With three of the eight stages now finished, all 5 UCD riders remain safely intact in the race.

UCD - the sole university team in this prestigious 8 day stage race - is currently placed 13th out of 15 in the county teams classification. They hold a nine minute advantage over Wexford and enjoy an hour and twelve minute lead ahead over the lowest placed team Kanturk Town from Cork. 

On Monday, UCD's Colm Cassidy was photographed (See attached photo) leading the peleton up the incline into the town of Castleblayney, Co. Monaghan. So much for the UCD students trying to take it handy at the back against the professionals!  

[The team made it onto the Nine o'clock News on Sunday. Rás coverage starts roughly 12 minutes & 15 seconds into the sports reports: http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0523/9news_av.html

On Wednesday 26th the Belfield team make the 169kms journey form Oughterard to Tipperary. On Thursday they tackle aguably the toughest test in this years Rás when they race for 175 kms and finish in the home town of Irish cycling legend Seán Kelly. This is followed by a 127kms stage into Gorey, Co. Wexford. Saturday sees the riders compete over the 154kms from Gorey to Kilcullen and the race finishes on Sunday, May 30th when the route takes the peleton from Kilcullen to Skerries.