Is racing in Ireland getting the same exposure as previous years?

jimbobaloobob

Haven't been racing in a few years myself due to work so haven't been in the loop as much, in saying that it seems that results are slower to appear online or race reports.

Has racing taking a bit of a dip? Seems there arent as many strong clubs around the country with more focus on sponsor teams coming to the fore.

I know this is generalising a bit but is racing going through a lull or is it not getting the same exposure?

JimmiesRustled

jimbobaloobob wrote: »

Haven't been racing in a few years myself due to work so haven't been in the loop as much, in saying that it seems that results are slower to appear online or race reports.

Has racing taking a bit of a dip? Seems there arent as many strong clubs around the country with more focus on sponsor teams coming to the fore.

I know this is generalising a bit but is racing going through a lull or is it not getting the same exposure?

With big races like Rás dhun na ngall and the visit Nenagh classic cancelled this year as well as the Rás itself being unable to find a sponsor it does look as if racing in the country has taken a bit of a dip compared to recent years. There was also some rumours surrounding the Suir Valley, some people had mentioned it may be cancelled too.

jimbobaloobob

JimmiesRustled wrote: »

With big races like Rás dhun na ngall and the visit Nenagh classic cancelled this year as well as the Rás itself being unable to find a sponsor it does look as if racing in the country has taken a bit of a dip compared to recent years. There was also some rumours surrounding the Suir Valley, some people had mentioned it may be cancelled too.

Yea true enough. The impact those races have on publicity is substantial
In other years I would have thought sportives were taking from racing but with cancellation by an Post it would appear there's less sportives aswell to impact on racing.

1bryan

jimbobaloobob wrote: »

Haven't been racing in a few years myself due to work so haven't been in the loop as much, in saying that it seems that results are slower to appear online or race reports.

Has racing taking a bit of a dip? Seems there arent as many strong clubs around the country with more focus on sponsor teams coming to the fore.

I know this is generalising a bit but is racing going through a lull or is it not getting the same exposure?

cycling in general is going through a lull. Lots of events being cancelled due to lack of interest/demand.

I think the apathy stems from a few things. One, the weather being so crap for so long putting people off getting out on the bike. Two, after a brief glimmer of hope that pro cycling was finally determined to clean itself up, along come Sky and knock that theory to oblivion. Three, how dangerous it is to cycle in Ireland these days, and the lack of any interest by our law enforcement agency or our politicians to do anything about it.

My own interest has been whittled down from being dead keen on doing events/races, to just getting out by myself for an early morning spin on a saturday/sunday. Don't think I'm alone there either.

Borderfox

People just want to get out on their bikes and don't want to be contstrained by any rules/routes/racing just back to the essence of the freedom of the bike

daragh_

As a counterpoint - My club has had a big increase in members racing over the last couple of years - from A1 to A4 plus a corresponding uptake in Club League/IVCA and leisure participation

We took a decision to cap our membership this year but if we had the resources we could easily be twice the size.

jimbobaloobob

daragh_ wrote: »

As a counterpoint - My club has had a big increase in members racing over the last couple of years - from A1 to A4 plus a corresponding uptake in Club League/IVCA and leisure participation

We took a decision to cap our membership this year but if we had the resources we could easily be twice the size.

That's interesting to hear Daragh. What has changed in the club to encourage that?
My own club has seen the opposite over the last few years.

dragratchet

jimbobaloobob wrote: »

That's interesting to hear Daragh. What has changed in the club to encourage that?
My own club has seen the opposite over the last few years.

its our really nice kit :pac:

eeeee

dragratchet wrote: »

its our really nice kit :pac:

Now that's just not true :P

Almost every member of my club races and that's remained the same. The new intermediate league for women is helping more women get out on the road, and numbers are bigger than last year, although still smaller than the year before. We are still in the hapenny place in comparison to the men though, but hoping this will change. More progress will only encourage more women to race.

DKmac

From what I can see the numbers are definitely down on the past few years. I've heard talk of lads not racing A4 anymore instead turning up to Sportives and approaching them like a race.

On a grander scale, there was a huge opportunity to capitalise on the Giro a few years ago and even the 1999 Tour Grand Depart much like London & Yorkshire did with the Olympics and Grand Depart and it seems Cycling Ireland just didn't.

The Tour de Yorkshire and London-Surrey Classic are both now very successful legacy events from these bigger races. The Gran Fondo NI, which was the only legacy from the Giro now also seems to be scrapped too from what I see.

The point being that if you capture peoples interest in the sport you need to keep it which is what London and Yorkshire did. A legacy annual one day race with a weekend of events (leisure or amateur racing) built around it would have been ideal but the opportunity for now is lost.

Lumen

DKmac wrote: »

From what I can see the numbers are definitely down on the past few years. I've heard talk of lads not racing A4 anymore instead turning up to Sportives and approaching them like a race.

I can understand people who have never raced riding a sportive in what they think is a racy fashion (I have fond memories of doing the same in the Tour of Louth around 2010), but people with actual racing experience doing this?

Chips Lovell

I've never understood people "racing" a sportive when they could do an actual race.

Anyway, I seriously doubt the Froome Salbutamol case is putting anyone off signing on for an A4 race.

daragh_

jimbobaloobob wrote: »

That's interesting to hear Daragh. What has changed in the club to encourage that?
My own club has seen the opposite over the last few years.

We've a very active committee but really it's down to a critical mass of very active racers - who are very happy to encourage newer members.

Wishbone Ash

nee wrote: »

...Almost every member of my club races and that's remained the same....

Is your club not a pure racing club though?

1bryan

Baron de Charlus wrote: »

I've never understood people "racing" a sportive when they could do an actual race.

Anyway, I seriously doubt the Froome Salbutamol case is putting anyone off signing on for an A4 race.

it might stop new people coming into the sport, so I would tend to disagree. Whatever the real reason, something is causing loss of numbers/interest.

eeeee

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

Is your club not a pure racing club though?

Pretty much yeah, it's a discipline specific club so you don't have to race. I can't think of anyone in it that doesn't race though, some race a lot more than others.

Harrybelafonte

nee wrote: »

Pretty much yeah, it's a discipline specific club so you don't have to race. I can't think of anyone in it that doesn't race though, some race a lot more than others.

There are a number of longer term riders who don’t race at all any more. They appear out of nowhere sometimes in club kit and disappear as quickly. Met one in slacken one morning a few years ago and never saw him since.

rodneyTrotter.

Clubs need to be more open to new members and active in the area . It can feel like a closed shop with certain clubs regarding joining or even getting back an email . I’ve found running clubs a lot more open in that regard .

gmacww

DKmac wrote: »

From what I can see the numbers are definitely down on the past few years. I've heard talk of lads not racing A4 anymore instead turning up to Sportives and approaching them like a race.

This comes up every now and then. How do you mean approaching it like a race? If the goal is being first home or having the quickest time then yeah that's a bit ridiculous. If however you're on a sportive and someone flies past you maybe that's just the way and speed at which they cycle?

I train with lads that race (1 ex pro) and bar the rare slow casual spin they just happen to ride at a very quick tempo. It's relatively easy for them to cruise around at an average of 28-30kph.

DKmac

gmacww wrote: »

This comes up every now and then. How do you mean approaching it like a race? If the goal is being first home or having the quickest time then yeah that's a bit ridiculous. If however you're on a sportive and someone flies past you maybe that's just the way and speed at which they cycle?

I train with lads that race (1 ex pro) and bar the rare slow casual spin they just happen to ride at a very quick tempo. It's relatively easy for them to cruise around at an average of 28-30kph.

What I've been told is that certain lads have given up on A4 because they thought it was too dangerous and have decided to treat sportives as a race i.e. first to the finish with a smaller bunch of guys with a similar idea. Like I said this is anecdotal maybe Sportive numbers are down too and it doesn't stack up.

harringtonp

DKmac wrote: »

What I've been told is that certain lads have given up on A4 because they thought it was too dangerous and have decided to treat sportives as a race i.e. first to the finish with a smaller bunch of guys with a similar idea. Like I said this is anecdotal maybe Sportive numbers are down too and it doesn't stack up.

I would have said this always existed in some sportives. Etape Hibernia a few years back comes to mind (it was chipped though) and the one time I did the SK it felt like that. You don't get the surges you do in races or the attacks but if you have a strong bunch of guys they are definitely likely to ride hard at the front.

Chips Lovell

harringtonp wrote: »

You don't get the surges you do in races or the attacks but if you have a strong bunch of guys they are definitely likely to ride hard at the front.

I've seen both. Lads jumping on hills and other lads jumping to get on to their wheels. Or roaring at people who don't respond to "attacks" before riding around them.

harringtonp

And to the OP I would have said a lull as well. Look at the number of A4's who entered Kanturk this year, was almost wondering was it a mistake. Gorey too.

And as regards races been pulled I would go as far as saying the calendar is decimated compared to say 4 years ago. I've browsed through May and June and decided to have a break racing for these months. I do go to races (have done 5 including Gorey so far this year) but generally will think hard about it if I have to travel more than 2 hours each way. Living in West Clare that means races within about an hour of Limerick or Galway and loads of these have vanished in the last few years. Some races I've done in the past 5 years which no longer exist are:

- Two races in Loughrea (Derrybrien and Carrabane)
- Athenry
- Visit Nenagh
- Crotty Cup Clare
- Ras Clar
- Clonlara
- Broadford hilly (could argue replaced by Rathkeale perhaps...)

On the other hand the club racing league scene in Clare is booming, almost the inverse of the way open races is going. There are two leagues in the county. One moved to preregistration to limit numbers and the other will regularly have 50+ riders and up to 4 groups. This coming from 4-5 years ago where there was one league and you were doing really well if you got 30 riders.

gmacww

DKmac wrote: »

What I've been told is that certain lads have given up on A4 because they thought it was too dangerous and have decided to treat sportives as a race i.e. first to the finish with a smaller bunch of guys with a similar idea. Like I said this is anecdotal maybe Sportive numbers are down too and it doesn't stack up.

OK I get ya. A4 can be dangerous but switching to a sportive and having your "racing" group is just plain ridiculous. I've no issue with people setting a time to try and do say the W200 in and going for that. I've gotten into some groups on sportives that were motoring because there were a good collection of strong riders many of whom raced. I've never seen people trying to respond to an attack or anything like that and to be honest that's just madness.

Sportive numbers for some events are up and on the same token similar with races many have gone. I know our club ran two but that's down to one now this year. Many others have had big issues around sponsorship and support.

For races though the cost of running them has increased and this has had the obvious knock on affect.