Related Stories

• New enterprise office in Mallow to help small businesses
  
  
• Sue Ryder shop in Fermoy now open one month
  
  
• FETAC customer care award recipients
  
  
• South Tipperary General has third highest count of patients on trolleys
  
  
• Blockage creates a stink on the Clonmel Road
  
  
• Conna Castle set for invasion in June 1992
  
  
• Fermoy Centre host Cloyne Diocesan Pioneer Mass
  
  
• Literary Tales attract record crowds at 11th Lismore Immrama Festival
  
  
• Seminar explains best way to tender
  
  
• The story of the boy next door in Lios Mhuire estate
  
  
• Cork Roses in the Loop!
  
  
• Ireland’s mental health crsis – ‘the silent epidemic’
  
  

Aine Barrett, Mitchelstown Post Office, at the start of Stage 6 of the 2013 An Post Ras, which went from from Mitchelstown to Carlow on Friday, May 24th. Photo: Sportsfile

It wasn’t long ago that the peloton worked their way through the roads of county Cork en route to the fourth and fifth stage finishes of the An Post Rás and race organiser Tony Campbell has delivered a message of “thanks” to the overwhelming support that the riders received along the route and in the towns. Mitchelstown had the honour of hosting the finish of stage 5, which had departed Glengarriff on Thursday, May 23rd.

“This was my first year as An Post Rás organiser and I really have to say the turnout and response from the Cork crowds was incredible. Although the riders travel at such high speed they still hear every roar along the route, which helps turn the event into a wonderful spectacle for everyone involved. I would like to say a special thanks to the people of Cork who contributed to making it such amazing stages.”

After eight gruelling days and 1,180 kilometres of top class racing, it was Marcin Bialoblocki of the Britain UK Youth Pro Cycling team that took the coveted Rás yellow jersey home. The Polish rider took over at the top of the classification on the third day and incredibly managed to hold on to the lead despite several attacks on his jersey.

The An Post Sean Kelly team also had a very successful Rás with three stage wins, two of which came from Irishman Sam Bennett, who was also full of praise for the home crowds who turned up to spur on the team.

“It was a fantastic race for the team and one personally that I won’t forget. I’ve been desperate to get a stage win for the last couple of years so to get two was unbelievable. The crowds along the entire route this year were superb - I can’t tell you how hard a race the Rás is, so hearing all the shouting and cheering really gives you an extra lift when you feel the burn in your legs.”

blog comments powered by Disqus