sportives in 32 counties

spudbike

As a failed runner - its just too hard on the body - I've taken to the bike and have gotten hooked. Did my first 100K 2 years ago and last year I completed 6/7 sportives of 100K and over. This year I've set myself a long term challenge - well over 3 years or so (work, family kids etc determine the timeline) - complete a sportive event in every county in Ireland. Passing through a county doesn't count. It has to start and finish in the same county.
Here's what I've done/planned for 2015:
Done
Skoda Series 100K (Sligo)
Western Lakes Atlantic Challenge 144k (Galway)
An Post Tour of Sligo (160K) - (Sligo) Ok Sligo again - I live there !

Coming up
May Lough Key Challenge 120K (Roscommon)
June Wicklow 200 (Wicklow)
July Ring of Kerry
Maybe An Post in Meath or Waterford
Giro de Baile an Chaisle 120k (Mayo)
Yeats 200 (Leitrim)

Anyone got any other ideas or good spins that I should look at consider.

Eamonnator

Mount Leinster Challenge- Starts in Wexford.May 16th
Tour of Louth- Starts in Louth.
Pat Halligan Sportive- Starts in Dublin. May 9th
Lap the Lough-Co. Tyrone. August 30th
Gran Fondo Giro d'Italia- Antrim June 21st

BGT

Leinster Loop 130 kms 16th August 2015 (Kildare) www.leinsterloop.com

Iwernia

How did you miss this and it so close to you,

http://www.donegalbaycyclingclub.com/leisure/


never mind put it in the diary for next year.

mcgratheoin

Tour de Burren in Clare

Rebel Tour in Cork - in September so more or less the end of the season

Quickpip

spudbike wrote: »

As a failed runner - its just too hard on the body - I've taken to the bike and have gotten hooked. Did my first 100K 2 years ago and last year I completed 6/7 sportives of 100K and over. This year I've set myself a long term challenge - well over 3 years or so (work, family kids etc determine the timeline) - complete a sportive event in every county in Ireland. Passing through a county doesn't count. It has to start and finish in the same county.
Here's what I've done/planned for 2015:
Done
Skoda Series 100K (Sligo)
Western Lakes Atlantic Challenge 144k (Galway)
An Post Tour of Sligo (160K) - (Sligo) Ok Sligo again - I live there !

Coming up
May Lough Key Challenge 120K (Roscommon)
June Wicklow 200 (Wicklow)
July Ring of Kerry
Maybe An Post in Meath or Waterford
Giro de Baile an Chaisle 120k (Mayo)
Yeats 200 (Leitrim)

Anyone got any other ideas or good spins that I should look at consider.

16/08 2015 August Inishowen 100 160km Foyle CC Donegal
23/08/2015 ETAPE MOURNE chain Reaction 110km with about 2000 meters of climbing around South Down.
12/09/2015 September Giants Causeway Coast sportive 182km Antrim

spudbike

Iwernia, Donegal clashed with Confirmation this year - on the list for 2016 tho'.

happyhappy

The remaining 5 in the skoda series will cover 5 more counties for you, Cavan, Wexford, cork, Mayo and Louth


http://www.fitmagazine.ie/magazine/article/shkoda-cycle-series-2015-are-you-a-warrior-or-a-legend

Buzwaldo

Tour de Kilkenny is traditionally on Saturday of August bank holiday weekend, with the Wexford Wheelers Sportive (Tour of Wexford?) on the following day. Chance to nab two distant ones the same weekend.

spudbike

Buzwaldo, that's a great idea. Was planning for Giro de Bhaile an Chaise on Baalycastle Mayo that weekend but this seems like a better idea. Now to get a pass from her indoors for the Bank Holiday weekend

cdaly_

Come visit on http://www.audaxireland.org. Minimum spin distance is 200km and you get to visit every little back road/boreen in the country...

Thekeencyclist

Longford Cycle Tour from what I understand is on June 21st this year.

siochain

The Peatlands Tour 2015 https://www.facebook.com/events/1683481025212872/permalink/1683481878546120/ 16/05/2015 40 km 80 km
Cavan Challenge 2015 http://www.fitmagazine.ie/events/race/skoda-cycle-series-cavan-challenge 12/06/2015 50 km 80 km 160 km
Ballagh Challenge http://www.ballaghcyclingchallenge.com/ 22/06/2015 40 km 90 km

marvin80

There's two in South Tipp that are quite good - some nice climbs in them:

August Bank Holiday usually, Suir Valley 3 day race is on this weekend, the sportive is part of it.
http://suirvalley3day.com/index.php/tour-de-suir/tour-de-suir-100km-sportive/

Sunday May 24th
http://www.comeraghtour.com/route-map.html

mcgratheoin

marvin80 wrote: »

There's two in South Tipp that are quite good - some nice climbs in them:

In what alternative reality is the Comeragh tour in South Tipperary? Even the Tour de Suir is mostly in Waterford!

mossym

mcgratheoin wrote: »

Rebel Tour in Cork - in September so more or less the end of the season

mcgratheoin wrote: »

In what alternative reality is the Comeragh tour in South Tipperary? Even the Tour de Suir is mostly in Waterford!

the irony. sure the rebel tour is mostly in Kerry

Buzwaldo

Hey Spidbike, this sounds like a great idea / recipe for divorce (delete as appropriate).
It's doable with planning and the right timeframe. Would be great if you could keep us posted periodically on progress in this thread.
While the cycling Ireland calender is a good resource, there are smaller sportives / community spins that don't find their way on there and might plug a gap at an appropriate time/ county.
Other than the 3 organised by cycling clubs in kilkenny there are at least 2 others in the county that exceed 100 k.
Let us know on here if you have any particular weekend free or area you need to hit.
Best of luck with it.

mcgratheoin

mossym wrote: »

the irony. sure the rebel tour is mostly in Kerry

60k out of 160 is an odd version of mostly - the Comeragh tour has less than 5km in Tipperary. Anyway the OP said he wanted his routes to start and finish in the same county to qualify. Tour de Suir would be Tipperary, Rebel Tour is Cork, Comeragh tour or the Sean Kelly is Waterford.

marvin80

mcgratheoin wrote: »

In what alternative reality is the Comeragh tour in South Tipperary? Even the Tour de Suir is mostly in Waterford!

My bad - the Comeragh Tour is in Waterford. The Tour de Suir is mostly in Waterford, but starts and finsihes in Clonmel so we'll say it's a Tipperary sportive!!

ford2600

mcgratheoin wrote: »

60k out of 160 is an odd version of mostly - the Comeragh tour has less than 5km in Tipperary. Anyway the OP said he wanted his routes to start and finish in the same county to qualify.

Comeragh tour starts and finishes in Co Waterford. It never crosses Suir.

Let me know how you go telling the Carrickbeg lads they are from Tipp...

It does cross into Borough council areas of Carrick and Clonmel though. Old Bridge area in Clonmel might be a better bet for your Tipp territory but thread carefully :-)

mcgratheoin

ford2600 wrote: »

Comeragh tour starts and finishes in Co Waterford. It never crosses Suir.

Let me know how you go telling the Carrickbeg lads they are from Tipp...

It does cross into Borough council areas of Carrick and Clonmel though. Old Bridge area in Clonmel might be a better bet for your Tipp territory but thread carefully :-)

The 5k(ish) I was talking about would be in Clonmel alright - I thought the south side of the river in Clonmel town was Tipperary. Raheen & Oldbridge areas - I'd never dream of lumping Carrickbeg in with Tipp!

spudbike

mcgratheoin wrote: »

The 5k(ish) I was talking about would be in Clonmel alright - I thought the south side of the river in Clonmel town was Tipperary. Raheen & Oldbridge areas - I'd never dream of lumping Carrickbeg in with Tipp!

Tp settle the Tipp Waterford debate. I'll do the An Post event in Waterford. Still looking for ideas for Carlow, Offaly Westmeath and Dublin too though

mcgratheoin

spudbike wrote: »

Tp settle the Tipp Waterford debate. I'll do the An Post event in Waterford. Still looking for ideas for Carlow, Offaly Westmeath and Dublin too though

Carlow - Carlow cycling club run a few events during the year - maybe the Humpy 100? http://www.carlowcycling.ie/events/4558981415

Offaly - Tour of the Midlands? http://www.irishheart.ie/iopen24/sean-kelly-tour-midlands-2015-t-10_26_1298.html

Westmeath - Tour of the Lakes http://www.lakesidewheelers.ie/tourofthelakes2014

I'll let some of the club members from Dublin try to sell you their sportives

spudbike

Roscommon ticked off the list. Did the Lough Key Challenge at the weekend from Boyle. Nice feature of this was optional King of the Mountains Challenge that added an additional 10k to overall distance and sent us opting to take the challenge up the 18% (yep) Staunton's Brae and onto Kilronan mountain. Good day out all round. So 3 down 29 to go.... Wicklow next up.

Slo_Rida

This Sunday:
http://www.limerickcc.com/limerick-classic-tour-2015/

spudbike

That's Wicklow ticked off my "32 county sportive" challenge. Did the Wicklow 200 yesterday. Really enjoyable day out and great to challenge myself against some iconic climbs of Irish cycling. So, 4 down. (Sligo, Galway, Roscommon & Wicklow). Busy with family stuff next 2 weekends, so next thing planned is Ring of Kerry. However I'm also looking for an event for June 27/28 - that's not in any of the counties named above - any suggestions?

mcgratheoin

spudbike wrote: »

That's Wicklow ticked off my "32 county sportive" challenge. Did the Wicklow 200 yesterday. Really enjoyable day out and great to challenge myself against some iconic climbs of Irish cycling. So, 4 down. (Sligo, Galway, Roscommon & Wicklow). Busy with family stuff next 2 weekends, so next thing planned is Ring of Kerry. However I'm also looking for an event for June 27/28 - that's not in any of the counties named above - any suggestions?

Explore Mayo Sportive on the 27th in Castlebar or the Causeway Gran Fondo in Antrim on the 28th,

There's a list of all the cycling Ireland sanctioned events on their website click here

Buzwaldo

Buzwaldo wrote: »

Tour de Kilkenny is traditionally on Saturday of August bank holiday weekend, with the Wexford Wheelers Sportive (Tour of Wexford?) on the following day. Chance to nab two distant ones the same weekend.

Hey Spud, I hope you weren't planning on using your bank holiday weekend to nab these two events. Just heard today that the Tour of Wexford is postponed until September
https://www.facebook.com/WexfordWheelersCyclingClub?fref=ts

Anyway, I can assure you that the Tour de Kilkenny is going ahead on Saturday August 1st.

How are you progressing??

spudbike

Thanks for info Buzwaldo, but as Wexford out of the picture this weekend will head for Giro d'Baile in Mayo on Sunday. Since last post have done Ring of Kerry - what a shakedown, wouldn't do it again in a hurry , too expensive and too congested - and did Tour of Meath last Sunday in horrendous weather. Yeats 200 is coming up in Leitrim in Sept as is Causeway Coast in Antrim, if I do these 2 that'll leave me on 9 counties for the year , SO, RN, G, KY, W, MH, MO, LM, ANTRIM, which I'll be happy enough with for 2015. Not ruling anything else out, but to maintain domestic diplomacy anything after that is a bonus.

spudbike

So missed out on Giro d'Bhaile in Mayo - domestic diplomacy. Did Tour of Kildare. Great fast flat spin. Really enjoyable. Well done Naas CC. Good value and good cause supported. Plan was Yeats 200 next in Leitrim and Causeway Coast in Antrim, but.....
Out for spin on at the weekend and a fool of dog ran out chased front wheel and ended up under wheel. Helmet saved head and lots of road burn and today I discover that ache and stiffness in my shoulder is caused by broken collarbone. F#@% that.
So I'll be out of the saddle for a while. Hope to be ready for Croi in Tullamore in October. That bloody dog....

WhatsGoingOn2

If you are back for October, you might be able to cross Kilkenny off your list:

http://www.deensidewheelers.com/leisure/castlecomerchallenge

spudbike

Still out of action. It turns out collarbone not broken, however SC joint dislocated and T1 rib broken. Hospital presume ligament damage too.Sling for 3 more weeks. Regardless cant cycle or drive. With only 7 counties knocked of list have serious planning to di for 2016 to catch up. That bloody dog.

Esroh

spudbike wrote: »

Still out of action. It turns out collarbone not broken, however SC joint dislocated and T1 rib broken. Hospital presume ligament damage too.Sling for 3 more weeks. Regardless cant cycle or drive. With only 7 counties knocked of list have serious planning to di for 2016 to catch up. That bloody dog.

Spud. I was really taken by your 32 plan its a great goal and hope you recovery goes well. I had great plans for 2015 (my 50th) and have been on the bike 4 times.
The calander of events stays pretty much the same so maybe use the time to start the road plan of the 32. Once your back u will have had the winter break so you can restart you training a few weeks early. You can aim for 32 long routes ;-).

spudbike

Well got the show back on the road this past Sunday with the Leitrim Cycling Club's Tour of Leitrim. A grand 101k spin on a nice day. Thankfully the recent fall hasn't made me nervous or anything and it was just the inactivity of the last few weeks that left me struggling for the last few flat kms. Anyway its good to be back in action. So the plan goes ahead - Leitrim off the list. So as it stands now Galway, Roscommon, Sligo, Leitrim, Meath, Kildare, Wicklow and Kerry ticked off. Doesn't seem to be a whole pile one the cycling Ireland leisure calendar for the next 2 weekends that grabs my attention, but if anyone has any suggestions................

Exiled1

Castlecomer challenge on 16 October is a good 100k with a sting in the tail. Begins and ends in Co. Kilkenny and much easier than the Tour de Kilkenny 1st weekend in August.

spudbike

Any suggestions for 2016?

Iwernia

http://www.donegalbaycyclingclub.com/leisure/

spudbike

Thanks for that Iwernia. Mighty value at 15 notes. Will aim for the 140K there. Finally something to focus on and train for.

Unknown Soldier

Iwernia wrote: »

http://www.donegalbaycyclingclub.com/leisure/

The ride details, rules and warnings etc on that are just excellent.
If there was ever a template for others, I think this comes pretty close!

Well done Donegal Bay Cycling Club!

Hu Deman

Blazing saddles Trip to Tipp For NCBI always a great cycle with two or three routes each year.held around middle of August

Iwernia

Here is the Facebook event link....

https://www.facebook.com/events/178742669146703/

And here is a deal we received for the weekend of the event in the local hotel..

We are delighted to announce special rates for anyone wishing to stay over night for our leisure event in April in conjunction with the Abbey Hotel Donegal Town.
Weekend Rates for 1 B&B for 2 people €139
Weekend Rates for 1 B&B + 1 Dinner for 2 people €179
Weekend Rates for 2 B&B for €104 PPS
Weekend Rates for 2 B&B + 1 Dinner €124 PPS
ADD A THIRD NIGHT B&B FOR ONLY €45 PPS


http://www.abbeyhoteldonegal.com/?gclid=Cj0KEQiAr8W2BRD2qbCOv8_H7qEBEiQA1ErTBq6HuPRV8wOrPTy8E8l4exiV5Rcz0NOQouiezu9s-QsaAlnN8P8HAQ


Just mighty value all round.

spudbike

So with 2016 almost complete another few counties knocked off the list DL, WH, CE, MO, WD, and Antrim. That's 15 done. Muster and ulster proving to be logistically tougher than I anticipated. Anyway on to 2017. Any suggestions? Looking for Tipp, Limerick, Longford, Offaly, Cavan suggestions. Or any biggish event.
I've started so I'll finish......

Sinbad_NI

Sorry haven't read it all but Lap of the lough will hit Tyrone Armagh Down Antrim and Derry for you.

spudbike

Sinbad_NI wrote: »

Sorry haven't read it all but Lap of the lough will hit Tyrone Armagh Down Antrim and Derry for you.

Have Lap the Lough on the hit list for 2017. Looks like good event.

Sinbad_NI

spudbike wrote:

Have Lap the Lough on the hit list for 2017. Looks like good event.

Its decent enough. Pretty flat and gets a lot of people new to cycling doing it as a challenge.

Its always sold out so get it booked in before end if spring at latest I'd say.
2k cap on numbers.

ednwireland

Sinbad_NI wrote: »

Its decent enough. Pretty flat and gets a lot of people new to cycling doing it as a challenge.

Its always sold out so get it booked in before end if spring at latest I'd say.
2k cap on numbers.

Done 3 of them was getting v expensive with exchange rate might be cheaper next year.

An post events pricing themselves out of the market as well.

Eamonnator

spudbike wrote: »

Have Lap the Lough on the hit list for 2017. Looks like good event.

I've done Lap the Lough 6 times. Its a great event, well organised, well run, good food, great scenery. If they finish it in the same place as this year, the view at the Start/Finish is breathtaking.

spudbike

Peatlands challenge is too short - the criteria I've set for this is that it has to be 100k. Offaly does seem to have plenty of sportives though.

That Cavan cycle - if thats the Skoda one Its been cancelled twice this year. Not sure whats going on there.

Two good options there for Tipp - south Tipp is a long journey down from the NW though - anything happening up North Tipp that you know off

Chuchote

ednwireland wrote: »

Done 3 of them was getting v expensive with exchange rate might be cheaper next year.

Is there a list/stickied list anywhere of sportives in Ireland with dates and prices?

68 lost souls

Chuchote wrote: »

Is there a list/stickied list anywhere of sportives in Ireland with dates and prices?

This would probably be the closest http://www.cyclingireland.ie/page/events/events-calendar-2016/leisure-events

Carawaystick

spudbike wrote: »

That Cavan cycle - if thats the Skoda one Its been cancelled twice this year. Not sure whats going on there.

The Dying Light goes through Cavan... For about 3 out of 200km though