Charleville 2 Day

harringtonp · 02-09-2014 12:59pm #1

Big fields lads

http://charlevillecycling.webnode.com/entry-forms/a2014-entries/a2-3-entries-2014-/

http://charlevillecycling.webnode.com/entry-forms/a2014-entries/a4-entries-2014-/

XtotheZ · 02-09-2014 1:00pm

huge field. some big names, gonna be a sufferfest

bwalsh1983 · 02-09-2014 1:19pm

I was a late entry and missed out...looking at that it might be a blessing in disguise!

on_the_nickel · 02-09-2014 1:47pm

Eddie's gonna get ya! Eddie's gonna get ya! #A4forlife

harringtonp · 02-09-2014 2:33pm

They have enough entrants to split it. Juniors/A2's in one race and A3's the other

JK.BMC · 02-09-2014 3:52pm

on_the_nickel wrote: »

Eddie's gonna get ya! Eddie's gonna get ya! #A4forlife

Well its a chance for some ordinary 'average joes' to race against him; not that he will be in the vicinity for long I suspect. Really looking forward to this from the comfort of the team car actually!

harringtonp · 02-09-2014 4:11pm

Looking through the names it looks as if most if not all of the world championship team could be there.

Chips Lovell · 02-09-2014 4:14pm

Awesome. It's going to be some race.

fixie fox · 02-09-2014 6:15pm

harringtonp wrote: »

Looking through the names it looks as if most if not all of the world championship team could be there.

That's not the problem - it's all of them who want to be on it and trying to prove that they deserve it!!

Mugser · 04-09-2014 10:50am

Tentatively looking forward to this. Weather forecast looks good too.

duffyshuffle · 04-09-2014 2:09pm

I have a slot that I won't be using (not scared of Dunbar et al, honest...) so if anyone wants to buy it they'll allow a transfer before lunch tomorrow, PM me

boege · 05-09-2014 12:42am

Was surprised to see Dunbar in this race to be honest. All the NRPT boys over on the continent whipping themselves into shape for the worlds.

Expect a select bunch of juniors to go from the start and a two race setup to emerge. Dunbar to time-trial off the front (per norm) on stage 1.

Watched young Shanahan give Paudi and Dowling a run for their money last week in a tough A1/A2 Ras Kilmallock. Dowling had to work really hard at the finish to take 2nd from Shanahan. Think Shanahan might track Dunbar on stage 3.

Its a pity that at this time of year with the Jnr Worlds selection in play that these lads were let into this race as its now consigns the A2/A3 racers to a support act. I know, I know they are juniors but they are whipping many A1's at present.

Still the junior aspect will be fascinating.

Mugser · 05-09-2014 10:48am

I'm wondering if this race will or should be cancelled/postponed/altered due to the tragic events that occurred in Charleville yesterday.

goose06 · 05-09-2014 12:39pm

Mugser wrote: »

I'm wondering if this race will or should be cancelled/postponed/altered due to the tragic events that occurred in Charleville yesterday.

Was thinking the same myself, I emailed the organisers and they said they will make the decision around lunch time today. Race HQ is very close to the tragedy.

on_the_nickel · 05-09-2014 1:01pm

goose06 wrote: »

Was thinking the same myself, I emailed the organisers and they said they will make the decision around lunch time today. Race HQ is very close to the tragedy.

They just posted on FB that it's going ahead.

cantalach · 05-09-2014 8:07pm

My first stage race and I'm really looking forward to it. One thing I'm not clear about though is race numbers. Are you normally given one for a stage race or do you just use your normal C.I. number? Reason I ask is that the timetable says that the TT is run in order of race number, but doesn't clarify which race number.

daragh_ · 05-09-2014 8:17pm

cantalach wrote: »

My first stage race and I'm really looking forward to it. One thing I'm not clear about though is race numbers. Are you normally given one for a stage race or do you just use your normal C.I. number? Reason I ask is that the timetable says that the TT is run in order of race number, but doesn't clarify which race number.

They give you numbers.

boege · 06-09-2014 5:18pm

Right, own up, who was the numti that led the bunch down the wrong route today.

Nwm2 · 06-09-2014 7:50pm

boege wrote: »

Right, own up, who was the numti that led the bunch down the wrong route today.

Which race? Where was the wrong turn taken?

wirelessdude01 · 06-09-2014 8:01pm

Nwm2 wrote: »

Which race? Where was the wrong turn taken?

A2/A3 were taken the wrong way.

fixie fox · 06-09-2014 8:07pm

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

A2/A3 were taken the wrong way.

Were they taken the wrong way or did they just go the wrong way?

wirelessdude01 · 06-09-2014 8:17pm

fixie fox wrote: »

Were they taken the wrong way or did they just go the wrong way?

Not 100% sure but lad in our club said the bunch ended up off the course. Either way they were either taken the wrong way or bad marshaling/signage allowed it to happen.

fixie fox · 06-09-2014 8:39pm

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

Not 100% sure but lad in our club said the bunch ended up off the course. Either way they were either taken the wrong way or bad marshaling/signage allowed it to happen.

I'd say get your facts clear before making criticisms.

cantalach · 06-09-2014 8:52pm

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

Not 100% sure but lad in our club said the bunch ended up off the course. Either way they were either taken the wrong way or bad marshaling/signage allowed it to happen.

The break was away just a few km and had a 20 second gap at the sharp right in Dromcollogher. There's a bend in the road as you come out of the village so you couldn't see the break and lead car. I was about 15-20 back when whoever was on the front veered left off the road. No idea why because it was pretty clear that the main road stayed right (street view: http://goo.gl/YmtjuC). But of course, in a situation like that, you tend to assume that the person who takes the turn knows what he's doing. We'd only gone 250-300m before we turned around, and those towards the back of the bunch wouldn't have gone any distance up the road at all.

fixie fox · 06-09-2014 9:00pm

cantalach wrote: »

The break was away just a few km and had a 20 second gap at the sharp right in Dromcollogher. There's a bend in the road as you come out of the village so you couldn't see the break and lead car. I was about 15-20 back when whoever was on the front veered left off the road. No idea why because it was pretty clear that the main road stayed right (street view: http://goo.gl/YmtjuC). But of course, in a situation like that, you tend to assume that the person who takes the turn knows what he's doing. We'd only gone 250-300m before we turned around, and those towards the back of the bunch wouldn't have gone any distance up the road at all.

Thanks for that clarification. That was my understanding of it too. Riders' fault completely. The gap was too small to put in a lead car/bike and no call for a marshal or signage as the route continued on the main road. Some guy just decided to turn off and everybody followed.
However, If that was the case perhaps the officials were wrong on restoring the gaps to what they were before the turn off, as the guys in the break shouldn't be penalised for riders' mistakes behind.
But no great harm was done I believe.

Nwm2 · 06-09-2014 9:27pm

fixie fox wrote: »

Thanks for that clarification. That was my understanding of it too. Riders' fault completely. The gap was too small to put in a lead car/bike and no call for a marshal or signage as the route continued on the main road. Some guy just decided to turn off and everybody followed.
However, If that was the case perhaps the officials were wrong on restoring the gaps to what they were before the turn off, as the guys in the break shouldn't be penalised for riders' mistakes behind.
But no great harm was done I believe.

Well, if I recall correctly there actually are (faded) arrows pointing off in that 'wrong' direction - I saw that either on the bike or when I drove the route.

duffyshuffle · 07-09-2014 2:40pm

Any updates on both races?

albert kidd · 07-09-2014 3:08pm

duffyshuffle wrote: »

Any updates on both races?

eddie dunbar won the stage and overall:D

duffyshuffle · 07-09-2014 3:09pm

albert kidd wrote: »

eddie dunbar won the stage and overall:D

:-)
A4??

albert kidd · 07-09-2014 3:16pm

duffyshuffle wrote: »

:-)
A4??

declan gollogly won a sprint finish according to twitter.

doozerie · 07-09-2014 9:46pm

In the A4 race, on the flat stretch leading to the the climb for the second time, I was near the front of the bunch and noticed something on the left hand side of the road. I'm still not sure what it was, I suspect a squirrel but maybe a rat. Whatever it was, its road safety training was lacking 'cos it decided to peg it across to the other side of the road just as we approached. The sequence was something along the lines of hoppity hoppity squish-ity squash-ity. Anyone know what it actually was, just to satisfy my curiosity?

leCycliste · 07-09-2014 10:03pm

Baby rabbit I think!!! It was "flat out" when I past it!!!!

on_the_nickel · 07-09-2014 10:53pm

doozerie wrote: »

Anyone know what it actually was, just to satisfy my curiosity?

The Beast of Ballyhoura?

That was a great weekend of racing. Great fun among the A4 bunch and a good bit of suffering on that climb today too. Sure you'd be mad to leave it.

doozerie · 07-09-2014 11:45pm

leCycliste wrote: »

Baby rabbit I think!!! It was "flat out" when I past it!!!!

Ah. Damn! I'm not a fan of rats, and (grey) squirrels are just rats with cute tails, but bunnies are another matter entirely. I didn't ride over it but I feel bad for it now, it was probably a mercifully quick death though.

fixie fox · 08-09-2014 1:53am

doozerie wrote: »

In the A4 race, on the flat stretch leading to the the climb for the second time, I was near the front of the bunch and noticed something on the left hand side of the road. I'm still not sure what it was, I suspect a squirrel but maybe a rat. Whatever it was, its road safety training was lacking 'cos it decided to peg it across to the other side of the road just as we approached. The sequence was something along the lines of hoppity hoppity squish-ity squash-ity. Anyone know what it actually was, just to satisfy my curiosity?

If it was between a squirell and a rat it was probably a stoat.

smurphy29 · 08-09-2014 7:52am

Jaysus that was tough. I gues you can't expect to not race since the SERC and hope to hang in against a quality field in a selective stage like that. Great racing circuits, well structured 2-day stage race, but ahve to return a better rider next year!

doozerie · 08-09-2014 9:31am

fixie fox wrote:

If it was between a squirell and a rat it was probably a stoat.

I don’t think so, it was grey in colour as far as I could tell so most likely the bunny that leCycliste suggests. I was being very optimistic when I suggested it might have been a rat - it meant I could describe the incident to my daughter as an unfortunate but interesting mishap rather than as a tragedy (she likes bunnies). Thanks to a children’s event in Connemara National Park (highly recommended!) a few months back, she has also adopted a liking for stoats, so the death of a stoat might fall into the latter category too.

…I promised myself early on that I wouldn’t pass on to her my bias against rats, I clearly lied!

LeoD · 08-09-2014 10:06am

fixie fox wrote: »

Riders' fault completely. ... . Some guy just decided to turn off and everybody followed.

Arrows on the road pointing to the left and no marshal at the junction. Surely the race organizer is some bit responsible.

Chips Lovell · 08-09-2014 10:07am

One lad went the right way. I was looking at him thinking "poor sod has do some chasing now" and then people started shouting that we'd taken the wrong turn....:o

smurphy29 · 08-09-2014 10:34am

LeoD wrote: »

Arrows on the road pointing to the left and no marshal at the junction. Surely the race organizer is some bit responsible.

The junction could certainly have done with a marshall, but the road markings were pointing the right way, at least the one I saw was.

goose06 · 08-09-2014 10:57am

A4's had no problems with the markings so to me that says it was marked out fine

Mugser · 08-09-2014 11:21am

I did notice with one junction, where the course veered to the right then up a slight incline and a secondary road went almost straight on, that there was a marshal there on the 1st lap (A4) but not on the subsequent ones. Was this where the problem occurred I wonder? https://www.google.ie/maps/@52.3273794,-8.7653359,3a,75y,206.46h,68.99t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sdjOB2Hr6n8QywouQSXJZjw!2e0?hl=en It was early enough in the lap too if that helps.

Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed what was my first stage race. I was considering before hand of giving this racing craic one last crack for the weekend and then give up racing... but the enjoyment I had this weekend has re-ignited my passion for racing to the extent where I'm sitting here doing out my winter training plan and wondering what I'm going to max out my credit card on next:p

J Madone · 08-09-2014 11:46am

LeoD wrote: »

Arrows on the road pointing to the left and no marshal at the junction. Surely the race organizer is some bit responsible.

You do know that You are meant to know the course, regardless of arrows suggesting the wrong way.

buffalo · 08-09-2014 12:10pm

Mugser wrote: »

I did notice with one junction, where the course veered to the right then up a slight incline and a secondary road went almost straight on, that there was a marshal there on the 1st lap (A4) but not on the subsequent ones. Was this where the problem occurred I wonder? https://www.google.ie/maps/@52.3273794,-8.7653359,3a,75y,206.46h,68.99t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sdjOB2Hr6n8QywouQSXJZjw!2e0?hl=en It was early enough in the lap too if that helps.

Nope, later than that - the race went wrong shortly just after the Dromcollogher sharp right turn. The error was handled very professionally - the break were told to sit up, and their gap was pegged at what it was before the detour. Once the main field had regrouped, the break were given leave to race again. The comms and race director were calm and controlled over the radio throughout, and the front riders probably went less than 100m off-course.

LeoD · 08-09-2014 12:22pm

J Madone wrote: »

You do know that You are meant to know the course, regardless of arrows suggesting the wrong way.

No I didn't know that when you approach unmanned junctions in a race you should know which route to take. It definitely takes the pressure off race organizers if marshalling junctions is optional.

J Madone · 08-09-2014 12:42pm

LeoD wrote: »

No I didn't know that when you approach unmanned junctions in a race you should know which route to take. It definitely takes the pressure off race organizers if marshalling junctions is optional.

Certainly does, thats the situation. Competitors must know the course. Normally a map around sign on with the route

LeoD · 08-09-2014 1:25pm

Taken before start of stage 3...

XtotheZ · 08-09-2014 1:39pm

any photos of the aul a3 race around? hectic fast race, got over the climb in the second group of 40 and got dropped the second time over and caught just outside Killmallock. I wasnt even pedaling squares, i was pedalling fecking bananas

buffalo · 08-09-2014 1:50pm

LeoD wrote: »

No I didn't know that when you approach unmanned junctions in a race you should know which route to take. It definitely takes the pressure off race organizers if marshalling junctions is optional.

Marshals are there to ask traffic outside the race to stop, particularly when they would normally have right of way over race traffic. They're also usually posted if there's a change in direction on a course. In this case, the race was continuing straight on past a minor side road, so a marshal was not essential.

Whether you blame the person who painted the arrows* or the race organiser for not blanking them out is up to yourself.

*Painting on the road is against regulations in many county districts. I don't know about Cork.

Arthurdaly · 08-09-2014 2:21pm

buffalo wrote: »

Marshals are there to ask traffic outside the race to stop, particularly when they would normally have right of way over race traffic. They're also usually posted if there's a change in direction on a course. In this case, the race was continuing straight on past a minor side road, so a marshal was not essential.

Whether you blame the person who painted the arrows* or the race organiser for not blanking them out is up to yourself.

*Painting on the road is against regulations in many county districts. I don't know about Cork.

The natural flow of the road was right and any GPS system would most likely not even alerted as to what the next move was. There was some faded directional instructions from a previous event but it was pretty clear the C2D directions but for some reason the guys following went left, I followed as I presumed someone in the bunch was local and knew better. Anyways it was no biggie and had no impact on the eventual outcome.

As usual the Charleville is a great race and season closer, well done and thanks to the organisers!

fixie fox · 08-09-2014 3:37pm

smurphy29 wrote: »

The junction could certainly have done with a marshall, but the road markings were pointing the right way, at least the one I saw was.

There are a lot of junctions like that on every race route - where the route continues on the main road that the race is on. It's unrealistic to expect organisers to find volunteers to man each one of them - it's very hard to get volunteers in a lot of cases. Anyway, as pointed out, route finding is the riders' responsibility.

Charleville 2 Day

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