This years Tour of Ireland pro race, featuring Astana’s Lance Armstrong, will tackle Mount Leinster on Friday, 21st August on the way to a stage finish in Waterford. Columbia HTC with Mark Cavandish have also confirmed they are taking part.
The race has been very much in doubt due to sponsorship issues over the last few months but a shorter 3 day race was confirmed this evening. Further details will be announced soon. I am attaching below a press release I recieved this evening from event organiser Alan Rushton together with a few images from last years race.
Closer to the event we’ll see about getting a large group of cyclists up the mountain to give the riders a real irish welcome (in the rain obviously!)
armstrong-and-cavendish-headline-a-streamlined-tour-of-ireland.doc
(The Mount Leinster Challenge catering committee have also issued a press release stating they have made enough cake, muffins and scones for one year so it seems like Armstrong will have to have Contador and Leipheimer making the ‘hang sangwiches’.)