A record entry of 25 five-rider teams will be on the startline in Kilkenny next week for the 13th edition of Rás na mBan.Ireland’s top international stage race for women has attracted international athletes from 19 countries including 2016 champion Rikke Lønne riding with the Dutch Maastlandster International Women’s Cycling Team.

The former Danish national time trial champion returns to the event following her dominant performance in 2016 when she won three stages on her way to the overall title.

Ranged against the former champion is a quality list of teams including, for the first time in several years, a full Irish national team.

Full squad rosters will not be named until the week of the event but it’s understood that Irish National Road Race Champion Eve McCrystal will be among the five Irish riders in green for the five-day, six stage event.

The team list below includes the best local Irish riders against teams headed by last year’s champions, the Great Britain National team, and teams from Ireland, Britain, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Australia, the Isle of Man, Luxembourg and France.

Riders from Ireland, Great Britain, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland,  Isle of Man, Poland, Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, France, Portugal, Japan, Singapore, New Zealand and South Africa will be on the start line in Kilkenny on Wednesday September 5th.

Further team announcements to follow.

Great Britain National Team – GBR
Ireland National Team – IRL
Cycling Leinster – IRL
VC Éiru  – IRL
Team Crescent D.A.R.E. – SWE
Maaslandster International Women’s Cycling Team – NED
Andy Schleck Cycles Women Project – LUX
Cycle Team OnForm – GBR
Datalynx-Parenesis Women’s RT – GBR
FusionRTVeloperformance  – GBR
Momentum CCN – AUS
Shutt Ridley RT – GBR
Team Backstedt/Hotchillee – GBR
Team Nh – NED
TW1 Racing – GBR
Norway Sør – NOR
TC Racing – IRL
Scott Orwell Wheelers – IRL
Team Breizh Ladies – FRA
Team LDN – GBR
Jadan Weldtite Vive le Velo – GBR
Torelli-Brother-Assure – GBR
DN17 Nouvelle Aquitaine – FRA
Region Sør Norway – NOR
Team Verge Sport – IRL