An Post R�s race director Dermot Dignam has revealed that the expected participation of the first-ever Moroccan team in this year�s An Post R�s won�t now take place due to visa problems.



Dignam had informed the team earlier this year that it would need visas to travel to Ireland. He said that the team was given a reminder again three weeks ago. �They assured us then that they had all the necessary things done,� he told Irishcycling.com today, �but this wasn�t the case. The manager, who is himself from Europe, arrived last night and then got word that the riders had been stopped in Frankfurt airport and prevented from going any further.�



The issue was that the team had got Schengen visas rather than valid ones for Ireland; this country is not in the Schengen zone.



Dignam and his crew worked hard to try to resolve the situation and, thanks to the Irish authorities, made progress. �We got great assistance from the Taoiseach�s office all day long in trying to resolve the problem,� he said. �Eventually we got word that approval had been given, that the visa requirements had been waived. Unfortunately the team manager presumed that there wouldn�t be a solution and he jumped the gun, telling his riders to go elsewhere to a single day race taking place tomorrow.



�When we confirmed that the riders could indeed travel, they were on a train at that point. He did his best to contact the riders, tell them to get off the train and to the airport, but was unable to contact them.�



By the time he did, it was too late.



Under UCI rules, normally teams can�t switch to another race if they are committed to a different one. However while Dignam is greatly frustrated by the visa mix-up by the team, he said that he has given them permission to start tomorrow�s single-day event. �Much to the manager�s surprise we gave them the go ahead; there was no point in depriving the riders of a race.�



The Moroccan squad was due to be one of seventeen overseas teams in this year�s An Post R�s. It was to feature several strong competitors and, equally significantly, would have been the first time riders from that country have competed in the Irish event.



Dignam is disappointed by their non-participation, but knows that there are enough strong teams and riders to guarantee a very good contest.



�The race is wide open and to be honest with you, I think there is a great chance of an Irish victory this year,� he said this evening. �We probably have the strongest representation of our top cyclists. When we have the likes of David McCannn, Sam Bennett, Ronan McLaughlin, Connor McConvey, Sean Downey and more, the whole lot is there. The opposition is going to be very tough, too�it should be a very good edition.�



The race begins tomorrow with a 147 kilometre stage from Dunboyne to Kilkenny.





2012 An Post R�s:



Stage 1, Sunday May 20th: Dunboyne � Kilkenny, 147kms

Stage 2, Monday May 21st: Kilkenny � Gort, 158kms

Stage 3, Tuesday May 22nd: Gort � Westport, 145kms

Stage 4, Wednesday May 23rd: Westport � Bundoran, 135kms

Stage 5, Thursday May 24th: Bundoran � Buncrana, 149kms

Stage 6, Friday May 25th: Buncrana � Killybegs, 134kms

Stage 7, Saturday May 26th: Donegal - Cootehill, 161kms

Stage 8, Sunday May 27th: Cootehill � Skerries, 139kms