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The Junior Tour of Ireland returns to Co. Clare this week, as some of the best domestic and foreign Junior talent fight it out for the coveted yellow jersey.

This year’s race opens with an evening stage, as racing gets underway at 6.05pm from Treacy’s West County Hotel in Ennis. Riders will then take on a 63.5km route before finishing at Barefield National School. A short snappy evening stage is sure to get the race off to a flying start.

Stage 2 will start earlier on Wednesday, with racing underway at 11am. The stage will be a huge challenge for riders, taking on several tough climbs and battling coastal breezes before the finish in Kilkee. With several opportunities to win King of the Mountain points, Stage 2 really could blow the race wide open.

Thursday’s Stage 3 will again get underway at 11am and bring riders 110km from Ennis to Gort, with a loop taking in Knockhames and Ballynakill Lough. As with Stage 2, there will be several chances for riders to claim mountain classification points, but these climbs can blow the field apart.

Stage 4 takes riders on a 122km tour of the Burren. Again, leaving Ennis at 11am, the race heads towards Cappaghmore, back to Carrowkeel West, out to the coast again and Ballyvaughan, out to Black Head Light House, before looping back through Doonagore to Kilfenora for the finish. While this stage is comparatively flatter than the previous two, it packs some sharp punchy climbs.

The penultimate stage leaves Clarecastle on Saturday morning before passing through Killaloe, will take in Scarriff and Bodyke before looping back to the finish in Killaloe. The 118km stage will again feature some gruelling climbs sure to punish already tired legs.

This year’s final stage on Sunday, July 13th will feature a six lap circuit, just south of Ennis, finishing up on the Kilrush Road.

Ireland will have a team of five representatives, including three debutants. Hugh Og Mulhearne, Curtis McKee, Toby Sweetman, Jack Woods, and Peter Quigley will all wear green for the week. Irish provinces will also be well represented, with riders from every province making the trip to Clare.