The "such an such" Ride Dublin . . Why not ?

Bikerbhoy

For quite a while now, actually since last year and after watching the Ride London events over the weekend and particularly today I have been thinking , why can't we do that here in Dublin.

While I understand it being a massive undertaking someone had to start the wheels turning in London a few years back so like anything it has to start somewhere by someone.

I have worked on pro races , organised events and worked with event managers so I have a foundation on which to build this "dream" if you like , and I kid you not I am aware of the scale of something like this , but . . ,why not at least look at the posibilities

With no news or developments regarding the Tour of Ireland being ran again any time soon or any other race of the like hitting our shores again in the near future I am thinking about doing some research to see if a bunch of dedicated lovers of the sport could bring the big boys to Dublin "For One Day Only " within the next few years

I plan on giving this a few months research time to see is it possible or not,however I may find out a lot sooner if it's not . .

OK so , what do you guys think , am I mad ?

derealbadger

With our road surfaces it would be more like Paris Roubaix

stecleary

The main thing that usually stops these events before they start is money.

Big sponsors would be needed

bcmf

It was discussed here a while back about starting or trying to start a one day race for the pro's with a distance of circa 150km in lenght.
I think it would be a better idea to try and get a crit series going with major town councils/ county councils coming on board.

daragh_

If you build it they will come.

AltAccount

Did Sky not do that with a Sky Ride in Dublin a few years ago?

I wonder why they didn't continue it

Bikerbhoy

bcmf wrote: »

It was discussed here a while back about starting or trying to start a one day race for the pro's with a distance of circa 150km in lenght.
I think it would be a better idea to try and get a crit series going with major town councils/ county councils coming on board.

That would be more for domestic riders / teams wouldn't it ?

Bikerbhoy

AltAccount wrote: »

Did Sky not do that with a Sky Ride in Dublin a few years ago?

I wonder why they didn't continue it

They did indeed and it was a fantastic day never heard of it again after that . .
Must follow up to see what issue was there

Bikerbhoy

daragh_ wrote: »

If you build it they will come.

Once you are there Daragh. .

L'Enfer du Nord

I guess there are (at least) two approaches:

1. Attracted loads of sponsorship and funding and set up a big pro-race from the go.

2. Start small and build up the race's profile. It seems to me that some newer pro races have there origins in Sportifs e.g. Strade Bianche/ L'Eroica. Could there be an Elite, then a Pro version of Wicklow 200 finishing across the border in Dublin?

I did the Berlin Velothon a few years back, there's pro version which attracts a reasonably strong field, I think there's a similar event in Hambourg.

Dare to dream!

However I remember Dan Martin winning some kind of Crit in Dublin a few years back, allegedly the DCC cycling engineer nearly didn't have his contract renewed over the disruption it caused to traffic.

Getting any kind of closed road cycling event in central Dublin would be an achievement. If the media are to believed a pro-cycling fifth columnist is now at the helm so there's hope. Unfortunately he's managed to make himself unpopular with various groups for following due process and not rolling over when some American country and western singer decided to issue an ultimatum.

I say go for it, would love to see this, really enjoyed doing 'the race' in Berlin then watching the pros.

On an other note was always surprised Pat McQuaid never arranged for the World Championship to come to Ireland, he's supposed to be an Irish (sports) politician . I suppose its all about the money and the Govt. weren't going to put any up after the Festina Affair.

Harrybelafonte

Remember the Halfords crit in town a few years back?

Beasty

In my view a one-dayer is the way to go. We showed with the Giro thr type of interest it could generate, but in terms of multi-day events I simply do not think the money would be there. The Ras has really come on in my view since the demise of the Tour of Ireland and I think that's absolutely the right level for a multi day event in Ireland.

I think that London got it spot on though - the women's race yesterday, and the mens race today with something for everyone this morning

I've thought for a while that Ireland should plan towards trying to get the Worlds at some stage - that may be 5-10 or more years away, but we have the expertise to put something like that on (and that's something where someone like Pat McQuaid could definitely count on my support;)). However we would need to establish a track record first (and the Giro was possibly the first step on that track)

daragh_

Bikerbhoy wrote: »

Once you are there Daragh. .

I'll need all the Blue M&Ms removed, Tony Martin to do my lead out and a time machine so I can go back 20 years and tell myself not to eat all those pies.

Bikerbhoy

L'Enfer du Nord wrote: »

I guess there are (at least) two approaches:

1. Attracted loads of sponsorship and funding and set up a big pro-race from the go.

2. Start small and build up the race's profile. It seems to me that some newer pro races have there origins in Sportifs e.g. Strade Bianche/ L'Eroica. Could there be an Elite, then a Pro version of Wicklow 200 finishing across the border in Dublin?

I did the Berlin Velothon a few years back, there's pro version which attracts a reasonably strong field, I think there's a similar event in Hambourg.

Dare to dream!

However I remember Dan Martin winning some kind of Crit in Dublin a few years back, allegedly the DCC cycling engineer nearly didn't have his contract renewed over the disruption it caused to traffic.

Getting any kind of closed road cycling event in central Dublin would be an achievement. If the media are to believed a pro-cycling fifth columnist is now at the helm so there's hope. Unfortunately he's managed to make himself unpopular with various groups for following due process and not rolling over when some American country and western singer decided to issue an ultimatum.

I say go for it, would love to see this, really enjoyed doing 'the race' in Berlin then watching the pros.

On an other note was always surprised Pat McQuaid never arranged for the World Championship to come to Ireland, he's supposed to be an Irish (sports) politician . I suppose its all about the money and the Govt. weren't going to put any up after the Festina Affair.

Firstly thank you for your point of view . I guess I would be proposing both your points 1 and 2 .
I would plan on going for the big one from the start and secondly the wicklow 200 or similar would be a typical route, sportive Saturday , pro's Sunday

onimpulse

derealbadger wrote: »

With our road surfaces it would be more like Paris Roubaix

Not sure that our roads are any worse than those in England. All I hear from English based cyclists is complains about the state of their roads.

Beasty

onimpulse wrote: »

Not sure that our roads are any worse than those in England. All I hear from English based cyclists is complains about the state of their roads.

The roads over here are generally a lot worse than in the UK (the roads up North are much better for example, and I've cycled a bit both in Northern England and the South West).

We do look forward to the Ras coming through Skerries every year mind, as that's the only chance we have to get some of the potholes sorted (the Giro used a slightly different route which meant more roads than usual were sorted out earlier this year)....

L'Enfer du Nord

Bikerbhoy wrote: »

Firstly thank you for your point of view . I guess I would be proposing both your points 1 and 2 .
I would plan on going for the big one from the start and secondly the wicklow 200 or similar would be a typical route, sportive Saturday , pro's Sunday

The Berlin Velothon is a one day event on a Sunday (which I assume its a lot easier to get roads closed for). The Sportif was 120 km and started around 7.00 there was a broom wagon going at 25 km/h so you had to go faster than that. The pro race was 180 km and I think included some extra circuits of the city centre. Not sure what time it started but it hit the city centre around three after the slowest sportif cyclists had finished. There is also a 60 km with a 23 km/h minimum speed which finished even earlier.

Some amazing sights to cycle past in Berlin city centre but the surrounding country side which we cycled into is nothing special. This what Dublin can really offers: attractive city centre close to the sea and mountains, you could have a fairly varied route.

Bikerbhoy

Actually I think it would be best to do both sportive and pro race on the same day as London did today as it would enhance the experience for the sportive riders with what hopefully would be good support out on the roads cheering them on

L'Enfer du Nord

The one down side of such an event would be our illusions about our uphills being considered serious obstacles will be smashed when some big lump of a sprinter wins the bunch sprint in the pro-race.

This is based on the experience of the EPO fueled 1998 Tour de France.

Or do South Dublin/Wicklow have the potential to create a Ardennes Classic type route?

Bikerbhoy

L'Enfer du Nord wrote: »

The Sportif was 120 km and started around 7.00 there was a broom wagon going at 25 km/h so you had to go faster than that.

This what Dublin can really offers: attractive city centre close to the sea and mountains, you could have a fairly varied route.

Good point about the broom that would be a very important task on the day for sure and secondly the benefits of Dublin is you can run the majority of the route on quieter roads in Wicklow / Wexford etc with good terrain and still manage to finish in Dublin with minimum traffic disruption in city centre

onimpulse

Beasty wrote: »

The roads over here are generally a lot worse than in the UK (the roads up North are much better for example, and I've cycled a bit both in Northern England and the South West).

We do look forward to the Ras coming through Skerries every year mind, as that's the only chance we have to get some of the potholes sorted (the Giro used a slightly different route which meant more roads than usual were sorted out earlier this year)....

I have to argue with that... I did a 3 day race up north a few weeks ago and the road surfaces were only equal if not worse than down here.

L'Enfer du Nord

onimpulse wrote: »

I have to argue with that... I did a 3 day race up north a few weeks ago and the road surfaces were only equal if not worse than down here.

A friend who's from the border area has said that the traditional view of the roads being better north of the border has now been reversed.

Did a little bit of cycling in North Wales, roads there seemed better than here.

Koobcam

L'Enfer du Nord wrote: »

The one down side of such an event would be our illusions about our uphills being considered serious obstacles will be smashed when some big lump of a sprinter wins the bunch sprint in the pro-race.

This is based on the experience of the EPO fueled 1998 Tour de France.

Or do South Dublin/Wicklow have the potential to create a Ardennes Classic type route?

Yes, I think we have the roads to do a Liege-Bastogne-Liege style route. We also have sh*te weather and poor road surfaces, so great potential there for a really tough circuit.

lennymc

daragh_ wrote: »

I'll need all the Blue M&Ms removed, Tony Martin to do my lead out and a time machine so I can go back 20 years and tell myself not to eat all those pies.

riding for bmc now?




I would love to see a big one day race. It would be great

ednwireland

L'Enfer du Nord wrote: »

Did a little bit of cycling in North Wales, roads there seemed better than here.

A friend when he was over from cheshire thought our roads in the nw were way better tgan his. Reckons they rarely get a club spin without wheel problems.

Bikerbhoy

So without automatically honouring it with ""classic" status would that be a good time to run it early season or would towards the end of season be best . . Mid season is probably out as teams due to have that part of the calendar well filled

daragh_

End of the season Classics are great.

Is a City Centre finish a must? You could get a lot of buy in from Fingal or DLR CoCo by having a finish on their turf.

bcmf

A couple of things.
Would the race not have to be UCI affiliated with points being available. Trying to get top tier pro teams without having 'points' available may be a non runner.

I was thinking of maybe aiming at the UK pro teams/teams that send squads over for the Ras.
A route like Dublin- Drogheda- Dublin. A nice rolling course and very little in the way of huge road closures.

gaffmaster

Ah that old saying, "The roads are always better on the other side".

I've been cycling in South West London recently. I've done some of the route that the Ride London took place on. The roads are good but not particularly amazing. That said, Box Hill is smooth as butter, but that's because of the Olympics' funding.

I'd love to see a similar event in Dublin. Sponsorship is the key. Interest is key to the sponsor. 80,000 people entered the ballot for one of the 20,000 entries for the Ride London 100 mile sportive. That kind of hysteria is what makes sponsors lick their lips. Live coverage on BBC One. It's a shame Prudential aren't a bit international brand that could copy and paste their formula in all the capital cities of Europe.

Captain Havoc

L'Enfer du Nord wrote: »

The one down side of such an event would be our illusions about our uphills being considered serious obstacles will be smashed when some big lump of a sprinter wins the bunch sprint in the pro-race.

This is based on the experience of the EPO fueled 1998 Tour de France.

Or do South Dublin/Wicklow have the potential to create a Ardennes Classic type route?

I think most people understand that the Sally Gap is not the Alpe du Huez.

Bikerbhoy

bcmf wrote: »

A couple of things.
Would the race not have to be UCI affiliated with points being available. Trying to get top tier pro teams without having 'points' available may be a non runner.

I was thinking of maybe aiming at the UK pro teams/teams that send squads over for the Ras.
A route like Dublin- Drogheda- Dublin. A nice rolling course and very little in the way of huge road closures.

Yes a UCI ranked event is a must alright only way youd get the pros over and your thoughts re the other lower profile option could be a good plan B for sure , and, maybe, could be the way to go initally.. Thanks