Dunboyne ên fete for start of 59th An Post Rás
A total of 185 riders from home and abroad will line up at the stage start in Dunboyne for the 59th edition of the An Post Rás on Sunday 22nd May. As the start date draws ever closer, a host of exciting events and activities taking place over the race weekend have been announced. The Dunboyne Cycling Festival will feature a number of cycling-themed supporting activities planned around the race, including a children's play area and entertainment, live music, a French market and a cycling expo for bike suppliers. The weekend will kick off with 'wobbly wheelies' events for kids on Saturday, whereby experienced coaches will teach kids bike-handling skills and road safety basics, taking place within the grounds of Dunboyne Castle Hotel. The An Post Rás Sporting Legends Tour will also take place on the eve of the race. This leisure cycling event will include options of taking on three distances - 15k family spin, 50k mid-distance route and a 120k challenge for more experienced cyclists. The An Post Sean Kelly team, who will be on the Rás start line the following morning, will lead the group off alongside former Rás winners, Olympic medallists and GAA stars. In addition, the festival will encompass a cycling expo which runs over the entire weekend and which will showcase a vast selection of bicycles and other sporting equipment. A French market, featuring live music, will be based in the village square, bringing a continental atmosphere to the village. The finale of the festival will be the start of the An Post Rás on Sunday morning, where the traditional first stage ceremonial start to the race will take place at 12.30pm as Ireland's biggest free-to-view sporting event sets off on its route through Ireland. On the morning, the An Post 'Go Green' team will be on hand at the stage start to provide entertainment and plenty of freebies as the countdown the race gets underway. The race is Ireland's number one cycling event, presenting a grueling challenge for the country's best amateurs who will pit themselves against domestic and international professionals. Visitors will have full access to the competing teams during their race preparations, providing a unique vantage point into the world of elite cycling. The weekend promises to be one of Ireland's premier sporting events providing something for everyone, avid cycling fans and families alike. Full details of the festival and all the activities can be found at www.dunboynecyclingfestival.com while regular updates, features, results and information on the 2011 An Post Rás can be found at the newly launched Rás website www.anpostras.ie. The final day of the Ras on 29th May will see the riders pass through Kilcock, Dunsany, Dunshaughlin, Curraha and Ratoath en route to Garristown, Naul and the finish in Skerries.