An Post Rás na mBan is over for another year and there’s been some time to reflect on what has been, by common consent, the biggest and best edition of the race to date.

It’s been an epic journey bringing the event to a brand new venue and in the process creating six brand new stages from scratch for which special credit must go to Fiona Cooke and Ger Madden.

Our volunteer base increased this year and, while it’s still a small, tight knit team, the extra personnel helped make the pre-event preparation and the event itself probably the smoothest running I can remember.

I would like to acknowledge, on behalf of the Rás na mBan crew, the hard work and selfless effort from each and every one of the team of volunteers who have helped make the 2016 edition of Ireland’s premier women’s bike race the best ever.

For our first year in County Kilkenny, the event has benefited once again from enthusiastic local support and the legions of marshals from the various County Kilkenny and Carlow cycling clubs for which we are very grateful.

That support, added to a record number of riders have helped elevate the event to a new standard and the preparation, presentation and promotion of the event have once again risen to match it.

An Post Rás na mBan remains a work in progress and all involved will continue to strive to improve the race and make it a proper showcase for women’s international bike racing in Ireland.

It continues to flourish in spite of difficult economic conditions and this year’s edition made it 30 years of international stage racing for women in Ireland in 2016.

We would to like to say thank you and congratulations to all the managers, mechanics and masseurs who gave their time to support the riders and the race.

We’d also like to thank and congratulate all the riders in An Post Rás na mBan 2016 for their commitment, talent and fortitude throughout what was quite probably the toughest edition yet.

The event goes from strength to strength thanks to the efforts of all associated with it.

Go raibh míle maith agaibh go léir.

Valerie Considine, Fiona Cooke, Dave Cormack, Declan Quigley

On behalf of all the riders, officials, fans and supporters of An Post Rás na mBan, we’d like to express our gratitude to the following for making it the best bike race in Ireland:-

An Garda Síochána	Sergeant Canice O’Gorman, Inspector Garda Joe Carton, Sergeant Cormac O’Connell, Garda Kieran Leahy, Motorcycle GardaÍ; Paul O’Donoghue – Castlecomer, Paul Keane – Carlow, Mark Hopkinshaw & John Duggan – Waterford. Gardaí at all locations around Kilkenny & Carlow.
Kilkenny County Council	Simon Walton, Harry Shine, Eddie O’Reilly, Seamus Kavanagh
Title Sponsor	An Post
Classification Sponsors	National Dairy Council
	Kilkenny County Council
	Irish Veterans Cycling Association
	Cycling Ireland & The Sports Council, Women’s Commission of Cycling Ireland, Cycling Leinster
	Failte Ireland
Official Vehicle Sponsor	Honda – John Saunders, Ian Tolan
Benefactors	Paul Atkinson, Paul Deans, Pat Halpin
All Trophies & Finishers’ Medals	Brightsport.ie  Liam Dolan
Stage Winner Medals	Vincent Cronin
Race Officials – Commisaire Team & Results crew	John Breen, Brian Jordan, Derek Webb & Thomas Sheehy, Miceál Concannon, Gordon Parker,  Alicja Cermak
Drivers & Lead Cars	Eddie Keogh, Ronan Fox, Stephen O’Shea, Jack Whelan, Orla Hendron,  Paddy Wall, Mick O’Donnell, Robert Haslam
Crews – QOH & Neutral Service	Dermot O’Gorman & Dermot Moyne, Dermot McMahon, Damien Nelson, Paddy Davis, Cian Sutcliffe
Race Announcer & Race Radios	Oliver McKenna, Pat Moss
Doctor & Medical Crew	Dr Lucy Soden, Order of Malta, Lifeline Ambulance
Accommodation & Safety Officer	Dave Cormack
Podium & Start Managers	Jenn Sheridan & David Hendron
Motorbikes	John Ryan; Gerry Murray; Chris Toner, Malcolm Goode Brendan Boland, Brendan Dolan, John McKenna,  Noel Tonge, Tom Roche, Lenny Carrigan, Ken Nelson, Tosh Lavery & Helen Sinnott
Broom wagon & signage removal	Mick Ryder & Ted Burns
Finish manager & crew	Fiona Cooke, Ger Madden, Paul Deans, Pat Halpin, John Dillon, Paul Reid, Mick Hennessy, Liam, Kieran
Signage crew	Fiona Cooke, Ger Madden, Dave Cormack, John Dillon
Marshal crews	Marble City Cyclers; Deenside Wheelers; Kilkenny Tri Club; Slaney Wheelers;  Racing 795; Leighlinbridge gang;
	All the marshals who came from all over Ireland to help out on the criterium stage!
Commendation	Pat Halpin, Paul Deans, Aishling Barry & Jennifer Bates; Eddie Dawson, Ray McKenna; Russell Family;
An Post crew	Aileen Mooney, Brian Walsh; Shay Donnelly, Eimear Breen, Feargal Purcell, Stephen Mangan, Holly Archer, Jim Bergin, Pat Cremin. An Post local presenters.
NDC crew	Zoe Kavanagh, Jeanne Spillane, Caroline O’Donavan
Race sign on facilities	Liz Nolan and all the staff at Castlecomer Discovery Park, Michael O’Donovan, Gary Brickell & officials at Kilkenny Rugby Club; Tommy Lanigan, Kevin Hennessy and all at James Stephens GAA.
Hotel	All the staff at Springhill Court Hotel
PR, press, photography, social media, TV Race manual	InForm Sports Media – Declan Quigley, Georgie Francis; Lorraine O’Sullivan; Donal Glackin; David Laird, Grace Quigley, Donovan Delaney; Julia Philips; Aidan Collins