Paídi O'Brien, An Post Rás race director Dermot Dignam, Stephen O'Sullivan and Niall Delahaye

After years being known as the FBD Insurance Ras, it has been announced today that An Post will take over the title sponsorship of Ireland's prestigious stage race, starting 2011.

The race will be known as the An Post Ras for at least the next three years, and will run from 22nd to 29th May next season.

The 2011 An Post Ras will again feature the usual mix of pro, international and county teams, and race director Dermot Dignam has said that the new backing would enable it to evolve and grow.

�I am sure today will prove to be a most significant day in the development of both the Ras and Irish cycling,� he said at a press conference held in Dublin's GPO. �I am delighted to join in a partnership with An Post with the Ras and in the overall scheme of Irish cycling. We hope that the race will grow from strength to strength, and An Post's business will do likewise.

Tony Campbell, Declan Byrne and Dermot Dignam - along with Stephen O'Sullivan, all are part of the committe organising the 2011 edition of the race.

He thanked the previous backer for its long association with the race, and said that it helped to build it into the event it is now. �FBD Insurance has to be thanked for its long contribution,� he stated. �It came on board in 1984�back in those days, we might have had one or two teams from France or Holland. In the 27 years they have been sponsoring the race, it has grown into a worldwide-known event. We now have eight, nine or ten overseas teams in the race each year, and have had turn down requests for invitations. We owe them a great deal of thanks.�

He also thanked the Irish Sports Council, Cycling Ireland and An Garda Siochana for their support.

In addition to backing the eight day, 2.2-ranked event, An Post will continue to sponsor the Sean Kelly cycling team, which is based in Belgium and has the goal of helping Irish riders to develop their talent and aim for top-level pro careers.

Dermot Dignam with a provisional logo for the event

It will also keep backing the very popular An Post Series of leisure cycles. There were over 10,000 participants in the latter this year, and the assocation with the Ras is likely to lead to a general raising of awareness of the company's backing of the sport.

An Post's Director of Communications Barney Whelan said that its association with cycling has been a very positive one, both for the sport and for the company itself.

�An Post is very much behind cycling � those working here have got increasingly behind it, and behind the team as well,� he said. �We feel that there is little point in getting involved as a sponsor if you are not going to add value. When we took on backing the green jersey in the Tour of Ireland, it was the first step in a fairly comprehensive sponsorship portfolio.

Barney Whelan and Dermot Dignam begin what its hoped will be a very successful partnership

�Our involvement with Sean Kelly team has been very worthwhile for us. The team looks after its riders very well, and I have no doubt that there will be changes in line-up ahead, building it further.�

He said that the An Post Cycle Series was also an important part of its sponsorship of cycling, with the number of participants in the five events jumping from 5,000 in 2009 to over 10,000 this year. Apart from the benefits to those taking part, Whelan said that there were good returns for the areas involved. �We are waiting for figures from this year, but last year, the Tour de Burren was calculated as bringing �200,000 to that area, while the Sean Kelly challenge brought �480,000.�

The latest sponsorship most likely came about because the company's previous backing of a large stage race didn't take place this season. �It was very unfortunate the Tour of Ireland didn't take place this year,� Whelan said. �It exposed Irish public and Irish riders to foreign teams, and that was important.�

Backing the Ras means that the company is once again involved in a major stage race. �We have concluded a deal with Dermot to take on the title sponsorship of the Ras, which will be known as the An Post Ras from now on. We know we have a tough job to take over the equity generated by FBD Insurance, but we are willing to work hard to make this work for us, for the riders, and also for the spectators and the organisers.�

Next year's An Post Ras will again feature the usual mix of pro, international and county teams. Race organiser Dermot Dignam has said that the new backing would enable to race to evolve and grow, but said that the Irish amateurs would remain an important part of the event.

�The success of the Ras is due to the dedication and commitment of our own county riders,� he stated. �I don't know if an eight day race would survive with pro teams and international teams only. These are the guys who give a lot to get ready for the race, do it and go back to work on Monday morning.

�In this historical building, we should thank our volunteers, who help to run the race every year and make a huge contribution.� It is expected that many of the usual faces will be back on the race next year, although those from FBD Insurance as sure to be missed.

Passing the baton:

When asked if the switch had been planned, Dignam said that FBD would otherwise have stayed on board for 2011, but that it agreed to the change once it became clear that An Post was interested. He said he was very thankful for the long support.

FBD issued a press release after the conference, and graciously wished the new partnership well.

�FBD Insurance has sponsored the Ras for the past 27 years; one of the longest running and most successful partnerships in sport in Ireland,� said Adrian Taheny, Executive Director of Marketing and Sales in the communication. �But all good things must come to an end one day and so it is with the Ras and FBD.

�FBD are delighted that the race has attracted a quality new sponsor in An Post. They are already very involved with cycling at various levels and it is appropriate that an Irish business such as An Post becomes the new sponsor of the Ras. We wish them every success with the race in the years ahead.

�We also want to take this opportunity to say a very special word of thanks to Dermot Dignam and his wonderful team of volunteers. They have given their time, expertise and energy, year in and year out, ensuring this race has grown to the success it is today and is internationally recognised as a premier event on the cycling calendar.�

Fortunately for cycling here, it appears that the company wants to shift its much-appreciated backing into other areas. �FBD is currently in discussions with Cycling Ireland in relation to maintaining its commitment to and involvement in the sport,� revealed Taheny. Further details of those plans will be revealed at a later date, but it's further good news for cycling.