Ireland's Biggest Sportives

afishyfish

Hi all,
I'm doing some market research to help me promote my own sportive http://www.cycleataxia.ie, and I was hoping some of you guys & gals could help me to identify the top 10 or 12 'leisure' cycles (sportives) in the country.
Everybody knows the big boys

• Ring of Kerry (11,000 cyclists)
• Wicklow 100/200
• Sean Kelly Tour of Waterford
• Cycle Against Suicide
• etc. etc.

Can anybody help me make this list more comprehensive?
I'm particularly interested in Leinster based events but would be keen to get a nationwide view.
Thanks all.

Leroy42

Are you talking big in terms of number of entrants, big in terms of difficulty level or big in terms of their 'standing'i.e. how they are organised, marshals etc?

Do you want a one route option like the recent Orwell Randonee or multiple routes to make it more widely open?

afishyfish

Sorry, I should have specified. These often go hand in hand, but of course it's not always the case.
I'm primarily looking for events which are big in terms of participation numbers.

afishyfish

Leroy42 wrote: »

Are you talking big in terms of number of entrants, big in terms of difficulty level or big in terms of their 'standing'i.e. how they are organised, marshals etc?

Do you want a one route option like the recent Orwell Randonee or multiple routes to make it more widely open?

Also I be more interested in events with a variety of challenges (tailored for multiple levels of ability), but again, it's not necessary. I don't want to narrow this down too much.

kildarecommuter

Leinster Loop always has good numbers, 3 routes

G1032

Tour De Connemara
2 routes (80km and 140km)

C-Shore

I think Wicklow 200 is about 2,000 so using that as a guide I know the Tour de Conamara does that number as well.

Great Dublin Bike Ride was even more I think.

afishyfish

Thanks for the tips guys. I'm hoping to hit 800 this year. I'll be on the 'big boy list' in a couple of years.

C-Shore

afishyfish wrote: »

Thanks for the tips guys. I'm hoping to hit 800 this year. I'll be on the 'big boy list' in a couple of years.

800 sportives? Lordy. I'm impressed!

Eamonnator

The Tour of Meath always attracts big numbers.
It is also one of the best organised.

Mercian Pro

Two key elements in any Sportif are signage and marshalling. You might get away with skimping on one but certainly not both. The Orwell Randonée wasn't particularly well marked but had a huge number of marshalls out on the route. Unless you have a medium/large cycling club or a motorbike club involved, you are unlikely to match that.
I wouldn't be too obsessed with getting big numbers in your first year as most of the current large Sportives started out small. You will also make mistakes first time out and hopefully learn from them (and from comments on Boards) for future editions. As mentioned elsewhere, how you fit in the Sportif calendar can be critical especially if you clash with something else in the locality.

Beasty

In terms of sheer "scale" of the event I think you need to include the NI Grand Fondo and the Great Dublin Bike ride.

Dades

The Ring of Beara cycle this year has about 3,500 apparantly.

https://www.facebook.com/ROBCycleKenmare/

Sinbad_NI

Giro fondo in NI had about 3300 last year across the 2 distances if I remember right.

afishyfish

Mercian Pro wrote: »

Two key elements in any Sportif are signage and marshalling. You might get away with skimping on one but certainly not both. The Orwell Randon e wasn't particularly well marked but had a huge number of marshalls out on the route. Unless you have a medium/large cycling club or a motorbike club involved, you are unlikely to match that.
I wouldn't be too obsessed with getting big numbers in your first year as most of the current large Sportives started out small. You will also make mistakes first time out and hopefully learn from them (and from comments on Boards) for future editions. As mentioned elsewhere, how you fit in the Sportif calendar can be critical especially if you clash with something else in the locality.

I'm going into my 3rd year.
I had 275 in 2014
517 in 2015.
Hoping to top 800 this year.
I invested in some decent signage last year. I have 2 clubs on board (Ratoath Wheelers & AshBurners)
Also hope to have up to 20 moto marshals (though I won't know for sure until closer the time)
All the same, I'm relatively confident course marking & marshLing will be to a high standard.
I think if I'm blessed with a dry day I'll get good numbers. Rain would certainly reduce the turn out.

As for timing, I'm trying to secure mid/late June, to slot between the Wicklow cycle & the ROK.

afishyfish

kildarecommuter wrote: »

Leinster Loop always has good numbers, 3 routes

Fantastic sportive. I regularly consult with the organisers.