Ras Mhaigh Eo 2016

yop

After a successful run over the last 2 years, Ras Mhaigh Eo 2 Day 2016 has a few minor shake ups but still promises to be a cracking race early in the cycling season. The road races will take place on the same routes that blew the Ras apart last May with crosswinds guaranteed! We are also introducing a shorter Time Trial to keep the GC interesting heading into Stage 2B. Additionally, we will be giving time bonuses for the top 3 in the road stages.

On top of that we are adding new prizes to cover a wider range of licenses and interestingly a Team Prize as traditionally we've had large numbers from traveling teams. We are using chip timing this year which will help us in providing a top quality race.

Ras Mhaigh Eo 2016 will be held over Saturday the 5th and Sunday the 6th of March which is slightly earlier than last year but promises to be an interesting test early in the season with big numbers expected.

Don't miss out, enter early as we expect huge interest.

Registration is online ONLY www.westportcc.ie/rasmhaigheo

Like us on Facebook for updates www.facebook.com/rasmhaigheo and www.facebook.com/WestportCoveyWheelers

Hmmzis

Signed up, can't wait. Will be my first stage race ever.

12 element

Any info on the A4 race?

daragh_

12 element wrote: »

Any info on the A4 race?

It's hard

Hope to do the A4 again this year. Great stage race by all accounts.

yop

12 element wrote: »

Any info on the A4 race?

We will have that open next week. Will be online registration.

I Will update here when its done.

Thanks

fondriest

Looking forward to this again, I think 7 of us heading up .

yop

fondriest wrote: »

Looking forward to this again, I think 7 of us heading up .

Ah good job. We've timing chips this year so it will save headaches for us this year
I'm even "hoping" to do my first A4 race on that Sunday. So looking forward to it (I think!)

PATJOE

Lots more prizes this year too!

Top 10 Overall,
Top 6 in stage 1,
Top 3 in Time Trial,
Top 6 in stage 2b,
Top 3 Juniors,
Top 3 VETS,
Unplaced A3,
Team Prize,


www.westportcc.ie/rasmhaigheo/

PATJOE

A4 race should be open in the next few days

equivariant

Last year's A4 Ras Maigh Eo was my first ever race of any kind - a baptism of fire for me Hoping to hang on a bit longer this time - looking forward to it.

markusz

equivariant wrote: »

Last year's A4 Ras Maigh Eo was my first ever race of any kind - a baptism of fire for me Hoping to hang on a bit longer this time - looking forward to it.

it was a good one alright. it was fairly handy for the first two thirds and then it was hammer time.

harringtonp

fondriest wrote: »

Looking forward to this again, I think 7 of us heading up .

From where ?

fondriest

harringtonp wrote: »

From where ?

Wexford

harringtonp

fondriest wrote: »

Wexford

That is a long way. Having said that the race course looks great if you like big scenic loops.

fondriest

harringtonp wrote: »

That is a long way. Having said that the race course looks great if you like big scenic loops.

Did it last year and enjoyed it , I'll bring the family and stay an extra night or two.

harringtonp

If anybody comes across a hotel or B&B in Westport with a decent room rate for the Saturday night could they post here or PM me. Anything I've looked at is either very expensive (they nearly all show reasonable prices midweek) or wanting you to book more than 1 night

Looks like the Celtic Tiger is sneaking back, at the Charleville 2 day a couple of years ago two of us got a room with breakfast included in the Charleville Park Hotel for 89 euro total on the Saturday night. None of the Westport hotels I've looked at are offering a room on the Saturday night for anything close to that.

equivariant

Can anyone confirm that the A4 route for this is the same as last year? (Might take a spin out there on Sunday if it is)

PATJOE

harringtonp wrote: »

If anybody comes across a hotel or B&B in Westport with a decent room rate for the Saturday night could they post here or PM me. Anything I've looked at is either very expensive (they nearly all show reasonable prices midweek) or wanting you to book more than 1 night

Looks like the Celtic Tiger is sneaking back, at the Charleville 2 day a couple of years ago two of us got a room with breakfast included in the Charleville Park Hotel for 89 euro total on the Saturday night. None of the Westport hotels I've looked at are offering a room on the Saturday night for anything close to that.

Did you get sorted?
You could try the Country Lodge Hotel, only 3k from Westport.

PATJOE

equivariant wrote: »

Can anyone confirm that the A4 route for this is the same as last year? (Might take a spin out there on Sunday if it is)

Yes it is the same Route with the first 10k or so neutralised

harringtonp

PATJOE wrote: »

Did you get sorted?
You could try the Country Lodge Hotel, only 3k from Westport.

I did thanks, took a bit of calling to get a place with vacancies. B&B on newport road 700m from sign on.

PATJOE

harringtonp wrote: »

I did thanks, took a bit of calling to get a place with vacancies. B&B on newport road 700m from sign on.

Good man. I just sent an email out there with some race details.

There as been a change to the route on day 1 due to road works.....
www.mapmyride.com/routes/fullscreen/1000406313/

JK.BMC

PATJOE wrote: »

Good man. I just an email out there with some race details.

There as been a change to the route on day 1 due to road works.....
www.mapmyride.com/routes/fullscreen/1000406313/

So- kick off at 2pm Saturday, yeah?
Tough conditions expected
Looking forward to it

PATJOE

Yes 2pm start. Roll out from the Leisure park at 1:50

yop

Weather is sound here while a good chunk of the country seems to be having issues with ice and snow.
Just a few notes for the weekend.

Saturday
11:00 Sign on opens
1:00 Sign on closes
1.45 Race briefing
1.50 Roll out
2:00 Race Start


Sunday
Stage 2A
Time Trial starts at 9am
Murrisk to Gannons Garage.

Stage 2B
11:30 Sign on opens
12:30 Sign on closes
1.10 Race briefing
1.20 Roll out A2/3
1:30 Race Start A2/3
1:30 Roll out A4
1:50 Race A4
5:30/6.00 Presentation in The Castlecourt Hotel



See you are registration Saturday, I'll be there at the desk.

equivariant

Really enjoyed the A4 today despite the rain. Everyone seemed to be pretty cautious and the race didn't really kick off until the last 30k. I managed to hang on with the front group until 10k to go but I got badly caught out on Langans hill (I wasn't the only one mind).

Any other boardsies there today?

yop

equivariant wrote: »

Really enjoyed the A4 today despite the rain. Everyone seemed to be pretty cautious and the race didn't really kick off until the last 30k. I managed to hang on with the front group until 10k to go but I got badly caught out on Langans hill (I wasn't the only one mind).

Any other boardsies there today?

I was with you. Finished with the first group.

Thanks to everyone who came down. Apologies on the delay in results. We've learned some lessons on it this year.
Hope everyone enjoyed the weekend. Met some nice people from various clubs at registration yesterday.

equivariant

yop wrote: »

I was with you. Finished with the first group.

Thanks to everyone who came down. Apologies on the delay in results. We've learned some lessons on it this year.
Hope everyone enjoyed the weekend. Met some nice people from various clubs at registration yesterday.

Who won the A4?

martin.mcevoy

Andrew Higgins from Ballina CC

JK.BMC

When/Where will the actual results be posted?
Great racing in tough conditions, with riders from the four provinces; would be nice to know how we ended up overall.
Thanks

thekooman

JK.BMC wrote: »

When/Where will the actual results be posted?
Great racing in tough conditions, with riders from the four provinces; would be nice to know how we ended up overall.
Thanks

Same as. Results would be nice. Had to head away after. Fair play to covies for organising a great weekends racing as always... A credit to their club.

yop

Lads,
We will get the results up today. We had a cockup with the GC where the guy doing the final results copied stage 3 over the GC, gave them to me and headed for the hills!
So I will get them off him today and we will get them up on the club website today or tomorrow at the latest. We need to get off to CI first and make sure that is done for those who earned points.

Thanks for the feedback and praise. We will DEFINITELY be going with large numbers next year, timing chip guy let us down at the death and he was to bring large numbers, but we will purchase our own now to make sure we avoid the 3 hours of pain we had Saturday tryin to figure out numbers. It will help those who mix up left and right shoulder...*cough cough*

harringtonp

equivariant wrote: »

Really enjoyed the A4 today despite the rain. Everyone seemed to be pretty cautious and the race didn't really kick off until the last 30k. I managed to hang on with the front group until 10k to go but I got badly caught out on Langans hill (I wasn't the only one mind).

Any other boardsies there today?

Did the 2 day and the Stage 2b would have been the same as yourselves. Whatever about the weather on Sunday, scenery was superb (brings back memories from other sports up that way) and organisation very good.

Day slightly marred for me as punctured 56K in and not a chance of getting back on (and thanks BTW to the lady from Dublin who loaned me her husbands spare front wheel).

harringtonp

yop wrote: »

Lads,
Thanks for the feedback and praise. We will DEFINITELY be going with large numbers next year, timing chip guy let us down at the death and he was to bring large numbers, but we will purchase our own now to make sure we avoid the 3 hours of pain we had Saturday tryin to figure out numbers. It will help those who mix up left and right shoulder...*cough cough*

Thought the small numbers were great. Very neat and strong and no flapping in the wind.

JK.BMC

harringtonp wrote: »

Did the 2 day and the Stage 2b would have been the same as yourselves. Whatever about the weather on Sunday, scenery was superb (brings back memories from other sports up that way) and organisation very good.

Day slightly marred for me as punctured 56K in and not a chance of getting back on (and thanks BTW to the lady from Dublin who loaned me her husbands spare front wheel).

Haha! That was my wheel!
And she is from Kildare
We are generous sorts you know
She is a bit lucky that I didn't puncture.....

yop

JK.BMC wrote: »

Haha! That was my wheel!
And she is from Kildare
We are generous sorts you know
She is a bit lucky that I didn't puncture.....

I was talking to her at registration, fair play to her.


Results are up:
http://www.westportcc.ie/2016/03/07/ras-mhaigh-eo-2016-results/

Chips Lovell

Thanks to all at Westport for a great weekend's racing. Everyone on the Orwell team really enjoyed it. It's a lovely part of the world and great to be able to race those roads.

12 element

Thanks to Westport for a brilliantly run event! It was my first ever A4 race so I wasn't sure what to expect. I was completely oblivious to the fact that someone had gotten away until about 4km to go but was delighted to take second place. The guy from Ballina rode a blinder to stay away on his own for so long and I'm sure he'll make a strong A3!

yop

12 element wrote: »

Thanks to Westport for a brilliantly run event! It was my first ever A4 race so I wasn't sure what to expect. I was completely oblivious to the fact that someone had gotten away until about 4km to go but was delighted to take second place. The guy from Ballina rode a blinder to stay away on his own for so long and I'm sure he'll make a strong A3!

I never spotted him either. He is a strong lad so best of luck to him in A3.

thekooman

16th overall on GC... delighted with that. Hid in the long grass for the 2 days and made the split in yesterdays stage.
great to see my clubmates taking control of the A4 race as well.

its a shame to only see 1 junior making the first 42 in yesterdays stage. i thought it was a young mans game!

yop

thekooman wrote: »

16th overall on GC... delighted with that. Hid in the long grass for the 2 days and made the split in yesterdays stage.
great to see my clubmates taking control of the A4 race as well.

its a shame to only see 1 junior making the first 42 in yesterdays stage. i thought it was a young mans wise mans game!

I fixed that for you

thekooman

yop wrote: »

I fixed that for you

i know you now so ill thank you the next time.

yop

thekooman wrote: »

i know you now so I will find you and I will kill you

I fixed that too

Do indeed, Ill be the one with the big red face been horsed out the back

yop

Jep Gambardella wrote: »

Thanks to all at Westport for a great weekend's racing. Everyone on the Orwell team really enjoyed it. It's a lovely part of the world and great to be able to race those roads.

I was messing with Sandra over yer wrong shoulder numbers.

Thank her for me please, as he helped me out when I came over the line in a heap and a half!

G1032

12 element wrote: »

Thanks to Westport for a brilliantly run event! It was my first ever A4 race so I wasn't sure what to expect. I was completely oblivious to the fact that someone had gotten away until about 4km to go but was delighted to take second place. The guy from Ballina rode a blinder to stay away on his own for so long and I'm sure he'll make a strong A3!

Word on the street is that it won't be long before you're joining him in A3 Well done on your great finish.

equivariant

Will the A4 results be posted?

harringtonp

JK.BMC wrote: »

Haha! That was my wheel!
And she is from Kildare
We are generous sorts you know
She is a bit lucky that I didn't puncture.....

Yes she was talking about killing me if you punctured and in the same breath you killing her. I reckoned I'd be safe enough though as you'd get her before she could get me

yop

Few pics from finish of the A4 race.

https://www.facebook.com/rasmhaigheo/?fref=photo

Hmmzis

Jep Gambardella wrote: »

Thanks to all at Westport for a great weekend's racing. Everyone on the Orwell team really enjoyed it. It's a lovely part of the world and great to be able to race those roads.

Second that, very enjoyable race and fantastic scenery and huge thanks to you and Sandra for doing support. Stage one was not quite as flat as I had imagined but managed to stay with the break and away from the bunch. Should have done better in the TT but the body just didn't respond also warming up for it was a challenge. Stage 2B was the coldest I've been on the bike ever. Chasing attacks was great, didn't have much left for an attack myself though. My team mates were fantastic in protecting my GC spot and policing the gap to the break.
Would love to do it again next year just need better/warmer gloves and the option to downgrade back to A2 next season. Or could do support instead and enjoy the scenery some more and the wine and beer and be more adventurous with food .

Taxuser1

Hmmzis wrote: »

Second that, very enjoyable race and fantastic scenery and huge thanks to you and Sandra for doing support. Stage one was not quite as flat as I had imagined but managed to stay with the break and away from the bunch. Should have done better in the TT but the body just didn't respond also warming up for it was a challenge. Stage 2B was the coldest I've been on the bike ever. Chasing attacks was great, didn't have much left for an attack myself though. My team mates were fantastic in protecting my GC spot and policing the gap to the break.
Would love to do it again next year just need better/warmer gloves and the option to downgrade back to A2 next season. Or could do support instead and enjoy the scenery some more and the wine and beer and be more adventurous with food .

savage riding for your limited race experience in general and it being only your second race this season. I'm just glad you're not around Corkagh next weekend :-)

thekooman

Hmmzis wrote: »

Second that, very enjoyable race and fantastic scenery and huge thanks to you and Sandra for doing support. Stage one was not quite as flat as I had imagined but managed to stay with the break and away from the bunch. Should have done better in the TT but the body just didn't respond also warming up for it was a challenge. Stage 2B was the coldest I've been on the bike ever. Chasing attacks was great, didn't have much left for an attack myself though. My team mates were fantastic in protecting my GC spot and policing the gap to the break.
Would love to do it again next year just need better/warmer gloves and the option to downgrade back to A2 next season. Or could do support instead and enjoy the scenery some more and the wine and beer and be more adventurous with food .

well done.

it was funny seeing lads in just a base layer, shorts, jersey and mitts.
i had the Galibier tempest gloves and in the light rain they were perfect. On "proper" whest winter days they aren't!

Esroh

Lads you can all come back to Mayo for the Ballinrobe 3 day April 30 to May 2nd.