Tour Of Connacht

XtotheZ

Details up (except exact routes) for the Tour of Connacht set to take place in Castlebar on 29th and 30th of March.

Races Routes and Prize Listing will be available shortly and I will add them here when I see them. Although, I am certain this is the TT http://www.strava.com/segments/1901943 due to be held after the second road stage, which will be interesting.

http://www.connachtcycling.com/#/tour-of-connacht-2014/4583227556

€30 per rider isnt bad either for a two day :P

XtotheZ

details up for A4 Connacht 2Day
http://www.connachtcycling.com/#/a4-connacht-2-day-2014/4583250298

harringtonp

Website is unclear to me. Looks like

Stage 1, Saturday Mar 29th at 14:15 from An Sportlann
Stage 2, Sunday Mar 30th at 09:45 from An Sportlann
Stage 3, Time Trial, Sunday Mar 30th at 14:00 on a reverse GC basis from Morans garage

Is this correct ?

Any strava/garmin links to the routes for Stage 1 and 2 ?

thekooman

and the road surface on the 8k TT section is atrocious since it was retarred last year

XtotheZ

thekooman wrote: »

and the road surface on the 8k TT section is atrocious since it was retarred last year

If your able to notice how 'bad' the surface is on the TT your not going hard enough joke, I agree the surface isnt exactly smooth but theres nothing that would cause a puncture and certainly no pot holes.

harringtonp wrote: »

Website is unclear to me. Looks like

Stage 1, Saturday Mar 29th at 14:15 from An Sportlann
Stage 2, Sunday Mar 30th at 09:45 from An Sportlann
Stage 3, Time Trial, Sunday Mar 30th at 14:00 on a reverse GC basis from Morans garage

Is this correct ?

Any strava/garmin links to the routes for Stage 1 and 2 ?

I will agree the website is very unclear but thats right.

-Stage 1 Sign On from 1pm to 2pm – Race rolls out at 2.15 pm sharp from An Sportlann

of March – Stage 2 Sign On from 9am to 930am, race rolls out at 9.45am sharp from An Sportlann

of March – Stage 2A TT start on the Pontoon Road, R310, 8kms from Castlebar.

Im still not 100% sure of the routes but more than likely there the same as last years..

Stage 1: http://www.strava.com/activities/70234918
Stage 2: http://www.strava.com/activities/70465885

Fairly hilly routes but nothing that will completly blow the race to bits bar the finishing climb on the second stage but by then it should be well and truely spaced out
In case anyones interested there are photos here from last years race https://plus.google.com/photos/110585541787136295079/albums/5905400452798103777 held in monsoon conditions for the start and finish

harringtonp

Thanks for that. Like the fact that the TT is the last stage and the big hill is at the end of a stage.

Presume it was handicapped last year and will be the same this year ?

Slo_Rida

XtotheZ wrote: »

details up for A4 Connacht 2Day
http://www.connachtcycling.com/#/a4-connacht-2-day-2014/4583250298

An 8km TT in an A4 race?!!!? Class, I've never done a normal TT (one 3km hill TT) so I'm not so sure it would suit me but sounds like great fun!!
Road bike preferable or even acceptable?

XtotheZ

harringtonp wrote: »

Thanks for that. Like the fact that the TT is the last stage and the big hill is at the end of a stage.

Presume it was handicapped last year and will be the same this year ?

Yeah the TT after the second road stage should be interesting and agonising. Itll be interesting to see how the time gaps are from the Avg lads to the specialists after a hard road stage in the legs.

Im afraid its not handicapped, as far as I know the only handicapped stage race in Ireland is the Ballinrobe 2day (open to correction).

Slo_Rida wrote: »

An 8km TT in an A4 race?!!!? Class, I've never done a normal TT (one 3km hill TT) so I'm not so sure it would suit me but sounds like great fun!!
Road bike preferable or even acceptable?

Yup, completely acceptable.

Slo_Rida

XtotheZ wrote: »

Yup, completely acceptable.

But reccommended? I'll be using a road bike anyway but just curious.
If that big spike @ 35km on your stage 1 above is included in the A4 it will murder the bunch!!
Thanks for the update. I'll keep an eye on the website for route profiles.

harringtonp

Hi,

See from http://www.connachtcycling.com/#/tour-of-connacht-2014/4583227556 (see below for text) looks like a change for stage 2 which is given as 61K.

Any strava link for it ?

Thanks Paul.

================

Stage 2

Sunday, 30th of March

Race Sign On is at 845am to 9.20am at An Sportlann

Race rolls out at 930am sharp from An Sportlann and brings riders to the start line at The Sacred Heart Home

KM Description Estinated Time

Avg. Speed of 40km / hr

0 Start Sacred Heart Home on Pontoon R310 9.40

15.0 Verr Left Dir Lahardaun Village 10.02

25.0 Lahardaun Village 10.17

31.0 Castlehill Turn Left 10.16

42.0 Keenagh Left Turn Dir R312 10.33

61.0 Finish Glenisland 11.03

Showers available in An Sportlann after the stage.

thekooman

i think this is it

harringtonp

Great tour with lovely scenery, very well organised and lucky with the weather.

Love the big circuits (as opposed to laps), comparatively small numbers and having the TT last is a winner IMO.

For anybody travelling up to this in future years and reading this cannot imagine why you would want to book in anywhere other than here:

http://www.carragh.ie/

Bean an Ti was a motorbike marshall in the race and it is completely cyclist friendly: late checkout, hotpress, bike room...

And it is also a modern, well heated, spacious B&B with all modcons.

XtotheZ

Photos here http://www.jimmymcelroy.com/tourofconnacht
and here https://www.flickr.com/photos/jameswrightphotography/sets/72157643201200513/
If i see any more ill fire them up
Hard weekend racing, 49.7kph average for the first 13k of the first stage and both stages average 39.8 and 40kph respectively on lumpy circuits.

Thought I was going to explode when the munster juniors started attacking on Lahardane on the second stage

doiredoire

harringtonp wrote: »

Great tour with lovely scenery, very well organised and lucky with the weather.

Love the big circuits (as opposed to laps), comparatively small numbers and having the TT last is a winner IMO.

For anybody travelling up to this in future years and reading this cannot imagine why you would want to book in anywhere other than here:

http://www.carragh.ie/

Bean an Ti was a motorbike marshall in the race and it is completely cyclist friendly: late checkout, hotpress, bike room...

And it is also a modern, well heated, spacious B&B with all modcons.

Always has been a cycling mad house. The Bean an Tí you mention is the mother of Liam Corcoran, the former national junior champion.

XtotheZ

doiredoire wrote: »

Always has been a cycling mad house. The Bean an Tí you mention is the mother of Liam Corcoran, the former national junior champion.

Dedicated is the only word. Great craic

harringtonp

XtotheZ wrote: »

Photos here http://www.jimmymcelroy.com/tourofconnacht
and here https://www.flickr.com/photos/jameswrightphotography/sets/72157643201200513/
If i see any more ill fire them up
Hard weekend racing, 49.7kph average for the first 13k of the first stage and both stages average 39.8 and 40kph respectively on lumpy circuits.

Thought I was going to explode when the munster juniors started attacking on Lahardane on the second stage

Yes, it did go off like a rocket on the first day, didn't it. At my level I'm quite happy to see the break go when it is like this.