New route for Rebel Tour 2012

MonkeyWrench

andy69 wrote: »

Just rolled in there from the 85k at about 1:20pm, the lead car let a small group of us ride through at the halfway foodstop. That was a great course, really enjoyed it...the Healy pass was amazing. Stunning scenery! Well done to all the Marshalls, great job out there guys!
Came in a bit early to the finish as they timed the food etc on the lead car so will head back into town now for the grub ;-)
Great venue for the tour - lovely town and they're going all out, with music in the pubs and street an all.

Think I was in that group with you andy69 - myself and another guy, I left ye at it around the 55km mark and finished up around 1:30 in the end - you must have been the first home in the 85km event?

Roger Hassenforder

Great day, spectacular route i thought. The descents off the Conor & Healy pass were some rush. Weather great except for one light shower, you expect it in Kerry though.
Big thanks to all the marshals, tea ladies/man. food plentiful and good.
best time on a bike I've had (bar that particular night Rag week 1996).
same place next year, put in the diaries now.


Healy pass looking back:





a boardsie grimpeur dropping the hammer over the Healy:

Sikpupi

Ya.... Healy was SPECTACULAR !!! I though Molls Gap was special.... but was a poor cousin to that scenery. Must get a proper Helmet Cam for next year!!

guym

Did the 160 today and must second all the comments regarding organisation and marshalling....it was top notch. Scenery was out of this world, Healy pass was stunning, found the roller coastery roads round the peninsula much harder than the Healy pass. Kudos to the people of Glengarriff, great support from all around............loooking forward to next year, hope thay keep the same location.

Frere Jacques

As predicted I bumped into Mr.Pain a few times today. The Caha was a tough way to start. Went up the Healy the first time with two lads from Cork city and we didn't suffer too much as we were talking. Found the cycle into the wind on the way out after CTBere tough and drained me for the hills. Right hamstring told me I was on strike two near the end of the Cods head. God, those sharp 100m climbs one after another were very tough. I liked the man with the tunes too. He had Bob Marley on when I passed him and it gave me a good lift. Healy Part Deux was very tough. Food stop helps a lot but had to take a breather at the bridge before the last big push. Struggled to the top at the end. Right leg was cramping mad but glad I didn't have to walk.
Spin in was okay but a bit of drag on tired legs. Happy to be done with it but felt great finishing. Lifted up the bike after and back wheel feel off.D'oh, glad it didn't happen tearing down the hill on the way back to Gg.
Thanks to all who were clapping us in going through Glengarriff. It meant a lot after a long day. Hope whoever is staying down enjoys it. It looked like the start of a good session.
Hi to Jimm. Hope the cycle to your buddys place wasn't too bad after the 160km.
Great day out. Top notch to the marshals and the volunteers at the food stops.

Signal_ rabbit

Did the 160, great day out. Thought the organisation was fantastic and the food stops good, only problem was the long queues for the food. The course was tough and I heard people comparing it to the SKT, I agree its a tough route but the SKT is in a class of its when out comes to difficulty.
What about the climbs at the end of the Beara peninsula?! They were good, met up with Jimm at the first feed station and had a little chat. Only saw one other boardsie out on the course but didn't get his name.
The organisers should be pleased with themselves for putting on a great event. And thanks to all the marshalls, they were at every bad bend and junction often in the rain...chapeau!

hodgkin

lescol wrote: »

Superb event! The route was excellent, marshalling, the volunteers at the stops, the motorbike riders all great, a very friendly event. The second time over the Healy Pass was tough! I really enjoyed the day, even the few showers couldn't detract from it. One of the highlights of the day was passing a guy listening his i-pod at an incredible volume, the track playing...."Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep"! I was smiling for the next few kms!

Arriving back in Glengariff to applause was a great buzz.

Well done to all involved.

Glad you enjoyed the music, not everyone shares my taste! What a day! Fantastic route, best sportive I've ever done. Fantastic marshalling, all very encouraging as we struggled by.

MonkeyWrench

Waking up with sore legs this morning after that Healy Pass session. Was a great day out, very well organised with the quick registration in the morning in the Eccles and the marshaling around the course, very well laid out with no danger of ever going off track. The sandwiches at the end were well needed. I'll definitely sign up for this again next year if the route remains the same. Well done the organisers!

DDC1990

Didn't do it but my parents (who decided in a midlife crisis to take up cycling last year) did it.

They said they spotted a Boardsie walking up the last part of the Healy (Own up!), but they struggled on, and didn't walk an inch :P

They trained for the year for the ROK, and didn't expect to do any other decent cycles after that. But they have the bug now, and will be talking about Sportives and Tours for another while I'd say.

Have to say, Im proud of them. They had a great day cycling, and praised the marshalls and the tour organizers.

GT_TDI_150

DDC1990 wrote: »

They said they spotted a Boardsie walking up the last part of the Healy (Own up!), but they struggled on, and didn't walk an inch :P

That might have been me, had to walk the final 100m , was gutted at having to do it, I took a few stops on the way up, but hadnt walked an inch untill then ...:mad:

guym

hodgkin wrote: »

Glad you enjoyed the music, not everyone shares my taste! What a day! Fantastic route, best sportive I've ever done. Fantastic marshalling, all very encouraging as we struggled by.

Did you have Yazoo on your playlist?I went past singing along a desperate rendition of 'don't go' at one point. If that was you I apologise for my awful singing!!:D

shaka

Legs feeling it this morning after the 160, trying to convince myself a short recovery cycle would be a good idea super organised, i didnt have any problem with queues for food like signal rabbit.. everyone says the SKT160 is the tough one but this was right up there in my opinion but none of them are anywhere close to being as tough as the tour of kilkenny-160. hopefully the rebel tour has found its new home and it stays here

gingerdownthere

Well done to the organisers on choosing an incredible route, all of the riders who decided not to travel to this sportive because of of the start point, you missed out. The route was cruel from Allihies to Eyries. A big thank you to all the marshalls and the helpers at the water and food stops for their friendlyness and support. Met up with Robin from Clare after about 20k and we finished together, thanks mate i would have struggled without your encouragement. Hopefully the organiser will continue with this route next year or even reverse it, its epic.........

ROK ON

Given the level of praise for the route (which I predicted) and the almost 2000 people that took part in the event, it is interesting to note how many people voiced opposition to Glengariff as a base.

Cycling is big in this country at the present. If you put on an event on a beautiful and challenging course and then support it well, then it is very difficult to imagine that people will not come.

Glengariff is not easy to get to, there are no rail stations nearby, it is near no motorways. Yet 2000 people plus families etc decamped there yesterday. Just goes to show you what can be done. The rebel tour has been very much the poor relation to the other An Post rides, particularly the SKT and Tour de Burren.

Hopefully the organisers will take notice of yesterday and now commit to this route in the future. The Beara peninsula has some fantastic cycling - it is deserving of a big event.

For people that enjoyed yesterday and have not cycled in the area previously, I would like to point out that a local club, http://www.valleywheelerscc.com/
is hosting an end of season sportif in a few weeks time. Not on the beara but adjacent to it in the Shehy mountains. Again absolutely stunning cycling country. (I have no affiliation with the club.)

GT_TDI_150

For people that enjoyed yesterday and have not cycled in the area previously, I would like to point out that a local club, http://www.valleywheelerscc.com/
is hosting an end of season sportif in a few weeks time. Not on the beara but adjacent to it in the Shehy mountains. Again absolutely stunning cycling country. (I have no affiliation with the club.)

Do you needt to register for this event or show up on the day?

funnights74

Did the 85, terrific course, really enjoyed the 2 climbs, spectacular scenery, the RoK has met it's match in this department, and a fine collection of sheep . Hopefully the rebel tour has found a permanent home as it will struggle to find a better location.
Glengariff played a blinder, great hospitality, the whole community seemed to join in to cheer on the cyclists.
Thanks to all the volunteers and organizers for putting on a great day.

andy69

MonkeyWrench wrote: »

andy69 wrote: »

Just rolled in there from the 85k at about 1:20pm, the lead car let a small group of us ride through at the halfway foodstop. That was a great course, really enjoyed it...the Healy pass was amazing. Stunning scenery! Well done to all the Marshalls, great job out there guys!
Came in a bit early to the finish as they timed the food etc on the lead car so will head back into town now for the grub ;-)
Great venue for the tour - lovely town and they're going all out, with music in the pubs and street an all.

Think I was in that group with you andy69 - myself and another guy, I left ye at it around the 55km mark and finished up around 1:30 in the end - you must have been the first home in the 85km event?

Yeah we had a good group there didn't we? Everyone doing their bit at the front, t'was great stuff.
I came into finish first alright, they had only finished pumping up the finish line inflatable thingy, do were a bit surprised to see me :-)

hodgkin

guym wrote: »

Did you have Yazoo on your playlist?I went past singing along a desperate rendition of 'don't go' at one point. If that was you I apologise for my awful singing!!:D

I remember you! Your singing was better than my cycling!! Dozens of cyclists told me they enjoyed the music (mostly passing me rather than being passed by me, but we made it around the 160 in the end!).

guym

hodgkin wrote: »

I remember you! Your singing was better than my cycling!! Dozens of cyclists told me they enjoyed the music (mostly passing me rather than being passed by me, but we made it around the 160 in the end!).

Fair play, you certainly put a smile on my face together with numerous other bikers no doubt! I'll be keeping my eyes/ears open for you on future spins:D:D

murf85

Absolutely love this part if the country, spectacular views...and wow, what a route the 160 was!!
The second ascent of the Healy pass was a cruel idea whoever was behind that...not to mind the toblerone like road from allihies! It's been along time since iv seen so many people walking up hills!

With a few small tweaks, this could possible become my favourite of the year!

Bikerbhoy

Brilliant loved it well worth the 4.30am start yesterday morning . . .super route super scenery loved the climbs deffo one for next year. . Would love to do Healy pass climb from other side instead of same side twice wonder would that be possible somehow or other ?

hodgkin

Frere Jacques wrote: »

Right hamstring told me I was on strike two near the end of the Cods head. God, those sharp 100m climbs one after another were very tough. I liked the man with the tunes too. He had Bob Marley on when I passed him and it gave me a good lift. Healy Part Deux was very tough.

Glad you enjoyed the music! My hamstrings were suffering a lot more at that stage, I remember you flying past!
It was Bob Marley, "Jammin'" at about three o'clock yesterday!
Someone else commented on "Stand By Your Man" on the second ascent of the Healy Pass, I told him I should have played that for my dear wife who was waiting for me at the top having flown up on wings!

jinkypolly

Really enjoyed it yesterday, very well organized with the marshalling being superb. Lovely scenery, that Healy Pass was brilliant, tough tough tough, particularly the last 80m or so a real knee buster.
I done the 85k and felt fine after so hopefully I'll have enough training under my belt next year to go for the 160k.

michael196

great route, (160), great weather, great start, the hill start did not do too much damage. for those of us for the first time on the healy pass, wow !! beautiful scenary,

tunnels were interesting !!!

saw a few world champs around and a few pro team 'representatives'.

great idea to go up the healy twice. Food stops top class, volunteers and safety marshalls, brilliant well done job, especially on the healy descent. lots of safety advice on the descents.

lot more organised up and overs kept the groups large and moving steady. A well placed water stop saved my bacon at least once.

Glengarrif got into the atmosphere with outdoor music and great welcome back . Hard job for the Garda on that very last junction for the day. well done Sir !.

Well done route planners and organisers, Will be back next year for definite. worth the trip down from Wexford . First class.

GT_TDI_150

Anyone see any pics yet?

bongo2

Did the 85k and loved it. Scenery was spectular, great buzz coming down from the Healy pass. The support from the locals was great, people outside their houses cheering everyone on. Wish I could have stayed down last night, great atmosphere around afterwards. Hope it stays in this area next year.

nilhg

Just home, 800km+ of driving and 160km of cycling over the weekend has me well knackered at this stage, but I had a ball.

Great event, well organised and marshalled, food stops worked well for me and one of the most spectacular courses that I can imagine, worth the suffering to see it.


I took the better half out to Allihies for lunch today and am glad to report that every road the we took of the course was immaculately cleaned, all the gel packs that I saw dropped (dirty feckers that did it) on the Healy Pass second time round seemed to be gone this morning, so big kudos to the folk who did that job.

I'll post my own experiences on the bike in my training log later on, I have one or two pics to download that I took today that might be of interest to folk I'll stick in here later on too.

PVMC

Did the 85km in 4hrs 27 mins. Knocked 28 mins off my time when I did the course back in July. Delighted with that. However, I still had to walk the 100 metres of shame to the cross at Healys':o
+1 to the chap who, when passing me said 'The sooner this mid-life crisis is over the better':)
Will have to lose the kilos and have more miles behind me before I tackle it next year.
Hats off to everbody involved for an unforgetable day.

p.s. any other sportives in the general Cork area before winter really starts?

Roger Hassenforder

PVMC wrote: »

Did the 85km in 4hrs 27 mins. Knocked 28 mins off my time when I did the course back in July. Delighted with that. However, I still had to walk the 100 metres of shame to the cross at Healys':o
+1 to the chap who, when passing me said 'The sooner this mid-life crisis is over the better':)
Will have to lose the kilos and have more miles behind me before I tackle it next year.
Hats off to everbody involved for an unforgetable day.

p.s. any other sportives in the general Cork area before winter really starts?

Cork county cycling club have a gig coming up, have a look at their page
Also the valley wheelers gig mentioned above

nilhg

I took this at lunch time today before we headed for home, I think it'll give folks an idea at least of what the climb out of Allihies was like,



Allihies and Reetrisk by cilldara, on Flickr


The picture was taken with a longish lens from across on the hill we came down heading in to Allihies so the perspective may be a little flattened but I think the ESB poles by the road near the top give a fair idea of the gradient.

The full size version is on Flickr, just click on to photo to get to it if you want.


Edit: I'll leave this here cause it's mentioned below but major geography fail on my part, the road in the picture isn't the one we went over, felt like it though.