It was confirmed yesterday that 165 entries have been received for this year's FBD Milk Ras which gets under way on Saturday week.

The organiser, Dermot Dignam, said the line-up was headed by the Ireland team of Tommy Evans, Brian Kenneally, Conor Henry, Ciaran Power and Karl Donnelly with the principal opposition from Estonia, Belgium, Germany, France, South Africa, Japan and The Netherlands.

In addition there are six English regional teams, two from Scotland and 17 county selections - five from Dublin, two from Kerry and then Antrim, Carlow, Cork, Down, Meath, Mayo, Offaly, Limerick, Wicklow and Westmeath.

Stage one starts and finishes in Dublin with the stage ends on the following days at Tubbercurry, Westport, Kilrush, Castletownbere, Mallow, New Ross and Ballymore Eustace. The finish is on a Dublin City centre circuit in O'Connell Street on Sunday, May 24th.