Which Sportive's for 2014??

DUBintheSTICKS

I did the SKT of Waterford + Midlands and the Castlcomer Challenge this year but want to up it a lot more. Generally I would do the cycle which was in and around 100km

For 2014 I intend on doing a lot more so I wanted to see which ones the lovely people of boards suggested. I know some people will push their home event but just wanted to hear which events people found to be the best run and most enjoyable.

seamus

Are you looking for longer, or tougher (or both), or ones in and around 100km that are just a good bit of craic?

DUBintheSTICKS

seamus wrote: »

Are you looking for longer, or tougher (or both), or ones in and around 100km that are just a good bit of craic?

More which events in general. I know most have varying distances so could change, I'm sure as the year goes on I will be looking for longer and harder (well hopefully)

thinks too much

The Tour De Kilkenny is a great sportive. But It is tough. Our own club is running the Lap of Laois in march so I will give that one a plug.I also like the Leinster loop. Good spin and not too hilly. Oh and the Rebel Tour on the An Post Series. really enjoyed that this year.

Lap of Laois details can be got at https://www.facebook.com/complexcycling.club?fref=ts

smacl

If you're Dublin based, the Orwell Randonee could be worth considering. It is ~135k but a tough old route early enough in the year (May), so basically if you do this, you'd be in great shape for a couple of 200Ks later in the summer. Super friendly crew, good food, and definitely a step up if that's what you're after. Not a member of Orwell myself FWIW, but they sure know how to put on a decent event.

cheerspal

Myself and 3 others signed up for La Marmotte for some reason!

funnights74

There's a lot of events in here, some races, some sportives, pick out what suits you.

http://www.cyclingireland.ie/page/events/2014-events-calendar

DUBintheSTICKS

funnights74 wrote: »

There's a lot of events in here, some races, some sportives, pick out what suits you.

http://www.cyclingireland.ie/page/events/2014-events-calendar

Thanks, I have looked at the calendar already but I wanted to hear from people who had done the events and if they were any good ie any event they would do again or avoid

DUBintheSTICKS

cheerspal wrote: »

Myself and 3 others signed up for La Marmotte for some reason!

Just had a look at La Marmotte! fair play to you, that might be a goal for 2015 depending how 2014 goes

LennoxR

The Wicklow 200 is much maligned for some reason but for me remains the biggest sportive of the year. The Mick Byrne Randonnee is probably the toughest. I did the 160 last year and it was definitely the toughest, between non-stop climbs and terrible road surfaces. The 200 must be an absolute killer. Also pretty tough is the Wicklow Peaks Challenge which is 140 (I think) km but certainly value for money in terms of climbs. You get almost all the ones you do in the W200 in a shorter course.

I also like the Leinster Loop as its a different kind of buzz. Not too hilly and very fast pace for a sportive. 130 km at about 35kph average. The Sean Kelly Tour is good, beautiful scenery (and unfamiliar for me being based in Dublin) and good climbs, but spread out enough not to be as hard as either the Mick Byrne or the W200.

For the coming year would like to do ones in Cork/Kerry area, mainly to see the country there and in the north for the same reasons. Would also love to do one abroad, but haven't properly looked into it yet.

DD Mikasa

Done Tour de Kilkenny the last two years. Reckon it's defo an annual thing for me now. Love the route and the brilliant organisation.

ROK was done this year as well and the Tour de Foothills the year before. Liked them all. Not sure I'll make it down to Kerry this year tho. Will take on the WW200 and maybe the SKT this year. Would really like to tackle the An Post Rebel Tour as well but that will be awkward to get to

Welshkev

Being from this part of the world myself, I must give the Etape Eryri in North Wales a plug - was a great event last year, stunning scenary (have a look at the video), tough enough climbs - Pen Y Pass was also used on the Tour of Britain, and you may even see Dave Brailsford who's done it both times it's been on.
Highly recomended and I'll be heading over again for it.

http://etapeeryri.com/

Inspector Coptoor

I did the Meath Heritage 100km during the summer & an hoping to do the 160km one this summer.

Cheap(ish) entry, nice jersey & well run with lots of food & water stops

Inquitus

The Mick Byrne Randonee is a tough early season 200km round Wicklow, with a 100km and a 160km also on the menu. Really like this spin.

The Orwell Wheelers 135km as mentioned above is a great spin which takes in alot of Wicklow's finest.

The SKT160 for me is the best of the huge Sportifs, supportive locals, massive peleton, and great route, though I miss Seskin.

Then once you are in peak form there's a smorgasbord of long distance Audax next year leading right up to Dec 2014, definitely worth trying out the Audax alternative to Sportifs and see what you think. - http://www.audaxireland.org/calendar/

mirv

Mick Byrne Randonee and the Boards Evil 2014 I reckon.

Fantastic food and drink on the MB200, and no silly queues or much dangerous cycling seen by me at least. The boards evil 200 has about one and a half times the elevation of the Wicklow 200 on worse roads, so it's nearly twice as hard! Great sense of camaraderie as well, as you know you're going to hurt real bad, real soon.

My abysmal strava stats:

Mick Byrne 200 - http://www.strava.com/activities/56412538

Boards Evil 200 - http://www.strava.com/activities/59049609

talkabout

The two that stand out for me last year are the Tour of Sligo and the Giant Causeway Sportive. Both well worth a go.

GilltownJoe

Did a good few last year around Leinster. Tour of foothills was well organised with good food stops. Goes around blesington lake so tough going early in year. Leinster loop was very well organised and nice route, relatively easy. An post tour of Meath was well organised as well and nice route apart from hill of Tara which was chaos. Did others but would not recommend them so won't mention them.

RV

...and there's the mother of them all: The MF1200. Finish it once and brag about it forever.

ford2600

RV wrote: »

...and there's the mother of them all: The MF1200. Finish it once and brag about it forever.

Munster events with emphasis on scenery all of these are magic
Tour de Burren
Kingdom Alliance Sportive 3 day sportive
Iveragh 200
Etape na Mumnhan

All long, with exception of Burren, all hilly

ROK ON

In my experience the two premier sportifs in the country are:
Mick Byrne
Mt Leinster Challenge

Brilliant routes with unbelievable support. Small and friendly (ie less than 300 people).

After that the only others that I could recommend would be:
ChainGang - Blasket Blast
Orwell Wheelers - Randonee
Valley Wheelers - Mick Dineen cycle.

IMHO everything thing else is either too big, badly organised or too expensive. Some are all of these (for example the An Post rides).

Try some Audax events for a low cost but challenging cycle.

marathon50

Have done the Marmotte for the last 3 years a unforgetable day on the bike. Do the Mick Byrne a great one to give you a idea of how your training is going. Not doing the Marmotte this year going to have a go at the Stelvio Santini will be pushed for miles on the bike as its a month earlier than the Marmotte. Will be doing the MB again only a week between it and the SS going to be a tough 7 days of climbing.
Also found the 3 Peaks from Arklow a good early cycle.

Esroh

Come west.
Tour of Sligo.
Westernlakes Polka Dot
Croi Tour of the Corrib
Tour de Connemara
Westportif
Others I can recommend
Wicklow 200 (It is a must do atleast once)
SkToW
Tour KK
The Kingdom Alliance 3day


Tour de Burren

I hope to go to Donegal this year atleast once

ashleey

Do the Poison Glen Tour in Donegal if you can. You need to be as lucky with the weather as this year. Stunning though

Rita1

marathon50 wrote: »

Have done the Marmotte for the last 3 years a unforgetable day on the bike. Do the Mick Byrne a great one to give you a idea of how your training is going. Not doing the Marmotte this year going to have a go at the Stelvio Santini will be pushed for miles on the bike as its a month earlier than the Marmotte. Will be doing the MB again only a week between it and the SS going to be a tough 7 days of climbing.
Also found the 3 Peaks from Arklow a good early cycle.

The last 3 year's, kudos to you....do you have any training plans for it...? I have 2 and half years to go.

Rita1

DUBintheSTICKS wrote: »

Just had a look at La Marmotte! fair play to you, that might be a goal for 2015 depending how 2014 goes

2016 for me, I can't wait.

PATJOE

Westportif is back in 2014, and it promises to be HUGE, in the next few weeks we will be announcing that we are part of a new sportif series.
So put the weekend of July 19th and 20th in your diary and book it on line with the event goes live.

Happy New Year
Westportif Team

07Lapierre

Rita1 wrote: »

The last 3 year's, kudos to you....do you have any training plans for it...? I have 2 and half years to go.

Try this for starters...
http://m.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?goto=newpost&t=2057044244

Joff

The ROK (Ring Of Kerry) is a must do event, even if you only do it once, upwards of 5000 cyclists, more food than you can possibly eat and a certain amount of chaos on the roads, but great fun if you keep your wits about you.

Wicklow Peaks is a hilly (as the name suggests) day out over beautiful scenery, and the Wicklow 200 is another must do, but check the weather beforehand and bring your own food!!

t'bear

Loved the Mick Byrne 160 last year. Small enough group but brill all round. Super sense of achievement. Went in a little blind to the amount of climbing but smiled the last 20k home. WW200 is good too. Very large crowds but well run considering the size. Plan for this year would be MB 200 version assuming I find the goat outfit

Amprodude

When is the Wicklow 200 on?

Darkglasses

Amprodude wrote: »

When is the Wicklow 200 on?

June 8th

Amprodude

Darkglasses wrote: »

June 8th

Its another event im going to miss unfortuntely. I will be away for it.

jimzy

Carrick wheelers sportive is my fave. A great 160km route, similar to the SKT but tougher, very we'll marshaled, with only a few hundred people instead of the few thousand on the SKT! Great day on the bike.

A few others:
- Tour de Kilkenny
- Leinster Loop
- Mt Leinster Challenge

purple cow

Enjoyed the Tour of Kildare in 2013.

Fun, mass start in Naas. Did the 110km route. Well organised. Good pace.

Also did the Joe Loughman randonee organised by Bray Wheelers. Small attendance, but a very challenging 110km route. Non stop hills, plus my first time up the Shay Elliot.

Rita1

07Lapierre wrote: »

Try this for starters...
http://m.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?goto=newpost&t=2057044244

Thanks for the link.

mountclare4

Tour de Conamara on Saturday May 24th starting and finishing in Clifden, Co. Galway, spectacular route. www.tourdeconamara.com

BailMeOut

ROK - do not forget the most fun one on Saturday July 5th 2014!

Iwernia

http://www.donegalbaycyclingclub.com/donegal-bays-spring-classic-leisure-events/

SUNDAY APRIL 13, 2014

Great turnout last year for a very scenic event with great food stops and a hot meal at the finish.

LCD

Tour of Louth early June. 100km timed event, earn a platinum, gold or silver finishers medal based on your time. Scenic course with a nice sting in the tale. 2011 Leisure Cycle of the year.

ghogie91

Im looking for a good few loooong sportives this year? Suggestions?

Pinch Flat

t'bear wrote: »

Plan for this year would be MB 200 version assuming I find the goat outfit

This (rather oversized) goat is up for it!

Darkglasses

Just saw that St. Luke's Sportive is confirmed for July 20th this year. I'll 100% be doing it again, great fun last time.

goldenboots

Did the 3-day kingdom alliance sportive (now called Tour of Kerry) last year on June weekend. Great event & well run for its first year and the organisers seem to have taken on board the feedback from participants. A 50 and 100 mile route each day. Last year's stages 2 and 3 (which are 1 and 2 this year) were brilliant. Plenty of climbing and fantastic scenery. Well worth doing. Starts and finishes in Tralee each day. Info at http://tkas.ie

shaka

Rebel Tour has gone to top of the list for me for being both a mixture of challenging and amazing scenery..

ROK do it at least once , I'm not so sure ill bother with it again but a great weekend to visit the kingdom.

Tour deKK gets the vote in my club as being a ball buster, great day.

Sean Kelly Tour is another good tour that's great because of the large numbers.

Hope to (injury permitting) get all the an post series in this year.

Wicklow 200 is a another known as ball breaker in the club, great route but poor support. Club chairwoman followed our gang this year in a van for tea and food breaks cos year before when they got to water stops there was nothing left.

Here's an early one for Feb 2014.

Nice friendly bunch there..........

http://laoiscycling.com/pwc_index.php

Reservoir Cogs

+1 on Orwell Randonee. Wicklow 200 and ROK are great days out, but you have to get out early.

I can't miss the opportunity to plug the inaugural Reservoir Cogs Cycle4DSI - Lap de Gaps on Sat May 17, c. 100km route from Blessington over Sally & Wicklow Gaps and a shorter c. 50km route.

smacl

Reservoir Cogs wrote: »

I can't miss the opportunity to plug the inaugural Reservoir Cogs Cycle4DSI - Lap de Gaps on Sat May 17, c. 100km route from Blessington over Sally & Wicklow Gaps and a shorter c. 50km route.

Sounds good, will give this one a blast.

Chips Lovell

I'm doing the Sean Kelly Tour this year just so we go to the Tannery.

Buzwaldo

Reservoir Cogs wrote: »

I can't miss the opportunity to plug the inaugural Reservoir Cogs Cycle4DSI - Lap de Gaps on Sat May 17, c. 100km route from Blessington over Sally & Wicklow Gaps and a shorter c. 50km route.

Sounds good - would like to do this, having thus far not managed to get to Wicklow for these famous gaps. But does it clash with Mount Leinster Challenge?? - usually in May, but haven't seen a date for it this year.

nilhg

Reservoir Cogs wrote: »

I can't miss the opportunity to plug the inaugural Reservoir Cogs Cycle4DSI - Lap de Gaps on Sat May 17, c. 100km route from Blessington over Sally & Wicklow Gaps and a shorter c. 50km route.

THE Cycle4DSI we did last year mustn't count so, just blown away in the wind.......;)

In fairness it was a baptism of fire for the lads and lassies organising last year and they came up trumps, I don't think anyone could have forseen the conditions and having to rescue so many folk from Laragh and they rose to the challenge when it was put to them, I just hope the weather Gods will be on their side this year.


For anyone wanting a good early season challenge our club Headstrong in Kildare will be holding our first sportive on April 6th this year, a nice tour taking in parts of South Kildare, Laois and Carlow, more details to come soon.

Koobcam

Reservoir Cogs wrote: »

+1 on Orwell Randonee. Wicklow 200 and ROK are great days out, but you have to get out early.

I can't miss the opportunity to plug the inaugural Reservoir Cogs Cycle4DSI - Lap de Gaps on Sat May 17, c. 100km route from Blessington over Sally & Wicklow Gaps and a shorter c. 50km route.

Reservoir cogs, that's a great name. Looks like a good route, wrong time of the year for me. Definitely will do the Sean Kelly this year.