TOI website Updated :)

Caroline_ie

Right here

blorg

Cavendish is a ten-time TdF stage winner now, you would think they could get that one right!

I have an idea- as it is only three days and mostly on a weekend- anyone interested in cycling the stages (or approximations thereof, getting between the cities in question anyway) before the race each day? We would go Dublin-Waterford the first day, watch the finish, head on the 47km to Clonmel, then Clonmel-Killarney, watch the finish, 67km on to Bantry and then do there to Cork the final day (we can just do Patrick's Hill once to shorten the Bantry-Cork stage.) Note we would have to start early each morning and aim to be relatively snappy getting to the destinations, the race probably finishes early afternoon.

Raam and myself did Dublin-Waterford (not the stage route) before Stage 1 last year and it worked out grand, we were down there before lunch and in plenty of time.

fixieboy

Glad to see RTE are giving the Tour coverage some decent timeslots this year....

emtroche

4 teams so far.....

Captain Havoc

emtroche wrote: »

4 teams so far.....

If they don't get enough, will we show up for the craic?

Húrin

Tour of Ireland? Bloody Munster more like!

@blorg: I notice that Inis Toige, co. Kilkenny is featured again this year, like last year. Why is that? Is it a vicious climb out of that village?

ednwireland

was thinking of going down for this but looking at the route ( and the fact that the TOI seem to think the country consists of an area south of a line drawn from dublin to galway) really really fed up with their routes.
might go and watch the tour of britain instead (or drive somewhere and sleep in the car )

redmaxi

Shortened due to economic crisis ??, it should be lenghtened if anything to promote more of the beautiful scenery and boost tourisim etc..., there is virtually no mainstream promotion of it, anyone i talk to outside of cycling circles hasn't a clue what i'm on about - it's a disgrace, route only announced a few weeks ago - what a joke !

Signal_ rabbit

Fantastic... I live in Bantry!

Running Bing

Is this live on Eurosport?

Route is certainly disappointing. Should go on for a couple more days and go up the west coast.

I think this could be a really great event but it doesnt seem to get the promotion it deserves.

niceonetom

It'll be on eurosport? That's a result.

I can gripe about the route too - I mean it misses Dublin completely ffs - but considering how close this tour has come to not happening at all I think we should just stfu and show some support.

Astana and Columbia are very big fish so we should be delighted to have them in our little pond, if only for a long weekend. Hopefully the mass media will give it some attention (LA should be a huge draw) and that might help the TOI get bigger (and longer) next year.

ednwireland

niceonetom wrote: »

I can gripe about the route too - I mean it misses Dublin completely ffs - but considering how close this tour has come to not happening at all I think we should just stfu and show some support.
QUOTE]

whatever meh, i'll gripe if i want to, being in the northwest that gives me loads of opportunity..............................

Junior

If anyone wants accommodation in waterford let me know.

RobFowl

Astana, Cervelo,ISD, Columbia, Saxo Bank, Rapha Condor, Team Type1, CandiTV, BMC all to ride Tour of Irelandabout 2 hours ago from mobile web

Also Joker Bianchi, Rabobank, MTN Energade, Halfords, and Aussie & Irish national teams

And og course An Post / M. Donnelly Sean Kelly Team

Tour of Ireland will be on RTE primetime, also Eurosport at 11pm each night and Versus at 4.30pm each evening stateside. Plus many more.

All courtesy of Ger Cromwell
http://twitter.com/irishcycling

Not a bad line up at all considering the late confirmation

blorg

Christ, that is some lineup and coverage, impressive stuff.

niceonetom

ISD woohoo!!

cantalach

niceonetom wrote: »

I can gripe about the route too - I mean it misses Dublin completely ffs

If I was a ToI organiser and faced with a choice between a flat, boring, crit-style circuit in Dublin or a selection-making circuit in Cork with three bergs that Flanders would be proud of I know which city I'd choose...

niceonetom

Ah come on, a 200km stage through Wicklow up the N81 finishing with a ten lap mini Champs Elysée style circuit of O'Connell St., Westmoreland St. and D'Ollier St. would be fecking awesome...

...and it would be much much harder for the press to ignore.

IMO

They did try a city centre finish the year before last, but the breakaway had enough of a gap that it they were going to meet up with the peloton with a lap in hand, so they had to neutralise the finish. Which was crap.

Anyway, I said I wasn't going to gripe about the circuit.

Excellent line up.

ROK ON

I am delighted with the route in that I may get to see stages 2 and 3. I would prefer more climbing on the route I have to say.
They could have gone Enniskerry Lugalla the Gap SE Slieve Maan and then Mt Leinster.

@Blorg - I like your idea and may be able to join you for half of it.

Also I maybe able to help folk with accom in Kenmare between stage 2 and 3. That way we could do Priests Leap on the way to Bantry.

JacksonHeightsOwn

where would be a good viewing point for the first stage, ill take that friday off, maybe mount Leinster? any suggestions from the board pros :P

lukester

It's a good line-up, and it's nice to get the extra coverage, the Armstrong factor no doubt.

No doubt the organisers did everything they could to keep it at the same level as last year, but I still think it's a real shame it's only 3 stages.

emtroche

I'd say mt. leinster would be your best bet alright. And if you head down through new ross you could probably get to the finish before them.

Although the climb out of inistioge is quite steep at the bottom so that might not be too bad either.

Captain Havoc

I plan on going up Mt. Leinster to watch it.

Caroline_ie

and ... RTE will broadcast on prime time this year

cantalach

Anyone know if Hushovd and Haussler will be togging out for Cervélo?

Caroline_ie

cantalach wrote: »

Anyone know if Hushovd and Haussler will be togging out for Cervélo?

The teams have not yet names their squads, but keep looking at the website, they only have 3 weeks to decide :P