IrishCycling.com Road Racing News and Pictures

 Welcome to our Voluntary, Ad-free, Tracking free website  | HOME | FIXTURES | PHOTOS | VIDEOS | OLD ARCHIVES | |

  FRONT PAGE 
 
 ROAD RACING
 
 STAGE RACING
 Archive
 Ras Mumhan
 Tour of Ireland
 Gorey 3 Day
 Junior Tour
 Stage Events
 
 OTHER CYCLING
 
 OFF-ROAD EVENTS
 
 NON-COMPETITIVE
 
 PICTURE GALLERY
 
 VIDEO ARCHIVE
 
 RACING CALENDAR
 
 LEISURE EVENTS
Rás Tailteann
Latest Headlines
2023 Stage 5 Pictures
Rás Tailteann 2023 – Stage 5
2023 Stage 4 Pictures
2023 Rás Tailteann – Stage 4
2023 Stage 3 Pictures
Search


STAGE RACING : Rás Tailteann Last Updated: 17 May 2018 - 7:25:31 PM

American team becomes 11th International squad confirmed for Ras Tailteann
By Heather Boyle, CI Communications Officer
11 May 2018,

Email this article

With just over a week left to the start of the Rás Tailteann, a second American team has been confirmed for the event. The USA Jelly Belly – Maxxis team joins the previously-announced USA CCB Foundation – Sicler squad, and looks set to be one of the strongest international teams in the event.

The five-man line-up will include the Americans Jacob Rathe, Taylor Shelden, Curtis White and Ben Wolfe, as well as the Mexican Ulises Castillo Soto.

Rathe is a highly experienced rider, recently winning the green jersey at the Redlands Bicycle Classic. Last year he took the King of the Mountains jersey in the prestigious Tour of Utah and also won the Tour of Xingtai in China.

Shelden finished fifth in the mountains classification in the latter event, and White won the prologue in the 2016 Tour Alsace. Wolfe was third on stage four of last year’s Grand Prix Cycliste de Saguenay, while Castillo Soto took third overall in the same race.

“Jelly Belly candy company is the longest title sponsor of a professional cycling team,” says team CEO Danny Van Haute. It is the 19th season now in 2018. The team that we are sending to the Rás is well balanced for this race.

“Our leaders will be Jacob Rathe and Curtis White, but that could change after each stage. The team goals are to win a stage, podium in a few more stages, and have a rider in the top 15 in GC.”

Race director Eimear Dignam feels the USA Jelly Belly – Maxxis lineup will make its presence felt. “The lineup from the team looks impressive, and riders like Jacob Rathe have built up both results and experience in very big events,” she says. “When added to the international teams already announced it looks like we will have a really competitive edition of the race.”

In addition to the two American teams, there will also be squads from Belgium, Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Wales in the event.

This year’s Rás Tailteann totals eight days and 1168.7 kilometres in length, and is ranked as a 2.2 event on the UCI’s international calendar. It will feature four gruelling category one climbs plus 30 other categorized climbs, as well as stage finishes in Athlone, Tipperary, Listowel, Glengarriff, Mitchelstown, Carlow, Naas and Skerries. It will run from May 20 to 27.

Previously known as the An Post Rás, the event is searching for a new title sponsor. The race recently announced an initiative with cycling clothing manufacturer Spin 11, whereby a commemorative cycling kit is being produced and will help secure the future of the race.

The jersey and gillet feature the names of the Rás champions dating back to the first event in 1953. Proceeds will contribute to the running of the event.


Route:

Rás Tailteann route 2018 (UCI 2.2 race):

Stage 1, Sunday May 20: Drogheda to Athlone, 136 kms:
Stage 2, Monday May 21: Athlone to Tipperary, 148.7 kms:
Stage 3, Tuesday May 22: Tipperary to Listowel, 140.4 kms:
Stage 4, Wednesday May 23: Listowel to Glengariff, 153 kms:
Stage 5, Thursday May 24: Glengarriff to Mitchelstown, 150.2 kms:
Stage 6, Friday May 25: Mitchelstown to Carlow, 154.6 kms:
Stage 7, Saturday May 26: Carlow to Naas, 141.2 kms:
Stage 8, Sunday May 27: Naas to Skerries, 144.6 kms:

Total: 1180.5 kms

----

Race Website: www.rasireland.ie
Official Twitter: @rastailteann #Ras2018
Official Facebook: @rastailteann2018

For more details and to order, go to

[ Visit Website ]



Back to top of Page

© Copyright IrishCycling.com



Footer

Copying prohibited, All contents © IrishCycling.com 2000 - 2023. All rights reserved. || Disclaimer || About || Contact Us || Home ||