Carrick on Suir Official Website

Stage 5 of the 2010 FBD Rás will finish in Carrick on Suir on Thursday 27th May, and what a spectacular finish it will be, because when the cyclists enter town from the Dungarvan Road into Carrickbeg, they will take a sharp left and race up the leg breaking Seskin Hill to the stage finish at the top !

This climb of Seskin Hill will really separate the men from the boys and it will possibly prove to be the decisive stage in the overall race, and as such will be fiercely contested by the 130 strong international field. Large crowds of spectators are expected to come to Carrick to see this spectacular stage finish, and it should prove to be the most exciting stage end in the entire eight day event.

The people of the town and surrounding areas will get another chance to see the colourful spectacle of the Rás the following morning, because stage 6 starts from Carrick’s Main St. at 11.00 am. The entire race entourage will assemble at Clearys Hardware on the Clonmel Road, who are generously sponsoring the Carrick stage end, and will parade from there through the town for the ceremonial start on the Main St. The race will be neutralised from there through the town to Cregg Road, where the actual racing will commence, as stage 6 makes it way to Gorey in Co. Wexford.

Stage end organiser Bobby Sheehan, who is the current Chairman of Dan Morrissey Carrick Wheelers, and his stage end committee are aiming to make the most of this famous event coming to Carrick, and are hoping to ensure that the town looks its best for the race entourage, the spectators and of course the TV cameras that will accompany the event. It is hoped that the business premises of the town will dress up their windows to welcome the race, and with Carrick’s great tradition in cycling and its association with the Rás over the last 60 years, there should be no shortage of cycling memorabilia to have some excellent window displays.

As is traditional in the Rás, the race is contested by county teams rather than club teams, and this year’s Tipperary Dan Morrissey team is made up of three members of the Carrick Wheelers team, with team captain Rory Wyley leading his team mates Andrew Ahearne and John Dempsey, with the team being completed by the experienced duo of Timmy Barry and Paul Griffin. This will be one of the strongest county teams in the race, and its main aim will be to win the overall county team classification and also target stage wins and high placings in the individual classification.

So take a note of the times and dates, with the race arriving on Seskin Hill at approximately 2.30 pm on Thursday 27th May and leaving the Main St. at 11.00am on Friday 28th. Why not come to Carrick and enjoy the free spectacle of a top class international bike race, and also cheer on the local Tipperary team in their bid to capture the best county team award.