Prologue: Dublin. Saturday 11th July
The 5.6km Prologue time trial route has now been fixed for the opening of the 1998 Race on Saturday, 11th July, starting at 15.25 from College Green, taking in Nassau Street, Leinster Street, Clare Street, Merrion Square North and East, Fitzwilliam Street and Square, Leeson Street, St. Stephen's Green South, Cuffe Street, Kevin Street, Patrick Street, Nicholas Street, Winetavern Street, Ormond Quay, Bachelor's Quay and finishing in O'Connell Street at 15.32.

Stage 1: Dublin - Dublin. Sunday 12th July
Stage 1 will cover 180.5km, starting at 11.30 from O'Connell Street via College Green, Grafton Street, Nassau Street, Leinster Street, Lower Mount Street, Pembroke Road, Ballsbridge, Milltown Road to Dundrum where the race will have its official start at 11.45 from the Stephen Roche monument on Ulster Road. From here the race will proceed through Stillorgan, Shankill, Bray, Kilmacanogue, Ashford, through Rathnew on to Wicklow town where it turns on to the N 11 at the Beehive.

The race then travels onwards to Arklow where it proceeds inland to Avoca, Woodenbridge, Rathdrum, Laragh, over the 7km climb of the Wicklow Gap. The race then drops down through the Wicklow mountains to Hollywood, Blessington, down the Embankment to Tallaght, Inchicore past the historic Kilmainham Jail and onwards into the Phoenix Park.

In Phoenix Park the race will feature a 7km circuit before finishing on the main road opposite the Arás an Uachtaráin. This 'finishing circuit' is a concession granted to the Irish public by the Tour de France management to create a greater spectacle on the day. Large scale corporate hospitality facilities, giant TV screens and other family attractions are planned for the afternoon in the Phoenix Park to coincide with the arrival of the cyclists.

The race is timed for an afternoon finish of 15.51 to avoid clashing with the World Cup final which takes place in Paris that evening.