An Post Rás na mBan 2013

The Crunch

Thought I'd start a thread about this. Things are bubbling up nicely ahead of this year's race in Clare.
New race base, record entry and, at the current count, four reigning and a couple of recent national champions.

The local entry is top notch, too including one of the best ever national team line ups.

Latest news here: http://www.irishcyclingphotos.com/?p=19816

Hannah Barnes is a big name in Britain at the moment but I'd be surprised if she dominates. There's a very strong bunch of contenders.

buffalo

Is there a team list yet?

fat bloke

It's getting exciting alright. It really seems to have gathered some deserved momentum. Gonna be a genuinely top international event this year. Would love to spend the week at it.

There was a change to the crit I think, there was to be an Ennis town centre criterium which would be a right spectacle but I think because of the burgeoning size of the field it had to be moved.
Dunno if the new circuit has been announced yet has it? Great idea imo to have a "public" spectator-friendly stage in a town to capture Joe Public's imagination and attention.

Beasty

Official Website here - the route for the crit was "updated" 2 days ago, so I presume is the new one

Delighted to see this getting a higher profile - hopefully another step upwards for women's racing in Ireland

The Crunch

buffalo wrote: »

Is there a team list yet?

Working on it. Soon... Race manual should be finished in the next few days. Buffalo might even get a mention!

fat bloke

Buffalette?

Beasty

Dunno fat bloke, but some of your posts have me wondering occasionally whether you're a "Bradley" or a "Chelsea";)

fat bloke

Beasty wrote: »

Dunno fat bloke, but some of your posts have me wondering occasionally whether you're a "Bradley" or a "Chelsea";)

Ahaaa.

There I had y'all wondering if I really was fat, when I may not even be a bloke!!

Edit: must register alter ego "fit bird"

ROK ON

Two friends of mine are doing this for the very first time. They have been training and racing like loons since Jan1. It brings it home the effort involved to race a stage race. Best of luck to all involved hope ye have a great and safe week.

Bit disappointed in thT I had hoped to drive a team car for the race but I am abroad with work. Clare is a cracking county with great cycling - the night stages will hopefully be a bit of fun.
Any from this place racing?

Chips Lovell

Looks like an amazing field this year. Should be very competitive.

I'll be there again, doing mechanic for my club.

Caroline_ie

I will be there too this time, reporting on the race.
Follow me on twitter ---> caroline_ie

The Crunch

fat bloke wrote: »

It's getting exciting alright. It really seems to have gathered some deserved momentum. Gonna be a genuinely top international event this year. Would love to spend the week at it.

There was a change to the crit I think, there was to be an Ennis town centre criterium which would be a right spectacle but I think because of the burgeoning size of the field it had to be moved.
Dunno if the new circuit has been announced yet has it? Great idea imo to have a "public" spectator-friendly stage in a town to capture Joe Public's imagination and attention.

Yeah, the town centre circuit was deemed to be too short by the comms. Not to worry, the new 4km layout is on the outskirts of the town and should make for great racing.
As for Buffalette, he's a lightweight. He'll be OTL on the first night stage!

ROK ON

Caroline_ie wrote: »

I will be there too this time, reporting on the race.
Follow me on twitter ---> caroline_ie

You should be racing :-)

Caroline_ie

ROK ON wrote: »

You should be racing :-)

I am lazy ... I don't have it in me ...

The Crunch

Some interesting news emerging today!

http://www.stickybottle.com/latest-news/irish-womens-showpiece-an-post-ras-na-mban-to-be-broadcast-on-british-eurosport/

Beasty

Excellent news - just hope they have a decent commentator lined up ...

QueensGael

Brilliant news for all involved.

Now I wish I had trained

Bikerbhoy

Jez girls Eurosport eh ! ! . . No pressure now.

The Nutty M

Looking forward to it already.

I hope the mankini boys will make an appearance on Eurosporrt :P

Beasty

The Nutty M wrote: »

Looking forward to it already.

I hope the mankini boys will make an appearance on Eurosporrt :P

I believe Vlad's already been practicing....

fat bloke

That's a huge jump in profile for all concerned isn't it? Riders, organisers, sponsors! Fantastic news.

buffalo

http://www.irishcyclingphotos.com/?p=20142



I started listing all the riders whose names make me go 'wow', but then it reached a silly length. Hell of a line-up!

Some sexy managers too!

marcofan

if any boardsies want to see Verge jerseys up close and personal before the boards order comes in you could head to Rás na mBan next week and cheer on Team Verge

http://rasnamban.com/news/83-team-verge-all-set-for-ennis

The Crunch

Mary Costelloe out through injury for reasons that are worthy of a thread elsewhere in the forum...
Her loss is Lydia Boylan's gain, last year's runner up back for another tilt at the title.
And Veronique Fortin has come into the DID team for Sarah Piner. 2011 Canadian road champ...

http://www.stickybottle.com/latest-news/smash-with-car-forces-mary-costelloe-out-of-ras-na-mban-irish-team-lydia-boylan-comes-in/

fat bloke

Best of luck to the Rás na mBan'ers!!!!

All kicking off tomorrow. The start and end of a long and arduous year of hours and hours of preparation .

- I don't mean the riders, they've the easy job, free massages, eat as much as you like, keep turning the pedals and don't fall off - I could do that meself.

I'm talking about the organisers. It's a tiresome, tireless, tedious, sometimes thankless.... terrific (?-I'm running out of t-adjectives).... task.
Be sure to show your support. -Talk about it loudly at the bar next time you're in Clare. Mention the event to sponsors. Take the ferry more often. Stop emailing and go back to posting letters. Buy a Toyota. Drink Fixx coffee.

fat bloke

Anyone know if there's a twitter feed or live update to sign up to for the action tomorrow?

buffalo

fat bloke wrote: »

Anyone know if there's a twitter feed or live update to sign up to for the action tomorrow?

https://twitter.com/rasnamban is the official one, manned by the best live cycling tweeter in the country!

I'll do what I can at https://twitter.com/Orwell_Wheelers, but I imagine the above will be far more comprehensive. Plenty of riders with Twitter accounts from the looks of things too.

dinneenp

Does it ride through Galway?

buffalo

dinneenp wrote: »

Does it ride through Galway?

Closest it'll get is Ballyvaughan on Thursday and Saturday.

http://www.rasnamban.com/the-route

Beasty

buffalo wrote: »

https://twitter.com/rasnamban is the official one, manned by the best live cycling tweeter in the country!

Just as a matter of interest, who's the best dead one?

buffalo

Beasty wrote: »

Just as a matter of interest, who's the best dead one?

cycling live tweeter? I don't know what the terminology is!

dinneenp

Beasty wrote: »

Just as a matter of interest, who's the best dead one?

Michael Dinneen, who used to tweet live during races. But he met and tweeted about his impending death after going over a cliff near Dingle during a race.

buffalo

dinneenp wrote: »

Michael Dinneen, who used to tweet live during races. But he met and tweeted about his impending death after going over a cliff near Dingle during a race.

I'm just picturing this:

MB Lacey

Hannah Barnes (from DID racing team) has just won Stage 1

https://twitter.com/RasnamBan

at1withmyself

Anyone know what time it starts tomorrow, would like to go for a look if I can but can't find times on the website. If you have times for all stage starts then please post.

GMCI

http://www.rasnamban.com/images/docs/2013/technical-stage-details-2013-final.pdf

All the details are here

MB Lacey

The full results of last night's stage have been posted.
I've never followed racing before, so if someone wouldn't mind explaining a few things I'd be grateful.

Here's the results from last night
http://www.rasnamban.com/news/86-barnes-storms-in

1. Am I right in thinking the first 6 women crossed the line at 1hr 25 min and 43 seconds? So it was very close but a photo of the tyres crossing the line (or something similar) decided placings?

2. What does @ s/t mean? stop time/ start time?

3. did the next 30 or so women really all cross at 1.25 46 seconds? I dont think so

Interesting to see Sonia O'Sullivan the amazing athlete that she is came 2nd last out of all these women - really highlights what athletes they all are.

Beasty

MB Lacey wrote: »

1. Am I right in thinking the first 6 women crossed the line at 1hr 25 min and 43 seconds? So it was very close but a photo of the tyres crossing the line (or something similar) decided placings?

2. What does @ s/t mean? stop time/ start time?

3. did the next 30 or so women really all cross at 1.25 46 seconds? I dont think so

When riders finish in a group with less than a second gap they are given the same time (s/t) as the first rider across the line

Hence there was a group of 6 riders crossing the line first, and then a further group of 30 where the first rider crosssed the line 3 seconds after the first group

MB Lacey

Beasty wrote: »

When riders finish in a group with less than a second gap they are given the same time (s/t) as the first rider across the line

Hence there was a group of 6 riders crossing the line first, and then a further group of 30 where the first rider crosssed the line 3 seconds after the first group

Thanks, when it's that close how are the placings decided, it must be very difficult.

Beasty

MB Lacey wrote: »

Thanks, when it's that close how are the placings decided, it must be very difficult.

For something like this they will have a finishing line camera to confirm placings - they don't always get it right but once you get beyond the minor placings it tends not to matter if riders are getting the same time anyway

MB Lacey

Loving the live twitter feed !
https://twitter.com/rasnamban

ford2600

MB Lacey wrote: »

Loving the live twitter feed !
https://twitter.com/rasnamban

You have to love the sportsperson in Sonia.
Elite world class athlete, one of our best ever, dipping her toe into a different sport.
Always had massive time for her but this is just class

fat bloke

It definitely shows the level at which the girls are at generally that an athlete of Sonia's ability is finding it tough going. It's how it should be in fairness.

The twitter updates are class though alright. I've never followed a race on twitter before. It's pretty cool!

MB Lacey

fat bloke wrote: »

It definitely shows the level at which the girls are at generally that an athlete of Sonia's ability is finding it tough going. It's how it should be in fairness.

The twitter updates are class though alright. I've never followed a race on twitter before. It's pretty cool!

I just looked at where they are on the map route street view thing, that route is stunning next to the coast.

Beasty

Congratulations to Mel Spath for taking today's stage - looks like a break of 3 stayed away from the bunch

learn

Why are the best individual time triallists neutralized by TTT's in road races.

Solobally8

Followed the race yesterday in my car. Stopped along the way and took some video and photos. These women are fantastic. The speed was something else. Climbing that hill at speeds I would struggle with on the flat.

fat bloke

Tough stage today "in de pi$$ins a rayin" as they say.
The aptly named Beast of the Burren stage indeed. I only followed it on twitter, would've been cool to be down there for it. Great to see changes in the lead and tight time gaps all the way down the field. And an all Irish top three today as well!! That's fantastic. It's great of course to have visiting riders from all over but 'tis great to beat their a$$es too!! : D

buffalo

I'm slowly adjusting to life with a smartphone, apologies for lack of updates. See Orwell Wheelers on Twitter and if you're really interested. Scary moment today pulling a rider out of the race, but only a massive amount of admiration and respect for the women who soldiered on and finished the stage despite crashes, mechanicals, punctures, weather, climbs, bad roads...

And even greater admiration for those who do all the work behind the scene, massive kudos to Val and all her elves!

buffalo

Feck I'm shattered! Managing is harder than racing, and way less fun! Fantastic atmosphere around the race though, but never a dull moment to appreciate it fully!

Also got to properly meet RobFowl, who has been very good to my riders this week!

buffalo

buffalo wrote: »

Managing is harder than racing, and way less fun!

I realise now that this statement might be read as demeaning to the current racers, though I meant just for me. After the suffering I watched some riders go through on stages this week, and still get to the end, I have massive respect for those at the back of the race.

And I also take part back "less fun" bit. The night stages help, but the buzz from the riders is great, and getting everyone all the way around the stage and across the line safe and sound, and recovered in time for some banter over dinner - it's a challenge, but very enjoyable when it goes well.

Great work from everyone involved, now roll on the Eurosport highlights!