Hilly A4 bike races

The Tourmelatour

Bon Bon Bon. Has anyone suggestions of hilly bike races taking place over the next few months that caters for a4? Des Hanlon, Stamullen Gp.... any others? The reason I ask is that I saw that nasty crash in the traders cup last weekend and I'm thinking twice about competing for bunch sprint finishes unless the legs are in beast mode.

dermo1990

Jazzer Wherity....Summit finish, the A4 race last year split the bunch, was a very safe race from where I was sitting (the front)

RockWerchter

Three partially broken people (myself included) from the Des Hanlon A4 race in 2012, from a very reduced bunch of eight with four further up the road. **** happens, but I agree A4 sprints are terrible.

lennymc

It's bike racing. There are going to be crashes. It's not confined to A4.

buffalo

lennymc wrote: »

It's bike racing. There are going to be crashes. It's not confined to A4.

Indeed. And if you want to avoid the bunch sprint, just drop off the back in the last few km if you're not in a break. You get the speedwork during the race, without the higher risk at the end, though there can be a crash at any point.

ericzeking

Broadford this weekend is hilly...the Aquablue Classic in a couple of weeks too, both a4 bunches were split to pieces last year...if you were partial to a bit of Southside action

el tel

Bobby Crilly Classic, summit finish on Divis Mountain, 14 June 2014.

The last 10km is all uphill, culminating in a fearsome summit.

Slo_Rida

This has a hard short burst with a km to go and then levels off a bit to the finish. There won't be a bunch finish on this course and it has been rather safe in general IMO.

fixie fox

The Tourmelatour wrote: »

Bon Bon Bon. Has anyone suggestions of hilly bike races taking place over the next few months that caters for a4? Des Hanlon, Stamullen Gp.... any others? The reason I ask is that I saw that nasty crash in the traders cup last weekend and I'm thinking twice about competing for bunch sprint finishes unless the legs are in beast mode.

Broadford and Minnane Bridge in Munster are both V. hilly. However, the hills are down too and Minnane Bridge has an especially technical fast descent. Broadford is hairy too. So you won't get a result in either of these unless you can climb and go flat out on the descents.

joey100

I was the same as yourself op but now I'm just going to give any race a go. Looks like there can be accidents on any race. From talking to few experienced racers they all give the same advice that has been given on this thread, just drop of the back if your not in the break to avoid a possible crash. Think I'll be making my debut at the Lucan GP in March, must remember not to wear my sleeveless top and compression socks,

petethedrummer

I saw two crashes on the A4 Des Hanlon last year (before I got dropped). One going down hill, one going up hill. Any flat races?

Chips Lovell

This is the finish of the A4 race at the Des Hanlon Memorial in 2010:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbYzV1bU-F0

If you don't want to be in a bunch gallop, get up the road.

maloner

Laragh Classic in September has a hill on the lap:

http://www.sttiernanscc.com/laragh-classic-road-race/

Pawlie

RockWerchter wrote: »

Three partially broken people (myself included) from the Des Hanlon A4 race in 2012, from a very reduced bunch of eight with four further up the road. **** happens, but I agree A4 sprints are terrible.

A4 sprints are not terrible,nor are any grade sprint,its the lads that think they can sprint that are terrible,the art of sprinting is not the cause of crashes its the lads that cant sprint that cause crashes.

lennymc

Pawlie wrote: »

A4 sprints are not terrible,nor are any grade sprint,its the lads that think they can sprint that are terrible,the art of sprinting is not the cause of crashes its the lads that cant sprint that cause crashes.

exactly this. 50 metres out of the saddle then sitting up in the middle of a bunch is not a sprint.

couerdelion

Vladimir Kurtains wrote: »

This is the finish of the A4 race at the Des Hanlon Memorial in 2010:

If you don't want to be in a bunch gallop, get up the road.

Did he just collide with a cone?

colm_gti

Its the open, draggy, windy races that blow apart, not the hilly ones, I'm fat and manage to catch back on the descents after a climb.

buffalo

maloner wrote: »

Laragh Classic in September has a hill on the lap:

http://www.sttiernanscc.com/laragh-classic-road-race/

Pleeeease can we have an A1/2 race this year?

maloner

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1406191176261626/

The race is open to A1, A2, A3 and A4 category riders
Date: September 14th 2014
Time: 09:30
Where: Laragh, Co. Wicklow

Tiernans website says A1/A2 TBC, but afaik, there's an A1/A2 race or races, but open to correction.

Ken1975

Vladimir Kurtains wrote: »

This is the finish of the A4 race at the Des Hanlon Memorial in 2010:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbYzV1bU-F0

If you don't want to be in a bunch gallop, get up the road.

And that's what happens when you sprint with your head down.
Would'nt mind, but he had that in the bag.

Chips Lovell

It does depend on what you regard as "being able to sprint". I've seen good sprinters, i.e. guys who frequently get results, cause accidents. Recklessness as well as cluelessness is a major cause of crashes.

on_the_nickel

ericzeking wrote: »

..the Aquablue Classic

Heard the route is changing this year?

XtotheZ

a4 Tour of Connacht highly unlikely to end in bunch sprints. ras maigheo is pretty hilly aswell

Slo_Rida

XtotheZ wrote: »

a4 Tour of Connacht highly unlikely to end in bunch sprints. ras maigheo is pretty hilly aswell

Do you know of any registration details on this one actually?
I've been looking since that thread we discussed it in before but I don't see it on the Castlebar CC site or cycling Connacht.

smurphy29

Cycleways cup this weekend has a good drag, forced a selection last year. Newbridge GP next week is the same. Most of the hilly courses are in the early months of the season. Also, the 'specialist sprinters' are not as conditioned at this time of year so the bunch splits easier in a4. Both the cycleways and Newbridge circuits are used again later in the season but they weren't as selective the second time, last season anyway.

XtotheZ

Slo_Rida wrote: »

Do you know of any registration details on this one actually?
I've been looking since that thread we discussed it in before but I don't see it on the Castlebar CC site or cycling Connacht.

I was talking to one of the lads from Castlebar cc and he said details will be up soon but that was when I was talking to you about it and that was a while ago now so im not sure really

I do see on the Connacht Cycling website that its name has been added to 'Coming Soon' list so generally that means info will be up shortly from my experiences with the site. I did hear a rumour that the TT will be after the second road stage, so that will be complete agony. Ill let you know if I hear anything else about registration

Slo_Rida

XtotheZ wrote: »

I did hear a rumour that the TT will be after the second road stage, so that will be complete agony. Ill let you know if I hear anything else about registration

Twud be unbelievably interesting though!

Pablo Rubio

smurphy29 wrote: »

Cycleways cup this weekend has a good drag, forced a selection last year. Newbridge GP next week is the same. Most of the hilly courses are in the early months of the season. Also, the 'specialist sprinters' are not as conditioned at this time of year so the bunch splits easier in a4. Both the cycleways and Newbridge circuits are used again later in the season but they weren't as selective the second time, last season anyway.

Been quite a few crashes on cycleways cup circuit in last 2 years in A4 and A3 races.

Diarmuid

Vladimir Kurtains wrote: »

This is the finish of the A4 race at the Des Hanlon Memorial in 2010:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbYzV1bU-F0

If you don't want to be in a bunch gallop, get up the road.

That was my second race. I came over the line in about 10th (just at the end of the vid). Mad way to crash,

cantalach

on_the_nickel wrote: »

Heard the route is changing this year?

Was supposed to be but now it's not, which I think is a very good thing. Tough circuit.

Pawlie

cantalach wrote: »

Was supposed to be but now it's not, which I think is a very good thing. Tough circuit.

Thank **** its not,epic race last year and course will destroy the field again,not one place to get a breather yea either drilling it up or drilling it down,

bwalsh1983

Pawlie wrote: »

Thank **** its not,epic race last year and course will destroy the field again,not one place to get a breather yea either drilling it up or drilling it down,

One of the best races of the year and best courses. Glad it has not been changed...

on_the_nickel

bwalsh1983 wrote: »

One of the best races of the year and best courses. Glad it has not been changed...

Hearing conflicting information - asked them on twitter earlier in the week and they said it was changing. Hope not.

cantalach

on_the_nickel wrote: »

Hearing conflicting information - asked them on twitter earlier in the week and they said it was changing. Hope not.

Ah bollocks. Latest tweet from yesterday says "Aqua Blue Classic details coming soon."