Ferbane cyclist to compete in Rás Tailteann

When Ireland's premier bicycle race, Rás Tailteann, gets underway in Tullamore this month the field will include one cyclist who will be competing on home soil.

Ferbane's Mikey Flaherty is set to be Offaly's only participant in the Rás this year.

Mikey is a member of the Lynx cycling club in Ferbane, and the club is wishing him the very best of luck in the upcoming event.

The 2024 edition of the Rás Tailteann will start in Tullamore on Wednesday, May 22 and will run until Sunday, May 26.

This year will be the 69th edition of the race, and the first stage will kick off from Tullamore before making its way south, to take in Birr, Borrisokane, Nenagh, Birdhill, Newport, Caherconlish and Bruff, before finishing in Kilmallock.

The stages of Rás Tailteann 2024 are as follows:

Stage 1: Tullamore, Co. Offaly to Kilmallock, Co. Limerick (distance 148kms): Wednesday, May 22. Tullamore – Birr – Borrisokane – Nenagh - Birdhill - Newport – Caherconlish – Bruff - Kilmallock.

Stage 2: Kanturk, Co. Cork to Sneem, Co. Kerry (distance 187kms): Kanturk – Newmarket – Ballydesmond – Castleisland - Killorglin – Waterville – Caherdaniel - Sneem.

Stage 3: Kenmare, Co. Kerry to Cahir, Co. Tipperary (distance 155kms): Kenmare – Kilgarvan – Glenfesk – Rathmore – Mallow – Doneraile – Mitchelstown - Cahir.

Stage 4: Horse and Jockey, Co. Tipperary to Kildare town, (distance 139kms): Horse and Jockey – Urlingford – Ballyragget – Castlecomer – Killeshin – Carlow – Stradbally – Kildangan – Monasterevin - Kildare town.

Stage 5: Maynooth, Co. Kildare to Bective, Co. Meath (distance 156kms, including three laps of finishing circuit): Maynooth - Dunboyne – Ratoath – Ashbourne – Stamullen – Julianstown - Laytown – Drogheda - Donore - Garlow Cross - Bective.