Des Hanlon Memorial, March 23 2014, Carlow

Green&Red · 19-03-2014 12:45pm #1

Is this on Sunday? Anyone got any details?

Inquitus · 19-03-2014 12:48pm

http://www.carlowcycling.ie/deshanlon-mem-race-route/4559051510

QueensGael · 19-03-2014 2:08pm

Is this the sign-on location? It's coming up as Laois on Google Maps, just wanted to check for sure!

goo.gl/maps/KqNXR

buffalo · 19-03-2014 2:16pm

QueensGael wrote: »

Is this the sign-on location? It's coming up as Laois on Google Maps, just wanted to check for sure!

goo.gl/maps/KqNXR

That's where it was last year anyway.

lennymc · 19-03-2014 2:19pm

my legs hurt just looking at the poster.

granda · 19-03-2014 2:21pm

QueensGael wrote: »

Is this the sign-on location? It's coming up as Laois on Google Maps, just wanted to check for sure!

goo.gl/maps/KqNXR

but if you look closely it seems the Laois/Carlow border seems to run through the middle of the town hence the club coming up as in Laois

QueensGael · 19-03-2014 2:57pm

The women's race is being highlighted on the new website also - will add the sign-on details too

http://womenscycling.ie/the-des-hanlon-memorial/

slfcarro5 · 19-03-2014 3:15pm

How would this compare to something like say the cycleways cup. Would it be alot harder?

Green&Red · 19-03-2014 3:25pm

lennymc wrote: »

my legs hurt just looking at the poster.

Spill the beans Lenny

smurphy29 · 19-03-2014 3:31pm

Oh it's hard alright. Really hard. Narrow, hard roads, tough climbs and fast descents. One of the big races of the year and one of the best. Most of the action takes place on the second half of the races when you go over four difficult climbs, the last of which is especially painful. In A3 we've to do a second lap, doesn't bear thinking about. Can't wait.

Hmmzis · 19-03-2014 4:06pm

slfcarro5 wrote: »

How would this compare to something like say the cycleways cup. Would it be alot harder?

Make sure you bring your climbing legs along.

It's very tough but due to the climbs it's also very safe since the bunch gets torn to pieces and the descents aren't very technical.

That said, there was a crash last year in A4 going up the first drag.

Harrybelafonte · 19-03-2014 4:17pm

Hmmzis wrote: »

Make sure you bring your climbing legs along.

It's very tough but due to the climbs it's also very safe since the bunch gets torn to pieces and the descents aren't very technical.

That said, there was a crash last year in A4 going up the first drag.

Was there? Must have been cleared by the time I got there... That's not snarkiness, that's the sound of my dignity drowning.

smurphy29 · 19-03-2014 4:18pm

The left-hander at Castlecomer is key by the way. Goes straight up a drag and this is the first spot to try and inflict some hurt. Getting there in a decent position and in the right gear is crucial. Lots of people are overgeared, so slip it into the small ring as you turn and then get ready to accelerate up the hill. This split the bunch to pieces last year.

Chips Lovell · 19-03-2014 4:19pm

Edited thread title since this is looking like it's turning into the main thread about the race.

smurphy29 · 19-03-2014 4:20pm

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

Was there? Must have been cleared by the time I got there... That's not snarkiness, that's the sound of my dignity drowning.

There was, it was just one guy though I think, rocking his bike over and back and went down.

lennymc · 19-03-2014 4:24pm

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

Was there? Must have been cleared by the time I got there... That's not snarkiness, that's the sound of my dignity drowning.

Don't you mean it must have been cleared by the time you got there after sitting on lenny's wheel..... That's not snarkiness, that's the sound of me making sure your dignity is well and truly gone

Unfortunately I don't think I will be able to make this Sunday.

macbane66 · 19-03-2014 11:21pm

Seems a lot of the A4's strava's for this race was 73km last year, is it increased to 80km for this year, further pain !

smurphy29 · 20-03-2014 10:27am

The route is the same. For some reason they list it as being 80k, but it is indeed closer to 73k. Was the same case last year.

cantalach · 20-03-2014 11:59am

I mapped out the A3 and A4 routes on RideWithGPS for my clubmates. Some of you might mind them useful. Note that I've omitted the neutralised roll-out in both cases.

A4 and Ladies (1 lap): http://ridewithgps.com/routes/4246342
A3 and Juniors (2 laps): http://ridewithgps.com/routes/4246026

manwithaplan · 20-03-2014 1:15pm

When I rode this in A4 two years ago it was just attritional over the first three hills after the turn at Castlecomer. There was still a decent bunch at the bottom of the last hill but all the damage was done there with 4 getting away to contest the finish. It's still a decent run in from the top of the last hill so no harm for there to be a couple to share the work.

Hard to know how the A3 race will pan out. There may be some super juniors strong enough to attack on one of the early climbs (or even before, them crazy kids) and spend the day out on their own but it might also be a more gradual whittling down of the field with the decisive attacks coming later. It will be fun whatever happens.

buffalo · 20-03-2014 1:51pm

manwithaplan wrote: »

Hard to know how the A3 race will pan out. There may be some super juniors strong enough to attack on one of the early climbs (or even before, them crazy kids) and spend the day out on their own but it might also be a more gradual whittling down of the field with the decisive attacks coming later. It will be fun whatever happens.

Last year there was an early break of 6 on the first lap, that got swallowed up by a chasing group of about 15 juniors and stronger A3s on the second lap. Then about 10 went away on the last climbs while the chaff (including me) were left behind.

Chips Lovell · 20-03-2014 1:57pm

You need to be pretty ballsy to attack on the first lap of this race, so there is a chance it could very conservative on the first lap. Having said that, I reckon there's a heap of young fellas who are just dying to use the more favourable terrain to put the hurt on the rest of us. My prediction is it'll go gangbusters right from the gun.

cantalach · 20-03-2014 2:29pm

It'll be my first 'Des'. Looking forward to it. What are the road surfaces like? I'm wondering whether to go with my Open Corsa race day tyres or play it safe and switch to my GP4000 training tyres...

Chips Lovell · 20-03-2014 2:31pm

It's been a few years since I did it, but I don't remember the circuit being that bad. I'm bringing the good wheels.

ragazzo · 20-03-2014 3:50pm

Vladimir Kurtains wrote: »

It's been a few years since I did it, but I don't remember the circuit being that bad. I'm bringing the good wheels.

The roads are generally good but last year the narrow climb, before descending towards the final hill, was very mucky and seemed even narrower than usual due to the large sized bunch.

The group was racing from the drop of the flag but the first real damage was done coming out of Castlecomer. The slog continued from there with riders continuously going south and many small groups coming together on the road. At the conclusion of lap 1 the A3 race was in bits. This pattern continued on lap 2. It is more a strongmans race than a climbers race.

Harrybelafonte · 20-03-2014 4:12pm

cantalach wrote: »

It'll be my first 'Des'. Looking forward to it. What are the road surfaces like? I'm wondering whether to go with my Open Corsa race day tyres or play it safe and switch to my GP4000 training tyres...

There's a descent in the first 10-20km which has potholes IIRC, the A4 bunch arrived at it to find the road littered with A3 bottles, and then proceeded to add their own. Punctures too.

ragazzo · 20-03-2014 4:30pm

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

There's a descent in the first 10-20km which has potholes IIRC, the A4 bunch arrived at it to find the road littered with A3 bottles, and then proceeded to add their own. Punctures too.

That's correct. There was a large pothole or two on a descent on the way out. This was on the main road and the speed was up at the time. A load of wheels made contact so hopefully the council have sorted it for Sunday.

manwithaplan · 20-03-2014 9:44pm

Just read on sb that Eddie Dunbar is riding. There will be no shortage of pain for anyone who fancies their chances of staying with him.

wav1 · 20-03-2014 11:52pm

View from the comfort of team car talking but i always feel the hardest part of this circuit is the draggy section that comes close to the lap finish up by the grotto which is after the climbs as such.Selections always made along this section and guys that have hung on in the hills get shelled along here.I imagine the A3 race will be junior led allright especially with a lot of the strong A3s already upgraded.Get ready for the ''Eddie Show''id say.

manwithaplan · 21-03-2014 12:28am

Might be a few strong vets up there too. Some names popping up in A3 this year that were very competitive at the top level in the receng past.

bikenut74 · 21-03-2014 3:06pm

The actual distance for the races are 73km, 112km and 151km with 800m 1,300m and 1,800m of climbing respectively. It's the same route as previous years heading out the N80 Portlaoise Rd and finishing on the R430 Castlecomer Rd. The finish is the same as last year on a closed 500m after the roundabout. We don't expect large groups sprinting it out. We hope to mix it up a bit this year by offering primes on the route (when,where TBA). Unfortunately the big hole on the decent from Arles has not been repaired and maybe bigger. It will be well marked and we will warn all at the start about it. We will try have a marshal at that point and have oncoming traffic stopped.

buffalo · 21-03-2014 4:53pm

manwithaplan wrote: »

Might be a few strong vets up there too. Some names popping up in A3 this year that were very competitive at the top level in the receng past.

Have you been noticing who wasn't listed in the upgrades in the rankings?

doozerie · 21-03-2014 5:37pm

So, in short: don’t get eaten by the pothole, don’t get assaulted by any dropped bike bottles, don’t drop my own bike bottle, do drop the climbers on the climbs, don’t fall off on the descents, do drop the rouleurs on the flats, do drop the sprinters in the sprint, and roll casually over the line to an easy victory. Right, got it!

…I think I may cry, and I’m in A4 so I don’t even have to contend with any extra laps or (fail to) contend with the likes of Eddie Dunbar. I’m struggling to recall my reasons for choosing cycling as my “fun” hobby of choice

Harrybelafonte · 21-03-2014 5:48pm

doozerie wrote: »

So, in short: don’t get eaten by the pothole, don’t get assaulted by any dropped bike bottles, don’t drop my own bike bottle, do drop the climbers on the climbs, don’t fall off on the descents, do drop the rouleurs on the flats, do drop the sprinters in the sprint, and roll casually over the line to an easy victory. Right, got it!

…I think I may cry, and I’m in A4 so I don’t even have to contend with any extra laps or (fail to) contend with the likes of Eddie Dunbar. I’m struggling to recall my reasons for choosing cycling as my “fun” hobby of choice

I was dropped very, very early on last year, despite Lennys attempts to drag me up hills. After awhile I realised much of the course is part of the Leinster Loop, so if, god forbid, you do get dropped, treat it like a sportive and enjoy the scenery.

wav1 · 21-03-2014 6:01pm

buffalo wrote: »

Have you been noticing who wasn't listed in the upgrades in the rankings?

Buffalo new rule this yr.45/50 yr olds could come down a category but are subject to the normal upgrade on reaching the points.Same applied to over 50s but the big difference is they dont have to upgrade on reaching the points unless they CHOOSE TO.T o be honest i think its about right as most over 50s shouldnt be expected to race with the top guys week in week out.If they can pick up a pot or an odd win in their 50s in A3 races well good luck to them i say.[maybe im thinking of the wrong guy]

buffalo · 21-03-2014 7:04pm

wav1 wrote: »

Buffalo new rule this yr.45/50 yr olds could come down a category but are subject to the normal upgrade on reaching the points.Same applied to over 50s but the big difference is they dont have to upgrade on reaching the points unless they CHOOSE TO.T o be honest i think its about right as most over 50s shouldnt be expected to race with the top guys week in week out.If they can pick up a pot or an odd win in their 50s in A3 races well good luck to them i say.[maybe im thinking of the wrong guy]

Tech Regs for 2014 say otherwise wav - T3, 4 (c):

Veteran riders in their 50th or greater year and irrespective of their category may apply, on their
first licence application for the relevant licence year, for an A2 or A3 licence with zero points
brought forward. Such riders are subject to automatic upgrades during the licence year on
reaching the relevant points threshold.

If a 50+yo can win enough points in A3 to get an upgrade, more power to them, they're clearly a class act and quality rider - and therefore able to compete with A2s.

wav1 · 21-03-2014 7:14pm

buffalo wrote: »

Tech Regs for 2014 say otherwise wav - T3, 4 (c):

If a 50+yo can win enough points in A3 to get an upgrade, more power to them, they're clearly a class act and quality rider - and therefore able to compete with A2s.

They have obviously not been updated,but you can take it from me it was def changed last yr at CI AGM as part of a general category review made by a working group which i was part of.Also included was the option of juniors to go directly to A2 upon leaving Junior [previously mandatory A3] if they were carrying 50 plus jun ranking points.The upgrade now only applies to riders who are 45/50 plus the younger A3s obviously.The whole motion/submission was passed en bloc.

buffalo · 21-03-2014 7:50pm

wav1 wrote: »

They have obviously not been updated,but you can take it from me it was def changed last yr at CI AGM as part of a general category review made by a working group which i was part of.Also included was the option of juniors to go directly to A2 upon leaving Junior [previously mandatory A3] if they were carrying 50 plus jun ranking points.The upgrade now only applies to riders who are 45/50 plus the younger A3s obviously.The whole motion/submission was passed en bloc.

Somebody messed up then, because here's the CI 2014 TRs, with the rule above as quoted on page 23: http://www.cyclingireland.ie/downloads/technical%20rules%202014%20v3%20finalv3.pdf

I don't recall noticing that rule at the AGM - A3 could be a very crowded cat with all the juniors racing in it, and now the potential for all the decent 50+ vets as well. Makes the case for attributing all ranking points to actual A3s much stronger.

wav1 · 21-03-2014 7:55pm

buffalo wrote: »

Somebody messed up then, because here's the CI 2014 TRs, with the rule above as quoted on page 23: http://www.cyclingireland.ie/downloads/technical%20rules%202014%20v3%20finalv3.pdf

I don't recall noticing that rule at the AGM - A3 could be a very crowded cat with all the juniors racing in it, and now the potential for all the decent 50+ vets as well. Makes the case for attributing all ranking points to actual A3s much stronger.

As you know i have been argueing this for 2 years.Also CI rankings are all over the gaff.Newly upgraded A3s [from A4] have brought their poinys up with them when they should have zero

Inquitus · 21-03-2014 8:16pm

wav1 wrote: »

As you know i have been argueing this for 2 years.Also CI rankings are all over the gaff.Newly upgraded A3s [from A4] have brought their poinys up with them when they should have zero

Aye the rankings issued for 2014 a couple of days back were wrong for everyone I checked, a sample of 4.

killalanerr · 21-03-2014 8:53pm

best of luck to all my a3 buddys doing this on Sunday i got droped goin up by the grotto last year on the first lap ended up bonking and Getin to the finish in a very bad way. i felt i was going a bit better this year and i was looking forward to seeing how far i might get . Its a savage race with no where to hide enjoy the suffering i will be looking forward to the reports

lennymc · 21-03-2014 9:17pm

killalanerr wrote: »

best of luck to all my a3 buddys doing this on Sunday i got droped goin up by the grotto last year on the first lap ended up bonking and Getin to the finish in a very bad way. i felt i was going a bit better this year and i was looking forward to seeing how far i might get . Its a savage race with no where to hide enjoy the suffering i will be looking forward to the reports

I was thinking that im sorry to be missing this race, then I remembered last year's race ....

Ill be back next year! !

wav1 · 21-03-2014 10:12pm

killalanerr wrote: »

best of luck to all my a3 buddys doing this on Sunday i got droped goin up by the grotto last year on the first lap ended up bonking and Getin to the finish in a very bad way. i felt i was going a bit better this year and i was looking forward to seeing how far i might get . Its a savage race with no where to hide enjoy the suffering i will be looking forward to the reports

wont be the same without ya.hope you'll be allrite for ''Archbalds''

no1murray · 21-03-2014 11:47pm

Cant wait for sunday. What a great race. Lets see who will show up for it. Could be a really strong field with the likes of shaw, sherlock sticking around for it and maybe lavery. Let the pain comence. Best of luck to everyone riding it. Stay safe yall. See ye on the start line.

GMCI · 22-03-2014 9:23am

The typo in the rule book was picked up on a few weeks back. It just needs to be updated as wav1 is 100% correct being the reliable source he is :-)

B82Eng · 23-03-2014 1:13am

Hi

Long time listener first time caller. It will be my first time racing the Des Hanlon. Was in Lucan yesterday for the A4 so hopefully the legs hold up. Question, with all this talk of how hard the hills are what sort of gearing is best? The lowest I have would be a 39 - 25 and cant be bothered changing blocks. Will it get me round?

Many Thanks

Hmmzis · 23-03-2014 8:25am

B82Eng wrote: »

Hi

Long time listener first time caller. It will be my first time racing the Des Hanlon. Was in Lucan yesterday for the A4 so hopefully the legs hold up. Question, with all this talk of how hard the hills are what sort of gearing is best? The lowest I have would be a 39 - 25 and cant be bothered changing blocks. Will it get me round?

Many Thanks

If you stick to the front group then you won't get as low as 39x25. Good luck in the race today!