, who has been Race Organiser since 1979 with the exception of 1982, had a glint in his eye when he saw the route designed by his son-in-law for what will be the 59th edition of Irish cycling’s showpiece.

O’Sullivan, who has strong Kerry roots, takes the race into what many regard as its spiritual home among the Kerry Mountains with a stage from Kilrush to Castleisland that negotiates the Barnagh Gap, Ahaneboy and Glanshearoon followed by a finishing circuit that incorporates the Cat 1 climb of Crag Cave.