Phoenix Park Race - Next Tuesday

zzzzzzzz

Just saw this posted on facebook:

The Phoenix Park GP scheduled for next Tuesday 11th May WILL go ahead.
Sign on is from 6pm at Popes Cross with racing starting at 6:45 Sharp.The circuit to be used is 1hour of the Kyber Pass. The approval of this race by the Phoenix Park Authorities and An Garda Siochanawas subject to a number of requirements.

The most... important of which is MARSHALS. For the event to take place we need no fewer than 15 marshals. This is where you, the members of Cycling Ireland come in.

Please spread the word and if there is anybody you know that can give an hour and a half of their time to marshal in the Phoenix Park on Tuesday to please contact Alice @ 087 2929913 or info at irishroadclub.com as we will need to know what we have prior to Tuesday evening.

Thanks

levitronix

A friend of mine whats to race will there be one day licenes available on the night ?

zzzzzzzz

levitronix wrote: »

A friend of mine whats to race will there be one day licenes available on the night ?

I'd say there will be but if it's his first race I wouldn't say it's a good idea.

cdaly_

Aw bummer. Have to go to a Metallica concert in Belfast that evening...

blorg

aidan.offbeat wrote: »

I'd say there will be but if it's his first race I wouldn't say it's a good idea.

+1 NOT a good race to start with. Very fast tight cornering (probably ~60-65km/h on the bottom of the Khyber pass) in a big bunch.

Lumen

Which cats?

blorg

Lumen wrote: »

Which cats?

All of them.

niceonetom

Lumen wrote: »

Which cats?

You tempted to give it a lash?

Chips Lovell

aidan.offbeat wrote: »

I'd say there will be but if it's his first race I wouldn't say it's a good idea.

blorg wrote: »

+1 NOT a good race to start with. Very fast tight cornering (probably ~60-65km/h on the bottom of the Khyber pass) in a big bunch.

I'd agree with the lads. I did this race last year and it is quite fast and technical. I'd say virtually any other race on the calendar would be more suitable than this for a first timer.

Lumen

niceonetom wrote: »

You tempted to give it a lash?

Yes, I'll be there with the cheap wheels and the spare helmet.

niceonetom

Lumen wrote: »

Yes, I'll be there with the cheap wheels and the spare helmet.

Fair play.

I'll be there with cheap beer and a desire to witness the carnage.

levitronix

Am going to give this one a go on tuesday, im turning a nights racing into a family day out, excuses are getting to hard to come by to get out and race

Lumen

How does this work then, with all cats on a 4km lap? Mass start or handicap?

I guess it'll be somewhere from 9-12 laps. How do they make sure everyone has done the same number of laps?

I've sort of done this in cyclocross, but it was a lot slower with a small field.

Lumen

Ah, found the thread from last year.

Caroline_ie

Lumen wrote: »

How does this work then, with all cats on a 4km lap? Mass start or handicap?

Last year it was a handicaped start.

Lumen

Quoted for entertainment.

blorg wrote: »

First lap was neutralised and we were stopped at the end. Then Vets/women/juniors went first. Cs next. I was at the front on the line and one guy in particular went tearing off. Noticed he had a powertap hub, reckoned "maybe he knows what he is doing" and decided I would superglue myself to his wheel. We were ahead, I did a token pull but he was a fair bit stronger. I guess I was hoping we might somehow catch the Vets quickly, I could tag on the back and I wouldn't need to deal with this crazy bunch race going on behind me.

Managed to stay front of the pack for the first couple of laps mainly out of terror of cornering in a bunch (easy to corner if you are in front), then got steadily sucked backwards... By the time I was still at the front but IN the pack it was terrifying, I was yelled at for braking and not following my line and rightly so, think it might have been the third pass coming down to the Khyber I was particularly bad. This is a sharp descent with a left turn at the bottom. I had the same problem in the Cycleways Cup in Navan. After that I lost my nerve and moved back, it became a lot easier again then as the concertina effect meant you were taking the corners a lot slower.

Was dropped midway on the third last lap, but a very fast guy came up behind and I hooked onto him. Very tough even just to stay on his wheel but managed it and he dragged me back to the pack in time for the climb. I think he may have been a breakaway from the A or B race, I wasn't thinking straight.

At some point towards the end a Myhome guy put his arm around me and asked "have you ever raced on the road before?" I appreciated that, honestly. It was terrifying. My first crit. Christ. I survived it at least and more to the point wasn't the cause of anyone else's demise.

I was finally dropped for good later on the third last lap going up the Khyber I think, I was at the back at this point and were caught by the group behind (As/Bs) and I pulled in to let them past.

I was still hanging on the end of the bunch when they had up "2 laps to go" - I think. And then was dropped on that lap, went up and around for what I thought was the final lap, but then there was another. Bliss, on my own, sun going down, nice colour. The terror was over.

columbus_66

I'm not sure if the race is on tonight, I heard there was still problems with getting it organised.

Lumen

columbus_66 wrote: »

I'm not sure if the race is on tonight, I heard there was still problems with getting it organised.

Latest on website:

The Phoenix Park GP scheduled for next Tuesday 11th May WILL go ahead.

Sign on is from 6pm at Popes Cross with racing starting at 6:45 Sharp.

The circuit to be used is 1hour of the Kyber Pass. The approval of this race by the Phoenix Park Authorities and An Garda Siochana

was subject to a number of requirements. The most important of which is MARSHALS.

For the event to take place we need no fewer than 15 marshals. This is where you, the members of Cycling Ireland come in.

Please spread the word and if there is anybody you know that can give an hour and a half of their time to marshal in the Phoenix Park on Tuesday to please contact Alice or Gary or info@irishroadclub.com as we will need to know what we have prior to Tuesday evening.

Although I assume that was written last week.

edit: have texted them, will post response

Lumen

Alice from Usher by SMS wrote:

Yes start 6.45 sharp

So it's on.

Not sure I have the required trouser furniture for this one.

Raam

Lumen wrote: »

So it's on.

Not sure I have the required trouser furniture for this one.

It's also expected to rain this evening.
http://www.accuweather.com/ukie/forecast-hourly.asp?partner=accuweather&postalcode=EUR;IE;EI006;DUBLIN;&metric=1&hbhday=1&hbhhour=19

Lumen

Raam wrote: »

It's also expected to rain this evening.

That will make the crashes slower and less hurty, right?

cipo

Rain on the park roads = carnage!!!!

Only thing rain does is allow you to slide further once you hit the deck... Normally results in less road rash too.

Bottom of the kyber should be the photogs (wet) dream!!!!

Good luck and try keep it rubberside down!!

D

columbus_66

Sur eit's a tricky course in the best of weather, looks like there's a storn out there now. It looks showery but it still could be dry! I reckon the handicap will be big and we won't catch up like last year. At least the race is on, they are great for fitness.

smithslist

is the race goin ahead?

Chips Lovell

Can't make it because of work, but now I see the rain I kind of don't regret it.

columbus_66

I believe so, hopefully enough marshals will turn up and we can get the roads closed in time.

hawkwing

just back from watching this,weather just held.Won easily enough by one guy who had a gap from the bunch,small field.

Lumen

Daragh from Lucan (I think) won it out of the joint A3/A4 bunch.

aidan_offbeat made it through in the main bunch but didn't place.

I bailed 25 minutes in, got deservedly dropped after messing around at the back of the class.

zzzzzzzz

Lumen wrote: »

Daragh from Swords (I think) won it out of the joint A3/A4 bunch.

aidan_offbeat made it through in the main bunch but didn't place.

I bailed 25 minutes in, got deservedly dropped after messing around at the back of the class.

I heard it was won by someone from lucan - but maybe I was misinformed.

That wasn't nearly as hairy as I thought it would be. Hopefully there'll be more of them over the summer.

smithslist

Lumen wrote: »

Daragh from Swords (I think) won it out of the joint A3/A4 bunch.

aidan_offbeat made it through in the main bunch but didn't place.

I bailed 25 minutes in, got deservedly dropped after messing around at the back of the class.

Yeap from Lucan not Swords, super victory by the young lad.......

Lumen

aidan.offbeat wrote: »

I heard it was won by someone from lucan - but maybe I was misinformed.

Yeah, sorry. It was Lucan.

blorg

Well done to Darragh, well deserved. Hard worker, he should be tired on the track tomorrow (I can only hope!)

buffalo

Got some snaps of tonight's race, available at http://www.flickr.com/photos/brianmca/sets/72157623918647511/

I was looking out for you Lumen, but I only got there for the last 20mins, so I missed you.

If I managed to get a shot of the winner, could someone identify him for me? There was one lad who passed me asking an outrider if he was winning, but I don't think I actually got a photo of him.

blorg

That is Darragh Zaidan from Lucan who won.

buffalo

He was out in front for most of it so - I have one or two more pictures of him, I'll try upload them from work if I can.

edit: here you go
http://www.flickr.com/photos/brianmca/4600952402/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/brianmca/4600334035/
And my favourite: http://www.flickr.com/photos/brianmca/4600952008/sizes/l/

blorg

This one is very atmospheric.

Home:Ballyhoura

Some more photos

Lumen

Home:Ballyhoura wrote: »

Some more photos

Link doesn't work for me. I'm obviously not well connected enough.

zzzzzzzz

Someone said to me they saw a video of the finish on youtube but I can't find it. Anyone got a link?

Home:Ballyhoura

Lumen wrote: »

Link doesn't work for me. I'm obviously not well connected enough.

It's an album on Facebook, I thought because I'm not a friend of the person who uploaded the photos that it was open to the public but maybe it is friends of friends only or something!

Anyway, I think I picked out a few after practicing my boardsie spotting abilities!

Lumen

Home:Ballyhoura wrote: »

It's an album on Facebook, I thought because I'm not a friend of the person who uploaded the photos that it was open to the public but maybe it is friends of friends only or something!

Anyway, I think I picked out a few after practicing my boardsie spotting abilities!

I was sitting here scratching my head trying to remember the point when I was leading the A1s round. Was my race as bad as I thought? Then I remembered....the warmup. :rolleyes:

smithslist

aidan.offbeat wrote: »

Someone said to me they saw a video of the finish on youtube but I can't find it. Anyone got a link?

Video is here, thou its on fb. Not sure if its publically viewable but no harm trying.......

http://www.facebook.com/#!/video/video.php?v=393363157231&ref=mf

zzzzzzzz

smithslist wrote: »

Video is here, thou its on fb. Not sure if its publically viewable but no harm trying.......

http://www.facebook.com/#!/video/video.php?v=393363157231&ref=mf

cheers - but yeah, can't get it

sgriffin

Is this race scheduled again or is it once a year

zzzzzzzz

sgriffin wrote: »

Is this race scheduled again or is it once a year

There's another one on the calendar towards the end of June AFAIR but it may not go ahead