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52nd FBD Milk Rás - 2.5
Ireland, May 23-30, 2004
The organiser's view
If one man knows the route of the 2004 FBD Milk Ras it's organiser Dermot Dignam. Here's his stage-by-stage view of how this year's ras might unfold, as told to Shane Stokes.
Stage 1 - May 23: Dublin - Trim, 132 km
I think day one is going to be a typical opening stage where the racing is going to be fast and furious. There will be many breaks and individuals going up the road, only to be hauled back again. Despite the fact that there are a couple of King of the Mountains primes and a couple of hot spot sprints, I think it will all come down to a mass bunch sprint into Trim.
Stage 2 - May 24: Trim - Oranmore, 167 km
The Trim to Oranmore stage could be very misleading. Guys may look at the map and say that it is a straightforward stage, flat and straight across the middle of the country and there are no real climbs to worry about. The fact that there are no KOM primes can also be misleading. But in actual fact it is going to be a very tough stage. We keep off the main Dublin - Galway road, mostly, going through places like The Downs, Robinstown and Ballymore. It is very undulating, with some very short, steep climbs on it. It will be a very shaken bunch that will eventually reach Oranmore.
Stage 3 - May 25: Oranmore - Charleville, 152 km
That is one of those stages where there is going to be a lot of pulling and dragging. Some of it is on some very fast, decent main roads, while other parts of the stage are on very dead, heavy roads with three KOMs. It will be a hard stage.
Stage 4 - May 26: Charleville - Cahirciveen, 181 km
This is really the first day that will really separate the favourites from the rest of them. Any rider who loses time today may have to just concentrate on stage wins for the rest of the week. It is a stage where riders won't be able to just sit at the back of the bunch and hope they are carried to the line. It is extremely tough, with first category climb towards the end of the stage. Coonanaspig is very special, it is probably our Alpine climb in terms of steepness, etc. I would imagine there will be two or three lads going over the top of that at the front of affairs and probably staying away to fight it out for the stage finish in Cahirciveen. It is only twelve miles from the top of the climb to the finish.
Stage 5 - May 27: Cahirciveen - Millstreet, 152 km
Again, a hard stage. Anyone who did the recent Ras Mumhan knows that the Ring of Kerry is tough, and with the major climb of Coomakista just thirteen miles after the start there is no real hiding place. After the previous day there is going to be a lot of very tired legs struggling on this stage. The riders go up Inchee Mountain which in any man's language is a very tough climb, and from there they race on through Baile Bhuirne, over the County Bounds climb, through Glenfesk and on to the finish in Millstreet.
Stage 6 - May 28: Millstreet - Seskin Hill Carrick-on Suir, 151 km
Mostly, this is going to be a fast stage. It is going to be very interesting in that I think when they reach Carrick on Suir, most of the field is going to be together. They will take a sharp left and from then on it is an unmerciful climb up Seskin Hill. The favourites will have to be well to the front on that - there is a second sharp curve on it which goes up almost vertically. I am sure that some of the lads won't make it up in the gear they are using. Anyone who is looking for the stage win or looking to stay up on general classification would need to stay well to the front to avoid any possible falls on that sharp left curve.
Stage 7 - May 29: Carrick-on-Suir - Tullow, 149 km
This is another very hard day. It is hard to know if it is the toughest or not; if it is not the toughest on paper, it will certainly be the toughest in reality because, after six days of hard racing and lots of climbing, it will be very difficult. After leaving Carrick-on-Suir there is climbing just about from the start, up through Knocktopher. There is a lot of pulling and dragging, a lot of very narrow roads which will give an opportunity for a move to get away. Maybe a break made up of guys far down on general classification, which could get a gap and be gone for the day. Anyone who is looking for the stage will have to watch every move and be up the front the whole time.
The riders will head on through Bunclody and onto that big loop, which is probably the toughest cycling route in the whole country. It will take in the likes of Cranavane, The Heights, Corrabutt Gap and Mount Leinster itself. It is extremely tough and there is going to be a fight right to the finish.
Stage 8 - May 30: Phoenix Park Circuit, 40 km
The Phoenix Park is really a beautiful and wonderful place to finish the race. The whole thing happens there. Spectators on any part of the circuit can almost see the full circuit, see the riders going around the back road around the Ordinance Survey and then onto Furze road. It makes for great racing. There is always the danger that if there is only seconds separating the leading riders on general classification, all that is needed is for a group to go up the road and open up a small gap, and you could have a new race leader after it.
