TEAMS FROM FOUR CONTINENTS FOR FBD MILK RAS.

The Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation, Dr. James McDaid, TD, today, formally announced a record-breaking number of foreign countries coming to Ireland to take part in the FBD MILK RAS 8 Day International Cycle Race. Making the announcement the Minister said "the FBD MILK RAS has established itself over the years as one of the most popular events in the Irish sporting calendar. This year as well as providing an exciting sporting spectacle for thousands of fans along the route the race will be a signal to the world that our determined precautionary measures have successfully kept the Foot and Mouth menace at bay and that Ireland is again open for tourism and extends its traditional warm welcome to our visitors".

An unprecedented field of over 180 riders from Poland, USA, Canada, Switzerland, Germany Netherlands, Sweden, Japan, South Africa, Great Britain, Scotland, Wales and the cream of Irish cycling will face the starter in what promises to be one of the most competitive and intriguing encounters in the 49 year history of this great event when it gets underway on Sunday 20th May.

The inclusion of professional teams from Switzerland, Poland, South Africa and Canada presents a new, and largely unknown, challenge to the Irish and the other top-ranking amateur teams and will make the winning of this year's race so much more difficult. The professionals are, Team GS Ficonseils, Switzerland, Team Legia-Bazliszek, Poland, Team HSBC, South Africa and Team Jet Fuel Coffee from Canada. Victories in races like the FBD MILK RAS earn valuable UCI world-ranking points that are essential for the progression of these teams to the top ranks in professional cycling.

Race Organiser, Dermot Dignam, expects all the teams to announce their riders over the next week. From indications he has received so far major surprises can be expected with the naming of some of the world's leading amateur and professional riders being included.

The international profile of the race this year is heightened further by its inclusion on the prestigious Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Calendar of International Events. This makes the Irish event one of the select group of races throughout the world eligible to award qualifying points for Olympic Games, World Cycling Championships and UCI world rankings.

The race, which is again sponsored by the National Dairy Council and FBD Insurance with additional backing from the Irish Sports Council, will start in Navan on Sunday 20th May. After winding it's 1,119 kilometre journey to stage ends in Ballaghadreen, Portumna, Castleisland, Killorglin, Skibbereen, Dungarvan and Bunclody, the race will finish with an exciting criterium in Dublin City Centre on Sunday 27th May.

Issued by Gerard Cromwell

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