Photo Credit: Hinninck Paul
Cycling Ireland are delighted to announce the Ireland team to take part in the 2023 Rás na mBan from September 6th to 10th.
Featuring six stages, Ireland's only international women's stage race brings riders around some challenging and exciting routes in the midlands as well as the south-east.
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This year's edition includes a first-ever Waterford stage, starting and finishing in the beautiful seaside town of Tramore, as well as an exciting final day that includes a time trial before a criterium finale in the heart of Kilkenny city.
Ireland will hope to be in the thick of the action next month as a five-rider team featuring some exciting younger riders takes to the start line in Kilkenny on September 6th.
Mia Griffin, this week crowned national champion in the Criterium National Championships, is back in the green jersey for Ireland and will always be one to look for on home roads.
Caoimhe and Aoife O'Brien will both represent Ireland as they seek to continue their fine form that has seen them enjoy success on both the road and track this season.
Erin Creighton will also feature in the team after previously representing Ireland at senior level at the Track European Championships in February. Riding in her first year at senior level, Creighton is seeking to build on the International race exposure she has gained on the track this year and also develop as an International road rider.
Completing the line-up, Lucy Benezet Minns is one to watch for Ireland. The first year junior was crowned time trial and road race national champion earlier this summer. Representing Ireland at the 2023 Road World Championships, Benezet Minns finished in 4th in the junior women's time trial as she proved to be one of the world's best in stellar company.
Neill Delahaye, Cycling Ireland Head Coach, said, "Rás na mBan has always provided high quality, well organised and exciting International standard racing on domestic roads. It is an ideal opportunity for us as a Federation to provide a professional supported environment to riders at development stages of their career and we are delighted to have a senior rider of the calibre of Mia also featuring in the team. We believe the current crop of young Irish women have significant potential and stand to gain a lot of positive learning under the stewardship of Barry Monaghan and his experienced team. We have used a comparable team composition in the men's Rás in recent years to good effect and it is a team format that should work equally well for the women."
Ireland Team:
Mia Griffin
Caoimhe O'Brien
Aoife O'Brien
Erin Creighton
Lucy Benezet Minns
