The excitement of this week's An Post Ras was brought into the classroom last week, as students of CBS Primary in Mitchelstown were treated to a visit from UCD team racer Ian Richardson, who gave the students a sneak peak into the life of a racer.

As Ian demonstrated how he trains on a roller when it is too wet to cycle outside, the students were enthralled. They asked him all about his interest in cycling and how he started racing, before he gave them An Post Ras flags to wave on Thursday and Friday, as they support the cyclists racing through their town.

The students were astounded by the lightness of his bike, made from carbon fibre, as many of them lifted it with ease. Some of them even lifted it above their own heads and cycling enthusiasts learned about what they can do if they wish to take this path themselves.

It is Ian's first time doing the Ras and with 1,500km over the course of eight days, he said that it will be very gruelling as himself and his team members will be battling against professional riders from all over the world.

Since he started racing, Ian has done more than 120 races and he told the excited boys in the CBS that the fastest he has ever gone is 100km an hour going downhill in a race in Newry.

He added that every week he would do up to 500km in training and he would combine this with a lot of uphill cycling and sprints.

Speaking about how prestigious the Ras is, Ian told the students that many of the world's best riders would have competed in the Ras at some point, so it is a great source of pride to have these riders cycling through Mitchelstown.

Cyclists will start arriving in Mitchelstown on Thursday from 2pm, as they complete Stage 5 and they will set off from Mitchelstown on Friday at 11am to start Stage 6.

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