Iranian team confirmed for FBD Insurance Rás

By Shane Stokes

Last year Iran made the headlines immediately prior to the start of the FBD Insurance Rás, but it was for all the wrong reasons. A group of individuals posing as the national team travelled to Ireland but then went missing, their visa application for the race enabling the scam to be committed.

"It's probably true to say we were a little annoyed with ourselves for been taken in by the scammers last year," said Dignam this week. "We felt we had to make amends by having a legitimate team in this year's race. We appreciate the assistance received from the Iranian Embassy and are absolutely delighted with the quality of the team selected to come to Ireland."

Amir Zargari, Abbas Saeiditanha, Mehdi Sohrabi, Hassan Maleki Mizan and Mehdi Faridi will line out for the Continental-level Iran ­ Azad University team, and have enough individual and collective strength to make a big impression on the race.

Hassan Maleki Mizan was second on a stage of the prestigious Tour de Langkawi this season and in the past has won a stage in the Kerman Tour plus two stages of the Tour of Egypt. The fifth member of the team, Mehdi Faridi, was bronze medallist in last year's Iranian road race championships. They will all travel prior to the FBD Insurance Rás start in Navan on May 18 .