Rás na mBan returns to Kilkenny in September and Ireland’s international bike race for women has a number of exciting new innovations for its 18th edition.
All-New Stage Three
Popular Kilkenny City Centre Race the Finale
This year’s race is the eighteenth edition of the popular international stage race to be based in and around Kilkenny. The 2024 edition features an all-new third stage in a new finish location and the return of the double-helping of racing in Kilkenny on the final day.
Kilkenny County Council has supported the event since 2016 and once again, starting on Wednesday September 4th Ireland’s best riders will fight it out over five days for the coveted Kilkenny County Council green jersey for best rider based in Ireland, while also chasing the much sought after Magenta overall leaders jersey.
Riders from all over Europe, the USA, Oceania, Africa and Asia, as well as the best of Ireland’s international and locally-based racers will descend on Kilkenny for the event which showcases the beauty and variety of roads and landscape of the Leinster county.
Sunday 8th September, the final day of racing, will again feature a double helping of top class racing starting with the fifth stage – a 2.5km time trial set against the backdrop of one of Kilkenny’s most iconic landmarks.
The race will end with the popular hour-long Kilkenny City Circuit Race on the familiar 2.5km circuit starting on The Parade in front of Kilkenny Castle, a spectacular and high octane end to the five days of racing.
While team rosters will also be revealed in due course, Rás na mBan has once again attracted Olympic, World and European Championship riders to face the best of the local talent.
Along with the race for the overall title, the best locally based talent is vying for the highly coveted green jersey awarded to the Kilkenny County Council Best Irish Rider. The leading Irish rider will be presented on the podium after each stage and recognisable in the bunch each day by the distinctive green Kilkenny County Council Best Irish Rider jersey.
Stage finishes in Callan, Mountrath, Gorey, The Rower and Kilkenny City feature in the 400km week of bike racing. For full route details see https://rasnamban.com/2024-route/.
In welcoming Rás na mBan back to Kilkenny Cathaoirleach Michael McCarthy said, “I am delighted to welcome back all participants and organisers of Rás na mBan to Kilkenny once again. We can ensure full co-operation and assistance from Kilkenny County Council and the staff in order to make this event as successful as possible. I would encourage people to come out and support this great annual event.”
Race Director Valerie Considine is looking forward to returning to Kilkenny, the hub of Rás na mBan since 2016.
“The move to Kilkenny eight years ago has been overwhelmingly positive for Rás na mBan and we have enjoyed taking the race to different locations in and around neighbouring counties in that time,” says Considine. “The beautiful countryside in Ireland’s Ancient East and the great support from Kilkenny makes planning the route of Ireland’s top international stage race an absolute pleasure.
“The route we have assembled for this year is once again designed to provide a real challenge for the riders while at the same time offering an opportunity for fans, riders and teams to further sample the epic beauty of Kilkenny City and County.
“Our traditional final day finale in front of Kilkenny Castle is one of the highlights of every riders’ season and it’s particularly gratifying for us to be able to bring top class women’s bike racing to the people in such an iconic setting.
“Once again, we’ve had wonderful support from Kilkenny County Council and An Garda Síochána throughout the planning of this event and they have helped smooth the not inconsiderable process of bringing top class bike racing to the county.
“Our major backers continue to make this race possible and it’s gratifying that we have retained the support of so many partners for another year.”
Route Details
An all new stage three and the return of the two-stage finale around the walls of Kilkenny Castle are among the highlights of the 2024 Rás na mBan route announced today.
Top bike racers from all over the world will return to Kilkenny in the first week of September for the 18th running of an event which attracts Olympians and World Championship riders to face the challenging roads of Ireland’s Ancient East.
Ireland’s international stage race for women returns with a familiar format featuring four road race stages of varying length and difficulty, a time trial, and a circuit race which for a seventh time centres on the beautiful city of Kilkenny.
The 2024 running of the event begins on Wednesday September 4th with six stages taking place over five days in and around the race base in County Kilkenny.
Once again, the route offers a variety of challenges, from testing hilly stages including the stage two climb of ‘The Cut’ in the Slieve Bloom Mountains in County Laois followed by the demanding Gorey stage in County Wexford on Friday, to the stage five time trial on Sunday where riders will ride solo against the watch on the new Kilkenny Castle course.
For a fourth year the race begins in the west of Kilkenny County on Wednesday 4th September with a stage finish in Callan and two laps of a 13km finishing circuit which will offer spectators at the finish line three chances to see the riders during the day.
The other stages cover roads which will be familiar to fans of Rás na mBan from previous years while also introducing new challenges for the riders. The day four race to ‘The Rower’ includes a grippy and spectacular conclusion to a demanding stage.
The day two stage in the Slieve Bloom mountains features, for a second time after a popular introduction last year, a finish in Mountrath after the climb of ‘The Cut’ following a start in Portlaoise.
Friday’s all new stage in County Wexford starts in Kilkenny and makes its way to Gorey County Wexford on rolling roads for what will be one of the toughest days of racing across the week.
The penultimate day’s action begins in Kilkenny before making its way to two assaults on the finishing climb of The Rower via the beautiful villages of Thomastown and Inistioge.
The final day of the race brings the riders back to Kilkenny city for two stages centring on the imposing edifice of Kilkenny Castle, one of the most popular visitor sites in Ireland.
In the morning the riders will face a 2.5km time trial around the walls of the castle as the specialists against the watch have an opportunity to offset the advantage enjoyed by the climbers on previous stages.
The final stage of the week is the hugely popular circuit race in Kilkenny City Centre, the fastest stage of the week, approximately an hour and fifteen minutes of high octane city centre racing after which the champion of Rás na mBan 2024 will be crowned.
Full route details and map links for the 2024 Rás na mBan see below.
Note: Timing and route details remain provisional. See rasnamban.com for up to date details.
2024 ROUTE
The route for the 18th edition of Rás na mBan includes six stages and five days of racing in early September. Details with map links below
Date |
Day |
Stage |
Stage Details |
Stage Start Location |
Start Time |
Distance |
Stage Finish Location |
FinishTime |
| 4th | Wed | 1 | Kilkenny (HH) – Danesfort – Stonyford – Knocktopher – Kilmaganny – Windgap – Callan | Hoban Hotel (HH) | 16:45 | 75km | Callan | 18:35 |
| 5th | Thurs | 2 | Portlaoise – Stradbally – Emo – Mountmellick – Clonaslee – The Cut – Mountrath – Ballacolla -Abbeyleix – Mountrath | O’Moore Park | 11:30 | 105km | Mountrath | 14:15 |
| 6th | Fri | 3 | Kilkenny – Borris – Ballymurphy – Kiltealy – Bunclody – Carnew – Ferns – Ballycanew – Gorey | HH | 12:00 | 104km | Gorey | 14:45 |
| 7th | Sat | 4 | Kilkenny (HH) – Kells – Dunamaggin – Thomastown – Inistioge – The Rower – Graignamanagh – Thomastown – Inistioge – The Rower | HH | 10:00 | 101km | The Rower | 12:40 |
| 8th | Sun | 5 | Individual Time Trial – Kilkenny Castle | Kilkenny Castle | 09:00 | 2.5km | Kilkenny Castle | 11:00 |
| 6 | Criterium The Parade – Nuncio Road – Waterford Road – Upper Patrick Street |
Kilkenny Castle | 12:30pm | 1 hour + 5 laps |
Kilkenny Castle | 13:45 |
