UCI tour of Ireland ???

Caroline_ie

Hi All

I am a bit bored ... there are no new threads, with the Unfriendly cycling weather ...
Anyway, Has any of you heard of the UCI tour of ireland being back this year? I know it was very badly advertized last year, but still, I was there with my Media Pass the 1st 2 days, got to meet plenty of Pro and it was great ... we even got to get my BFs Cervelo bike fixed by the CSC mechanics!!! And was very proud to Marshall in town on the last day in Dublin too.

Anyway ... does any of you guys know if it's on this year again?

Downtime

27 - 31 August Launching 26 June 2008.

Caroline_ie

Downtime wrote: »

27 - 31 August Launching 26 June 2008.

Weeheeee!!!

They're being crap at adverizing again this year ... not a poster in bike shops last year and now they're waiting the 26th of June to launch the thing ...

Oh well - I will still go to it ...

Downtime

Is it easy enough to get a media pass - I want to take a few photos?

Caroline_ie

I was actually covering for a friend last year the 1st day, I didn't get the pass for fun ... Don't think they'll need me this year ...

TinyExplosions

27 - 31 August 2008

Caroline_ie

That'd be great if they did some kind of 'sportive/etape' kinda thingy too...

TinyExplosions

Caroline_ie wrote: »

That'd be great if they did some kind of 'sportive/etape' kinda thingy too...

We could just hijack the course and ride some of it

Caroline_ie

TinyExplosions wrote: »

We could just hijack the course and ride some of it

Yeah I am in!

TinyExplosions

Caroline_ie wrote: »

Yeah I am in!

Going on last years course, stage five would be really easy, 140 odd k from Athlone to Dublin, and no climbs to speak of.. they do get a bit bumpy around Kerry though

Caroline_ie

TinyExplosions wrote: »

Going on last years course, stage five would be really easy, 140 odd k from Athlone to Dublin, and no climbs to speak of.. they do get a bit bumpy around Kerry though

We'll have to wait what kind of stages they're planing this year. It being the 10 year anniversary of the tour de my great country Irish start ... ( not sur ethat'll have an affect at all actually ) - Still - Cant wait for thursday to see this year route.

Wonder what CSC rider will be there too ...

blorg

Slaney Cycling Club are celebrating the TdF 10th anniversary with a memorial ride of one of the stages from Enniscorthy to Cork, unfortunately on the same day at the Ring of Kerry though. (You probably know this.)

Caroline_ie

blorg wrote: »

(You probably know this.)

Yeah - I've heard of that... doing none of them though

blorg

Caroline_ie wrote: »

Yeah - I've heard of that... doing none of them though

Any reason why not? Are you occupied on that day (you are doing the Sean Kelly IIRC?)

Caroline_ie

blorg wrote: »

Any reason why not? Are you occupied on that day (you are doing the Sean Kelly IIRC?)

Going to see 'Uncle Sean' yeah Last year I met the Man Himself the following day of the SKT, at the tour of Ireland Press day in Kilkenny and I promised myself I would do it this year ...

quietobserver

its starting outside dublin this year and finishing the week in cork,
ill be there for the tour again this year, csc team hmm had a run in with frank or andy schleck last year at the quality hotel in galway, poor olds souls reckon their special, they could do with a good feed.

Caroline_ie

quietobserver wrote: »

its starting outside dublin this year and finishing the week in cork,
ill be there for the tour again this year, csc team hmm had a run in with frank or andy schleck last year at the quality hotel in galway, poor olds souls reckon their special, they could do with a good feed.

Yes, Met them too ( attached Pics I took ) - I can't wait for this year And I hopefully the weather will be as nice as last year:D

King Kelly

I was down to attend media launch tomorrow but unfortunately REAL work committments mean I can't make it!

If any one is interested I have a pile of photo's taken at the press launch in Kilkenny the day before the race last August, from the start of Stage 1 and from stage 4 in Galway on this site - http://pix.ie/liamr/albums

Ignore the boring, family, non cycling albums!

Caroline_ie

King Kelly wrote: »

If any one is interested I have a pile of photo's taken at the press launch in Kilkenny the day before the race last August, from the start of Stage 1 and from stage 4 in Galway on this site - http://pix.ie/liamr/albums

Ignore the boring, family, non cycling albums!

Amazing i have almost the same shots as you and I couldn't see me on any of your photos.

King Kelly

That's why my horizons aren't straight - I was trying to shoot around you!

Caroline_ie

King Kelly wrote: »

That's why my horizons aren't straight - I was trying to shoot around you!

That's what people usually do when I'm around. A bit less now though as it's easyer to get rid of ugly peopel on bad shots with digital cams.

Chips Lovell

Stage details now up. Looks like a tough parcours. Columbia/High Road and Slipstream already confirmed.

Beached

All stages in the southern part of Ireland again.
Think ill try catch the Dingle stage. climb the Conor pass and all things going well, be in Dingle for the finish then. The tour is going into dingle then doing a lap of slea head before hitting dingle again, that should give me time

Raam

The 900km race has been awarded a 2.1 ranking on the UCI calendar

http://www.tourofireland.ie/tour.html

What does that mean?

Chips Lovell

Raam wrote: »

http://www.tourofireland.ie/tour.html

What does that mean?

All explained here.

TinyExplosions

Raam wrote: »

http://www.tourofireland.ie/tour.html

What does that mean?

I suspect it's the standard the race is -if you google UCI 2.1, you get a few hits on races around the world -it's maybe to signify that it's a little race, but still pretty tough?

blorg

The '2' bit means that it is a multi-day race, and the '1' that it is a category 1 race (the category just below the top, HC/Hors Categorie.)

TinyExplosions

ANyone fancy havin a spin out to Rathdrum way to see the boys fly by?

Junior

Suprised the stage starts and finishes are different places...

cyclopath2001

TinyExplosions wrote: »

I suspect it's the standard the race is -if you google UCI 2.1, you get a few hits on races around the world -it's maybe to signify that it's a little race, but still pretty tough?

The ranking has partly to do with the standard of organisation, e.g. press facilities on the finish line, safety barriers, TV coverage nationa/international, neutral service, road closures and marshalling. It also affects the type of team that will come or who can be invited.

The Ras is 2.2. The Tour Down Under is 2.HC (hors categorie).

If the Ras were higher than 2.2, club riders would not be eligible.

Raam

TinyExplosions wrote: »

ANyone fancy havin a spin out to Rathdrum way to see the boys fly by?

Would need to take a day off work, but in principle, I'm in.

blorg

Raam wrote: »

Would need to take a day off work, but in principle, I'm in.

This would be the catch for me too, although if I'm in Ireland I will probably be down in Cork for the finish.

Caroline_ie

I am just wondering since the olympics are just a week prior to the Tour De Ireland, will we get to see any really good riders who will probably be really wrecked after that? I mean this year's route seems a bit more challenging than last year... For example, compare last year finish stage to this one -> Flat Dub city centre Vs Cork's Patrick's hill ...

Just a thought ...

I am hoping to follow a few stages this year too

cantalach

The cyclingnews.com write up on the ToI (go here and scroll down) refers to the last stage into Cork finishing with "four laps of a gruelling 17 kilometre circuit". It mentions that each circuit takes in St Patrick's Hill as well as another climb south of the river. Does anyone know what they're referring to here? The ToI website has nothing, in fact it doesn't seem to even mention the 17 km circuits.