Leahy Cup/Paddy Flanagan

Pawlie

Well guys has anyone info on these two races for next wk end,routes etc

Thanks Pawlie

vistafinder

Here is a link to the Leahy cup facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ballymore-Cycling-Club/138747162845759

Cond0r

I'm wondering about the Paddy Flanagan memorial too. The CI calendar suggests that it's a one day race for all categories, but searching for the race yields information about previous year's incarnations which were all two day affairs limited to A1/A2.

Anyone got fresh info?

wav1

Cond0r wrote: »

I'm wondering about the Paddy Flanagan memorial too. The CI calendar suggests that it's a one day race for all categories, but searching for the race yields information about previous year's incarnations which were all two day affairs limited to A1/A2.

Anyone got fresh info?

Just got info yesterday.Paddy Flanagan is now a one day on Sunday starting at 12.30.They are using the same [17k approx] circuit as was used for the Newbridge G P back in March.Sign on is at the crossroads just after the finish line area.This is basically on the Curragh.There are 3 races A1/A2 6 X laps
A3 4 x laps and A4 3 x laps.Im sure there are guys here with proper links to the circuit etc

pprendeville

That's a great circuit. I failed miserably on it in March so it will be a good indication of how I've come on.

Pawlie

Here is the route lads
http://app.strava.com/segments/971310

smurphy29

There's also the Christy McManus / Roundwood GP on the saturday. Like Newbridge it's a short but punchy circuit.

http://www.braywheelers.com/christy-mcmanus-memorial-and-roundwood-gp/

By the looks of things the A4s do just short of 5 laps and the A2/A3 do just short of 7. A reasonable amount of vertical.

http://www.mapmyride.com/ie/kilcoole-l/christy-macmanus-memorial-route-99636997

I'll probably have to choose one of the two races this weekend, and will probably plump for Roundwood.

Slo_Rida

So is the Leahy cup fairly flat? That route on their facebook page looks flat but I heard it was hilly enough. Anyone know?
Slo

ericzeking

Slo_Rida wrote: »

So is the Leahy cup fairly flat? That route on their facebook page looks flat but I heard it was hilly enough. Anyone know?
Slo

If you look though at the colour key below the map, the last 3km are uphill with sections over 5%

Plastik

It is likely that the route for the Roundwood GP / Christy Mc will be changed for 2013 because of heavy resurfacing and extensive gravel along one side of the route. I'm sure Velogirl will likely be along to update the thread for that particular race when the changes have been confirmed. Sign-on will still be in Roundwood GAA club.

lennymc

Slo_Rida wrote: »

So is the Leahy cup fairly flat? That route on their facebook page looks flat but I heard it was hilly enough. Anyone know?
Slo

you should be fine on that course slo_rida. its not as bad as it looks.

Slo_Rida

Does anyone have the full race route? Apparently it kicks up for the finish which isn't on the lap section. Just curious really.....

Morrisseeee

Here's the winner's ride last year, 'only' 37km !!

Pawlie

Here is the lap for the leahy cup http://app.strava.com/segments/1564867

bwalsh1983

Pawlie wrote: »

Here is the lap for the leahy cup http://app.strava.com/segments/1564867

The last lap will (or has done before ) take the left up ballymore hill and not take the longer far end of the loop. Its a good little climb that will blow out a huge portion of the remaining group at that stage.

Pawlie

bwalsh1983 wrote: »

The last lap will (or has done before ) take the left up ballymore hill and not take the longer far end of the loop. Its a good little climb that will blow out a huge portion of the remaining group at that stage.

Just copped that,thanks.....reckon the bunches will be in tatters even before finish :eek:

crashoveroid

Pawlie wrote: »

Just copped that,thanks.....reckon the bunches will be in tatters even before finish :eek:

In the A3 race it wont it never is. you will be fine great days racing .

bwalsh1983

Pawlie wrote: »

Just copped that,thanks.....reckon the bunches will be in tatters even before finish :eek:

The A3s will be together but just a tough tough race and high pace up that climb!

The A4s will be split I guess.

The road surface is awful on the top half of the course, great on the bottom end.

Pawlie

crashoveroid wrote: »

In the A3 race it wont it never is. you will be fine great days racing .

Oh I'll be fine,I reckon this could be the best course I'll race in this year to date

Reckon you gona be wrong about the A3 bunch sticking together :-)

crashoveroid

Pawlie wrote: »

Oh I'll be fine,I reckon this could be the best course I'll race in this year to date

Reckon you gona be wrong about the A3 bunch sticking together :-)

Its stayed mostly together the last three years the level looks around the same cant see it being much different. unless it rains and then it will be carnage.

Morrisseeee

Why is the A4 race so short (37km) ?!?!
ie. if someone is travelling for 2/3 hours, will they be satisfied with an hours racing ?!

Slo_Rida

Morrisseeee wrote: »

Why is the A4 race so short (37km) ?!?!
ie. if someone is travelling for 2/3 hours, will they be satisfied with an hours racing ?!

Yeah I've decided against doing this one and it's partly because of the distance. It should have been 5 laps and the hill to finish, no reason not to IMO.

michael196

Morrisseeee wrote: »

Why is the A4 race so short (37km) ?!?!
ie. if someone is travelling for 2/3 hours, will they be satisfied with an hours racing ?!

max for a4 is 80 k. 37 is not even close, We have leagues that stretch to 65.

C'mon organisers, double the distance or u wont have a race.


What are they thinking ?

Pawlie

michael196 wrote: »

max for a4 is 80 k. 37 is not even close, We have leagues that stretch to 65.

C'mon organisers, double the distance or u wont have a race.


What are they thinking ?

very poor distances for a3's too 60km ,mind you newbridges one for a3 is only 68km too , cannot understand how last week we did 110km and the next yea down to 60km

michael196

Pawlie wrote: »

very poor distances for a3's too 60km ,mind you newbridges one for a3 is only 68km too , cannot understand how last week we did 110km and the next yea down to 60km

shorten it if the course is tough, lengthen it if the course is flat enough.

crashoveroid

Guys i have ridden this race every year as an A3 and its not an easy day out i have been empty after the 60k this year i have to do it as an A2 and have 100k. It all depends on how you race. If its 60k i would just go flat out for the race.

Here is my Strava file from last year i went hard for the race i got a 7th place.
http://app.strava.com/activities/11046460

bwalsh1983

michael196 wrote: »

shorten it if the course is tough, lengthen it if the course is flat enough.

The course IS tough but an extra lap in the A4 would be good I feel. Its no Des Hanlon.

All I can think of is that with the lap being quite short and the speed that the A3 race will be at they would shorten the A4 so there is no overtaking/overlapping of bunches as the roads are very tight down there.

Either way, looking forward to it and hopefully having a crack off the hill at the finish!

abc_xyz

wav1 wrote: »

Just got info yesterday.Paddy Flanagan is now a one day on Sunday starting at 12.30.They are using the same [17k approx] circuit as was used for the Newbridge GP back in March.Sign on is at the crossroads just after the finish line area.This is basically on the Curragh.There are 3 races A1/A2 6 X laps
A3 4 x laps and A4 3 x laps.Im sure there are guys here with proper links to the circuit etc

So is sign on at the corner of the course nearest Kildare Town? Or the start/finish corner on the Strava map? Didn't do Newbridge GP and not familiar with the area at all.

nilhg

abc_xyz wrote: »

So is sign on at the corner of the course nearest Kildare Town? Or the start/finish corner on the Strava map? Didn't do Newbridge GP and not familiar with the area at all.

Sign on will be at Rathbride, on the edge of the Curragh, not where the start finish is marked on the map. Finish will be the same as for the Newbridge GP.

I'm assuming all the above from wav's info earlier in the thread and an article by John Malone in the local paper but it's the logical place to start/finish.

Handiest way to find it if you're not familiar with the area is to (coming down the motoerway from Dublin) take the exit at the Curragh racecourse and follow the signs for Rathangan.

Cond0r

Information seems to be fairly sparse for this race, I see people are asking on the promoting club's facebook page without any response.

Anyone from Newbridge CC on boards? It'd be nice to have definite information before driving all the way down there.

smithslist

nilhg wrote: »

Sign on will be at Rathbride, on the edge of the Curragh, not where the start finish is marked on the map. Finish will be the same as for the Newbridge GP.

Its the same sign on that was used for Newbridge GP? Pass finish line, go straight through cross roads(race would turn left) and the sign-on location is on your left(...if I remember!!!)????

nilhg

Cond0r wrote: »

Information seems to be fairly sparse for this race, I see people are asking on the promoting club's facebook page without any response.

Anyone from Newbridge CC on boards? It'd be nice to have definite information before driving all the way down there.

Newbridge CC don't seem to do online very well, though the actual events always seem to me to be well run.

smithslist wrote: »

Its the same sign on that was used for Newbridge GP? Pass finish line, go straight through cross roads(race would turn left) and the sign-on location is on your left(...if I remember!!!)????

It seems from what I can see that parking and sign on will be on the Curragh at the start/finish.

I'll post a photo of the local paper article in a minute.

Slo_Rida

smithslist wrote: »

Its the same sign on that was used for Newbridge GP? Pass finish line, go straight through cross roads(race would turn left) and the sign-on location is on your left(...if I remember!!!)????

All the question marks make this post less than helpful. Are you asking these questions or stating facts?
Cheers!!

nilhg

[IMG][/img]

pprendeville

Pawlie wrote: »

Here is the route lads
http://app.strava.com/segments/971310

This definitely the route for Sunday in Rathbride?

nilhg

pprendeville wrote: »

This definitely the route for Sunday in Rathbride?

Yes, start/finish is in the wrong place but those are the roads.


Passes my gate so hopefully I'll get to grab a few photos once I get back from an early morning spin of my own.

cantalach

Here's the last climb up to the finish line for the Ballymore race. It's 1km @ 7.2%. Good surface.

http://app.strava.com/segments/654857

Weather forecast is appalling for Sunday afternoon. It will be my first race at A3 and I'm expecting to get a good kickin'!

nilhg

Not long in myself from a club spin so I missed most of the Paddy Flanagan races but local radio is reporting Javan Nulty of DID as the winner.

Diarmuid

Javan Nulty....

nilhg

Diarmuid wrote: »

Javan Nulty....

My apologies, fixed.

Idunnowho

Chapeau on the chocolate cake at the Paddy Flanagan... nom nom nommm...

manwithaplan

I forgot my shoes and one of the lead car drivers headed home to get me a pair. Above and beyond...fair play Newbridge CC.

smurphy29

Idunnowho wrote: »

Chapeau on the chocolate cake at the Paddy Flanagan... nom nom nommm...

Chapeau indeed, a truly sensational bit of caca milis.

Good race, but would have liked an extra lap. Speed on the climbs was oddly passive, certainly compared to last week. I decided to take the opposite tactics to last week and just sit in for the first two climbs, and see what happened on the third. Nor real selection was caused and I'd decent legs for the (slightly hairy) gallop. Ended up just- JUST! - outside the prizes. Had a bit more to give but didn't have the space (should that be balls?!) to get around a couple of lads in front of me. Raging.

Anyway, whatever, the day will be remembered for the choccy cake.

Harrybelafonte

smurphy29 wrote: »

Chapeau indeed, a truly sensational bit of caca milis.

Good race, but would have liked an extra lap. Speed on the climbs was oddly passive, certainly compared to last week. I decided to take the opposite tactics to last week and just sit in for the first two climbs, and see what happened on the third. Nor real selection was caused and I'd decent legs for the (slightly hairy) gallop. Ended up just- JUST! - outside the prizes. Had a bit more to give but didn't have the space (should that be balls?!) to get around a couple of lads in front of me. Raging.

Anyway, whatever, the day will be remembered for the choccy cake.

Ah, missed the cake.

I liked having basically a repeat of Newbridge GP later in the season as a barometre for progression through the year. Those "drags" are still damn tough but it's a nice relatively safe route, bar the grate sunk in a pothole I hit so hard my bars dropped.

Am still amazed at how small the bunches in A4 are lately, A3 looked to be twice the size.

smithslist

Report and photos of the Paddy flan are available on sticky bottle:
http://www.stickybottle.com/races-results/great-collection-of-photos-by-amy-norah-farrell-from-todays-races-in-kildare/

a3 and a4's both bunch sprints on a tough course.

bwalsh1983

I’m still drying out after the Leahy Cup races. What a day. Currently sitting proudly at number one of my wettest days on a bike. Turnout for all the races wasn’t large by any means but a lot of good racing from the underage all the way up to the main race.

The short loop for the underage races is hard if not harder than the A4 race (given the short length of the A4 in comparison to A3 and of course A1/A2) with the U16’s having to come up the finish climb 6 times I think? Strong ride from Michael O’Loughlin who took the win.

I was in the A4 race and as with everyone, drenched and shivering within about 500 metres. Truly miserable conditions but a good race all round. Followed a Bandon CC rider when he broke at the middle of the third lap, never quite got onto his wheel and thought he may not stay away so sat up and got back in with the bunch. Down on the bottom half of the loop Mark Radley set off to make the bridge to the Bandon guy and I tried to jump with him, a little too late, got caught in the middle of his jump and the group, couldn’t get over to him and got back in with the group again. Should have made the effort to have gone with either of them as it turned out that they stayed away and took 1st and 2nd, Radley rode away at the beginning of the last lap, very powerful ride.

Managed to get sixth in that steep finish and was happy enough but ruing not getting into that break.

Dylan O’Brien won the A3 race after himself and Stephen Shanahan went clear on the very first lap and couldn’t be brought back. Another one notched up for the juniors!

Mick Fitzgerald took the main race after a number of small breaks and chase groups including Sean Lacey, Eddie Dunbar and a lot of the usual suspects broke away, broke up and left Lacey Dunbar and him as the final three. Dunbar got second, another big result for him, he’s exceptional.

Superb organisation from Ballymore in spite of the awful conditions. Felt like the safest race of the year even if the roads were like streams. Only one guy went down in our race and he took a stupid line into a corner where the entire race was doing the opposite .It was as close to racing on closed roads as you could get with only one car coming against us due to the traffic management and the Gardai.

Some small dude gave me a towel up at the finish as I was really shivering and not feeling good. Back in the car trying to warm up and locate my manhood I could see the A1/A2 race still going out there in that, for once I didn’t want to be good enough to be out there with them!

You don’t need to go to Belgium for that kind of hardship!