Rás finale is dedicated to cycling legend Noel Clarke

Exciting spectacle promised at Bective on Sunday

Sunday's finale of the Rás Tailteann at Bective is dedicated to legendary cycling figure, Noel Clarke, who lives close by at Ennistown, to mark his winning of three stages of the Rás 50 years ago. In 1975, Noel led over the line in Donegal town, Galway city, and in the Phoenix Park in Dublin on the final day.

On Sunday next, the 70th edition of Rás Tailteann will reach a thrilling conclusion at Bective Stud for a second year. After five punishing days and over 760 km of racing, the peloton is expected to roll into Bective at approximately 2pm, where they will complete four laps of a 12 km circuit around the local area.

The race begins in Drogheda tomorrow (Wednesday) and will pass through Slane, Kilberry, Kells, Drumbaragh, Ballinlough and Oldcastle on its way west.

Since his retirement from the saddle, Noel has been a consistent Rás official, marshalling for the event for the past 40 years. Noel first burst onto the scene as a competitor in the late 1960s, going on to claim multiple stage victories—including three in the unforgettable 1975 edition—and etching his name alongside legends of Irish cycling.

In that year he also won the Tour of Israel, and the first of two consecutive Meath Grand Prix. His first win was the NCA National Youths Championship in 1969, and he competed in the Rás 15 times between then and 1984. His best overall placing was fifth and he used his sprinting speed to claim as many as eight stage victories.

Yet it is his unwavering service off the bike that cements his legacy. Since hanging up his race wheels, Noel has volunteered continuously for over five decades, guiding riders safely through each finish and standing at those same Bective circuit corners as a route marker, rain or shine. His encyclopaedic knowledge of every hedge, corner and cobbled shoulder has helped generations of organisers and riders navigate the Rás with confidence.

Current race director, Ger Campbell, a longtime friend of Noel’s, says: “Noel Clarke is more than a Rás official—he’s a pillar of this event. We’ve shared route debates and laughter for years. His stage wins were legendary, but it’s his decades of friendship and dedication that truly define him. To dedicate our final finish to him in his hometown is our way of saying thank you.”

At Bective, each circuit offers fresh opportunities for local crowds to cheer the sprinters, support breakaways, or witness the decisive move that settles the overall general classification.

Bective Stud will host a family fun day while a grandstand overlooking the finish line provides seating. A giant screen, sponsored by Bective Stud, Meath County Council and Discover Boyne Valley, will broadcast every sprint and attack in real time, bringing the drama to life for fans of all ages.

Campbell adds: “Bringing our 70th edition to Bective for a proper finale means so much - not just for the riders but for the countless communities who’ve supported us since 1953. A huge thanks has to go to Bective Stud, Meath County Council and Discover Boyne Valley for making this happen”.

The final stage of Rás Tailteann 2025 will kick off in Kildare town. This 142.8km route, including four laps of finishing circuit, takes in Kildare town, Milltown, Kilmeague, Allenwood, Derrinturn, Kilshanroe, Johnstown Bridge, Longwood, Dunsany, and Bective, where a mostly flat final stage awaits the riders on route to the ultimate finish.

There is just one category three climb on the final day as the race leaves Dunsany. The riders will then enter the finishing circuit where it could well be a day for the sprinters. There is a slightly changed circuit for 2025, with four laps of the 12km loop, with the last hour of racing around Bective Stud.

The race will be skirting Kilmessan, where Rás founder, Joe Christle, is laid to rest, as well as more recently, Michael Creighton of Bective, who won a stage of the Rás into Carlow in 1967, and competed in numerous editions of the race. He died last November, having attended the stage start at Bective there two years ago, and the formal launch of the 2024 event at Bective tea rooms last year.

Navan and Meath has a strong cycling tradition going back to the early days of the Rás, with the county producing five overall winners - Ben McKenna, Seamus Kennedy, Colm Nulty, Brian Connaughton, and Phil Cassidy on two occasions.