Experienced Welshmen Huw Pritchard and Anthony Malarczyk will lead a strong national selection in this year's FBD Milk Ras, which starts on Sunday 23rd of May in Dublin. The two Ras regulars will be joined by promising young rider Yanto Barker, who finished third in the Junior Tour of Ireland in 1998, plus Paul Shepperd and 22 year old David Crowley. The five will line out for the Wales / Stena Line team for the eight day, 2.5 ranked race. They will be part of an impressive field which will include professional and international riders from around the world.

FBD Milk Ras race director Dermot Dignam welcomed the news, saying that they should be a big factor in the race. Welsh riders have a tremendous record of forceful riding in the big Irish event and the team named by the Welsh Cycling Union for this year's race has the strength, experience and determination to enhance that record, he said.

Dignam also expressed his gratitude to Stena Line, who play a vital part in the running of the race. "We are also very pleased that Stena Line has backed the race again this year. Their support is very important in transporting teams from Scandinavia, Britain and continental Europe to Ireland."

In the official press release, Mr. Eamonn Hewitt, who is the Communications & PR Manager for Stena Line's Irish Sea Organisation, expressed his satisfaction with the relationship. "Stena Line is delighted to support the FBD Milk Ras again this year. The company has a relationship that goes back many years, not only with the FBD Milk Ras, but with Cycling Ireland also. We had the privilege of moving the Tour de France into and out of Ireland in 1998 and can appreciate the organisational complexity of an event such as the FBD Milk Ras, so we congratulate Dermot Dignam and his hard working team on their sterling efforts over the years."

'We are particularly delighted to have the Welsh National Team on board as three of our routes operate between Ireland and Wales, so the synergy is obvious.