2014 An Post Ras

Beasty

Starts today in Dunboyne

Website here

Twitter feed @anpostras

There's usually a few Boardsies taking part in this so best of luck to them as well as everyone else - and also all those helping out

Unless someone can point me to where there are same-day highlighs on TV, spoil away (ie spoiler tags are not required for this event)

macnab

I cycled through Dunboyne about an hour ago, there is a buzz there already. I have to admit I got a bit of a buzz myself when I cycled through the start line. I almost raised my arms in triumph ha ha.

not yet

macnab wrote: »

I cycled through Dunboyne about an hour ago, there is a buzz there already. I have to admit I got a bit of a buzz myself when I cycled through the start line. I almost raised my arms in triumph ha ha.

Ha Ha, cycled through about an hour ago myself. Some amount of kit in the back round and loads of food stalls etc. Great atmosphere.

happytramp

Thought it kicked off at 11 so I got there an hour early. Couldn't stick around for the start but Igot a good mooch around the staging area. Got serious Wheel envy walking around and the Madison Genisis bikes were flipping gorgeous.

lennymc

cycled over to summerhill to watch it. It was fairly lined out!!

Bambaata

Good coverage here - http://www.anpost.ie/AnPost/IrishCyclingRas/Route/Stage+1/Live+Updates/

Seems a pretty frantic race today!

Max_Charger

Edit, beaten to the updates link...

theKillerBite

I was down at the start and caught a few minutes on camera:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5vdpJ1VWow

It was good craic and well organised.

Beasty

Stage 1 from the An Post CRC Team perspective

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVrCGtb4T_E

Peterx

from Shane Stokes on http://www.anpost.ie/AnPost/IrishCyclingRas/Route/Stage+3/Live+Updates/ ;

"13.35: The break is now fourteen kilometres from Hospital, where the day’s sole Post Office prime is situated. They have covered 113 kilometres thus far, and have just over forty kilometres to go until today’s finish.

The gap remains two minutes 50 seconds."

G'WAN THE BREAK! I suppose it all depends on whether or not the kiwi team get any help.

mossym

they cycled some of my usual routes today, must have a look and see what they do to strava:)

Zyzz

That NZ fella absolute blew the field apart with his performance! Amazing.

mel.b

Coming into Corofin, Co.Clare this morning

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10152447411583979&set=vb.809633978&type=2&theater

pprendeville

Roger Aiken is some legend (as are all the county riders in fairness). For a man who just commutes to work and just did his first stage race in Ulster, he must have some engine.

shefellover93

Where'd be the best place to see this in Cork lads? As far as I know they're heading down the Link, would there be anywhere in particular that'd give you a great vantage point?

Robxxx7

Watched a bit of this today coming through Killorglin, good to see a good crowd out and about giving them all some encouragement

I'm no professional cameraman

Zyzz

Robxxx7 wrote: »

Watched a bit of this today coming through Killorglin, good to see a good crowd out and about giving them all some encouragement

I'm no professional cameraman

Is it me or does this picture make them look like they are travelling backwards? :pac::D

Peterx

Jeez the Rás is one hard race to control. Fair play to the kiwi, he did his best whilst in yellow.

circler

When do they close the roads? Is it a set time before the race arrives? I'm thinking of heading down to Carrick-on-Suir tomorrow for the finish on Seskin Hill. Just wondering what time would I need to arrive down there for.

Beasty

Technically the race is on open roads, but in practice the Gardai operate rolling road closures. That way they can close them from perhaps 30 mins or so before the racers come through (if it was an official road closure as for the Giro the roads would be closed for the stipulated times). Hence you have got to keep track of where they are up to in the race and make your move well ahead of when they are expected to arrive, but it's really up to the local Gardai as to when they will close the roads. For the finish in Skerries for example there are notices warning of traffic disruption between 2 and 4pm, but no statement of road closures, and in previous years they did close the roads on the finishing circuit well ahead of the race arriving

surripere

What a great race, shame it's not televised.

HuntingDrog

Lads, whereabouts is Seskin hill in carrick?

eoin88

shefellover93 wrote: »

Where'd be the best place to see this in Cork lads? As far as I know they're heading down the Link, would there be anywhere in particular that'd give you a great vantage point?

It'll no doubt be very boring when they're on the link, so I'm thinking of heading up to the top of the second cat. 3 climb at Kilmurriheen.

eoin88

eoin88 wrote: »

It'll no doubt be very boring when they're on the link, so I'm thinking of heading up to the top of the second cat. 3 climb at Kilmurriheen.

Sorry, I meant the south ring road. They won't be going along the south link.

circler

HuntingDrog wrote: »

Lads, whereabouts is Seskin hill in carrick?

It's on the Waterford side of the river (Carrick Beg). If you come over the old bridge, you basically go straight through. You pass a pub on the left at a junction, and the road to Seskin is about 100 yards past that on the right (a Y junction of sorts).

circler

Thanks Beasty.

happytramp

surripere wrote: »

What a great race, shame it's not televised.

Yeah, about 1.30min of highlights and some interviews is about all I can find on each stage. Pity. It's getting some good news coverage though.

CramCycle

happytramp wrote: »

Yeah, about 1.30min of highlights and some interviews is about all I can find on each stage. Pity. It's getting some good news coverage though.

RTE news are giving it the same amount of time as the GIRO on the 6.1 news. Not much but considering it seemed to be ignored for a few years, its great to see not one but two cycling events making the news, hopefully it will continue to slip more into the main stream.

HuntingDrog

circler wrote: »

It's on the Waterford side of the river (Carrick Beg). If you come over the old bridge, you basically go straight through. You pass a pub on the left at a junction, and the road to Seskin is about 100 yards past that on the right (a Y junction of sorts).

Cheers

Headdy

Anyone know are they going through Carrick before going up Seskin?

circler

Got myself onto Seskin today (just at the hairpin). Disappointing turnout in fairness I thought. It was a wet afternoon but I didn't think it would keep people away. An Post did a great job decking as many people out in green as they could, but unfortunately the atmosphere was lacking. The riders deserved some more support after the miserable end to their day.

Eibegger was most impressive when passing, and Sean Hahessey put in a nice dig in front of his home crowd to lead the second bunch up the hill. Good rides by Dowling and Morton to get top ten too.

circler

Anyone make it out today? I was up on Mount Leinster, small crowd up there. It looked like more people on Corrabut based on the few photos I saw. Some shattered bodies over the top today.

Dcully

Bottom of the hill of Allen today serious pace.
Nice to see people out on a wet morning to support the lads.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AOjE7vlkmg

circler

I've a few video clips to upload when I get a chance.

buffalo

Great to see the crowds out in Skerries again yesterday, and finally some sun for the riders. I'll stick up some photos tonight.

Got to meet brasshead, who gave me a lovely golden envelope. And I got my annual five minute chat with bcmf.

adox

Great day yesterday up in Skerries. Sun was out and so were the crowds.
Some shots I took yesterday:

brasshead

buffalo wrote: »

Great to see the crowds out in Skerries again yesterday, and finally some sun for the riders. I'll stick up some photos tonight.

Got to meet brasshead, who gave me a lovely golden envelope. And I got my annual five minute chat with bcmf.

Good to meet you too - sorry it only took a year for you to get it!

buffalo

Pics yo https://www.flickr.com/photos/brianmca/sets/72157644808759376/

Some quality face pulling in there, hard men all!

bcmf

buffalo wrote: »

....And I got my annual five minute chat with bcmf.

Just wouldnt be the last day of the Ras without it.
Which begs the question- If you ride the Ras and you get to the last day will you stop for a chat at the usual spot?

Oh and nice scar.Beasty would almost be proud of you!

brasshead

Just so you all know, The Skerries stage end organisers are running a photo competition for the best photos from the final stage.

Details of the competition here: http://skerriesras.ie/photos/

Deadline is 31 May

If you're not in you can't win

buffalo

bcmf wrote: »

If you ride the Ras and you get to the last day will you stop for a chat at the usual spot?

Depends how much of a lead I have.

simonrooneyzaga

just out of interest - what is the minimum entry requirements for riders in this race?

buffalo

simonrooneyzaga wrote: »

just out of interest - what is the minimum entry requirements for riders in this race?

An A2 licence and a time machine.

Beasty

buffalo wrote: »

a time machine.

Yeah - well suited to over 50s - know one of my former clubmates did it at that age ....:D