Donegal Bay Spring Sportive April 13th

Fr D Maugire

Sometimes reading Boards, it would seem as if Donegal is on another planet. Well that being the case, here is your chance to go interplanetary:D

https://www.facebook.com/events/658485964213454/661050523956998/?notif_t=like

http://www.donegalbaycyclingclub.com/donegal-bay-spring-sportive/

Even though it was only organised for the first time last year, it proved to be a very well run event with excellent marshalling, lead and support vehicles, food stops on all routes and showers and (more)hot food at the finish, this is probably one of the better new sportives out there and provides a great opportunity to marvel at the splendor of Donegal.

Three very scenic and challenging routes to choose from 50k, 100k, 150k so something on offer for everyone. An excellent way to discover there is more to Donegal than Daniel, sheep, funny accents and hills(though you will discover lots of hills)

The added bonus for anyone who participates in the 150km event is the opportunity to go down the infamous Glengesh rather than suffer up it like many on here have done in the past.

In the diary already.

ednwireland

just in case

Rita1

Up Donegal :-)

JMcL

Rita1 wrote: »

Up Donegal :-)

Aye!

Lovely routes, though I suspect the 150km could be a bit of a knee-breaker

glassdoc

Definitely one of the toughest, most scenic but very well run Sportives on the calendar now considering it's a club run event. Breathtaking scenery, tough climbs and fast descents and don't be fooled at the thought of going down the famous Glengesh pass.......you have to get up there first from the other side and there's practically a dinner waiting at the finish for you:P don't miss it, see you all there.

Iwernia

Rita1 wrote: »

Up Donegal :-)

Or in this case Up & Down Donegal.;)

at1withmyself

Good price and lovely area for cycling do think I'll make the trip up for this one.

Fr D Maugire

at1withmyself wrote: »

Good price and lovely area for cycling do think I'll make the trip up for this one.

Yeah, the price is a big plus for me too. How many decent sportives out there do you get to do for €15 w/licence/ €17w/o. Considering the hot food that is provided at the finish, real value for money.

ednwireland

full route info now available

http://www.donegalbaycyclingclub.com/donegal-bay-spring-sportive/

ashleey

Mad.

We are back in Ardara a week later for the second week of Easter this year. Might try and travel up anyway.

Can thoroughly recommend the unbeatable routes and scenery.

ednwireland

The Glengesh pass is one of the most iconic climbs in Irish cycling. Just over a mile in length with an average gradient of around 10%, Glengesh has given many a cyclist very sore legs and rasping lungs after scaling those infamous hairpins. Featured in the RAS whenever it travels this way and also the very popular finish to the last stage of Ras Dhun na nGall, it's toughness is matched only by it's beauty.

Now, us cyclists are often weird sadist's who get some sort of thrill by conqeuring such a climb but the Donegal Bay Sportive 150km route offers a different sort of Glengesh thrill....you get to go down Glengesh for a change!! Yes the thrill of sticking it in the highest gear you have and gliding around those hairpin bends as you zoom down one of the most famous roads in Irish cycling. A chance to brag to your friends who never had the chance to experience the thrill of going down Glengesh. Just another reason to get signed on for the Donegal Bay Spring Sportive 150km now.

Some pictures from last years Sportive going down Glengesh, they seem to be loving it. Thanks to the Donegal Times for the photos

Fr D Maugire

Glengesh is definitely a magical place, I have had the pleasure/mispleasure of going up it and down it and can safely say I much prefer going down it, lots of fun, especially trying to nail the hairpins right.

Definitely on for this, love biking in Donegal.

at1withmyself

Hotel booked so hoping to make a weekend out of it and go up the infamous Glengesh on the Saturday if all goes to plan, then plan is the 150 on the Sunday. Now lets just hope we have some of this weather when it comes around!!!

Iwernia

Dont be getting carried away on the Saturday, Sundays run will be as hard a test as anything on offer around the country at the minute but the hot meal at the end will speed up the recovery. Enjoy.

ednwireland

strava thingy

http://www.strava.com/activities/123385194

anyone fancy telling us what they are doing on facebook

https://www.facebook.com/events/658485964213454/permalink/677190075676376/

ednwireland

Donegal Bay Spring Sportive 150km Preview

http://www.donegalbaycyclingclub.com/donegal-bay-spring-sportive-150km-preview/

Fr D Maugire

Really looking forward to doing this now. Some great info on their website/facebook event page with detailed route previews, maps and some great photo's(especially going down Glengesh, really looking forward to that). Hopefully the weather will hold out and I will get a few nice photo's myself.

So who else on here is planning on doing this?

ednwireland

Fr D Maugire wrote: »

So who else on here is planning on doing this?

160km on the front ! in my car

ednwireland

sign on from 8:30 am to 9:30am

at1withmyself

Wow that was tough and some bloody wind!!!! The training build up didn't go as planned as I had some family events so was late up to Donegal on Saturday night which meant eating Junk food on drive up followed by a poor sleep so knew the day would be tough.

The westerly wind was horrific and after 15 km I was on my own but didn't realise so close to the end and when I stopped in Killybegs and The Broom wagon caught me, then I realised I was at the back. I continued on my own till Killcar before catching other people and that was a relief to no longer be last but at that stage I was hurting so skipped Malin More and straight to Glencolmbkille for some welcome wind relief with it now on my back and no longer last I was starting to feel good and decided I wasn't going to do the 150 km (not that good unfortunately) by avoiding the top loop and head home.

With the wind on my back I thought the climbs were fine, the wind was that strong I have a load of top 10 results on the climbs on Strava. I imagine they'll be beaten later as more upload there ride. At Adara then I headed home to complete about 120 km with an average of 23.3 km. Only my second time getting more then 100km since last July so pleased with that.

Nice crowd and good Marshalling although the atmosphere at the food stop was grim (I think everyone was so tired!). I would recommend moving the food stop in a bit as it was a long time coming. I will be back to hopefully complete the full loop next year.

Would be interested to know how many people actually completed the full 150km and well done to anyone who did

ednwireland

sorry about the wind - it was brutal , but thanks for coming up !

hope to see you next year

some pics
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.624302784322786.1073741851.115988665154203&type=1

Fr D Maugire

at1withmyself wrote: »

Wow that was tough and some bloody wind!!!! The training build up didn't go as planned as I had some family events so was late up to Donegal on Saturday night which meant eating Junk food on drive up followed by a poor sleep so knew the day would be tough.

The westerly wind was horrific and after 15 km I was on my own but didn't realise so close to the end and when I stopped in Killybegs and The Broom wagon caught me, then I realised I was at the back. I continued on my own till Killcar before catching other people and that was a relief to no longer be last but at that stage I was hurting so skipped Malin More and straight to Glencolmbkille for some welcome wind relief with it now on my back and no longer last I was starting to feel good and decided I wasn't going to do the 150 km (not that good unfortunately) by avoiding the top loop and head home.

With the wind on my back I thought the climbs were fine, the wind was that strong I have a load of top 10 results on the climbs on Strava. I imagine they'll be beaten later as more upload there ride. At Adara then I headed home to complete about 120 km with an average of 23.3 km. Only my second time getting more then 100km since last July so pleased with that.

Nice crowd and good Marshalling although the atmosphere at the food stop was grim (I think everyone was so tired!). I would recommend moving the food stop in a bit as it was a long time coming. I will be back to hopefully complete the full loop next year.

Would be interested to know how many people actually completed the full 150km and well done to anyone who did

The wind was brutal today alright, made an already tough route even harder, especially as it was in the first half of the route. I think there were a few more people who took short-cuts on the 150km route but I think everyone finished but was well spread out.

I know I haven't done that many Sportives in Ireland but I cannot imagine there being many that would be tougher than the 150km route(or indeed few more scenic).

Enjoyed it thoroughly and a great day, the western stretch from Killybegs back out to Malinmore and back to Ardara is just stunning. Love that section.

at1withmyself

Just read the review there on the Website and seeing only @50 riders attempted the 150 km route makes me feel better about been out the back so early on the day and also that I notice a few who use Strava went the same route as me and cut it short.

However I do take offense to the following remark

" it was the clear the local cyclists were taking advantage of their insider knowledge as they flew through the hair-pin bends whilst those less accustomed to Glengesh took things more gingerly"

It was my first descent of this climb and I got a top 10 on Strava so that makes me feel better and reduces the man-pride injury from earlier that day