Race Around Ireland 2019

Harrybelafonte

I may have missed the thread on this already but couldn't see.

Details are here: https://racearoundireland.com/ and you can follow the dots here: https://gps.blackblox.si/race/54

daragh_

VCB putting the hammer down in the 4 Man.

Lusk_Doyle

daragh_ wrote: »

VCB putting the hammer down in the 4 Man.

A great bunch of lads who have worked very hard to prepare for this race.

Gallant_JJ

What time did the Balrothery lads start, they look to be going well?

daragh_

Theres a handy leaderboard here which will give you an idea of the times

https://racearoundireland.com/standings

daragh_

VCB's estimated finish time is 67:43 which would be very good - but it's early days. Lot's of hard roads still to cover.

Harrybelafonte

They’ve been well ahead of their own estimates from the get go so it’s looking very positive.

daragh_

daragh_

VCB still going really well in the 4 man category. I reckon they'll hit Galway at rush hour - which is a total pain when you are trying to stay near your follow car.

They'll be doing the bit down to Spanish Point and inland to Limerick in the dark. The fatigue really kicks in soon - for riders and crew.

I'm totally jealous

Lusk_Doyle

Weepsie wrote: »

Any boardsies on the VCB team as I know they've a few members here?

Koutoubia is on the crew. Not sure if RobFowl is on the crew also.

Lusk_Doyle

daragh_ wrote: »

VCB still going really well in the 4 man category. I reckon they'll hit Galway at rush hour - which is a total pain when you are trying to stay near your follow car.

It will be a while before they get there by the looks of it so should be ok traffic-wise.

ht9zni1gs28crp

daragh_ wrote: »

VCB still going really well in the 4 man category. I reckon they'll hit Galway at rush hour - which is a total pain when you are trying to stay near your follow car.

They'll be doing the bit down to Spanish Point and inland to Limerick in the dark. The fatigue really kicks in soon - for riders and crew.

I'm totally jealous

You dont have to be near your follow car at all, its daylight hours.

Lusk_Doyle

miller_63 wrote: »

You dont have to be near your follow car at all, its daylight hours.

Greater chance of getting lost though if the car is not close by and the radio can be dodgy.

Lusk_Doyle

That part of the country, approaching Maam cross, is a horrible bit of road. It's bad enough in the car, never mind on the bike.

ht9zni1gs28crp

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

Greater chance of getting lost though if the car is not close by and the radio can be dodgy.

Fail to prepare, prepare to fail.

Routes are easily found and applied to garmin devices.

Lusk_Doyle

miller_63 wrote: »

Fail to prepare, prepare to fail.

Routes are easily found and applied to garmin devices.

Christ, you're harsh. Mistakes can and do happen. Particularly if there is heavy traffic and a rider is in an unfamiliar place.

Harrybelafonte

Weepsie wrote: »

Any boardsies on the VCB team as I know they've a few members here?

I’m heading down tomorrow to help out until the finish line so I’ll pump out a few updates if possible.

daragh_

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

miller_63 wrote: »

Fail to prepare, prepare to fail.

Routes are easily found and applied to garmin devices.

Christ, you're harsh. Mistakes can and do happen. Particularly if there is heavy traffic and a rider is in an unfamiliar place.

100%. Navigating with a Garmin is fine but it's much better to have the car with you. One wrong turn can cost you a lead as many very well prepared teams have discovered.

cython

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

Christ, you're harsh. Mistakes can and do happen. Particularly if there is heavy traffic and a rider is in an unfamiliar place.

Not to mention that the published GPX is wrong around Galway (as well as around the Dark Hedges). They announced the former at the briefing but a fatigued rider could still forget to compensate.

wanderer 22

daragh_ wrote: »

100%. Navigating with a Garmin is fine but it's much better to have the car with you. One wrong turn can cost you a lead as many very well prepared teams have discovered.

This is bringing back memories of being sent the wrong way for 25k...

ht9zni1gs28crp

Its only harsh if your not taking it seriously though!

daragh_

VCB are unlikely to be caught in the 4 man now. Great job by them.

Harrybelafonte

Just checking there myself and agree.

sullivlo

daragh_ wrote: »

100%. Navigating with a Garmin is fine but it's much better to have the car with you. One wrong turn can cost you a lead as many very well prepared teams have discovered.

We got separated from our cyclist in Killarney a few years ago. He had the file on his garmin but the file missed a roundabout so he took the wrong turn and ended up going for miles before someone could find him.

Seems to be a good race between the two 8-man teams.

yop

Met with the Make-A-Wish crew yesterday as I'd know a few of them. It was very muggy, no wind which helped the riders. Roads were mad busy though. With lack of sleep and tiredness its easy to see how they might make a mistake or take a wrong turn.

One for the bucket list. The solo guys are just machines.

Charlie69

Very poor turnout in the 4 person team category this year... only 4 teams. There was eleven teams two years ago.

daragh_

Charlie69 wrote: »

Very poor turnout in the 4 person team category this year... only 4 teams. There was eleven teams two years ago.

2017? There were 9 as far as I remember.

We would be doing it again but it's a big time commitment for riders and crew. Not to mention the costs.

Charlie69

daragh_ wrote: »

2017? There were 9 as far as I remember.

We would be doing it again but it's a big time commitment for riders and crew. Not to mention the costs.

Definitely eleven teams in 2017... big commitment in every way for sure.

Harrybelafonte

I was surprised too, but there is a definite lack of interest here for it and a decrease in the interest in cycling (IMHO) generally?

c.p.w.g.w

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

I was surprised too, but there is a definite lack of interest here for it and a decrease in the interest in cycling (IMHO) generally?

It's an incredible tough race, and probably very expensive

Lusk_Doyle

Team make a wish seem to have really slowed in the past few hours. They were yo-yoing with vcb for a lot of it and are a good bit behind now.

sullivlo

The two 8man teams have lost time too. Tough section ahead.

Harrybelafonte

Weather closing in too.

Matt Bianco

c.p.w.g.w wrote: »

It's an incredible tough race, and probably very expensive

Any idea what ball park costs you would factor for a team entry as part of a club?

daragh_

Matt Bianco wrote: »

c.p.w.g.w wrote: »

It's an incredible tough race, and probably very expensive

Any idea what ball park costs you would factor for a team entry as part of a club?

For a 4 Person Team? Entry is around €2700. On top of that you've got to cover the costs of a follow car, other vehicles for moving your crew and off duty riders around, as well as feeding everyone. And you'll need to factor in hiring race radios. It all mounts up pretty quickly.

sullivlo

It's also a major time commitment. Aside from the race itself, which is a full week off work (for you and your support), there's loads of training involved and lots of work required to get everyone up to speed on navigation, communication etc.

Dr_Colossus

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

I was surprised too, but there is a definite lack of interest here for it and a decrease in the interest in cycling (IMHO) generally?

Don't think it's a lack of interest, more of a lack of awareness as absolutely nothing mentioned about it in the media. There should be a line or two mentioned in the news each day with an up update on progress. I've mentioned it to a good few people who would be interested in cycling and no one knew about it.
The dedication and fitness required to undertake such an event is staggering.

moonshadow

Constant dot watching here in the northeast with two club members really putting on an impressive show, leading the two man and ahead of some of the four man teams...serious quodos to Andy and Peter and the support crew from the white river wheelers in louth....it's not very nice heading to mizen head ATM.

greenspurs

is it done on time? or on finishing position?

MAke a wish are 10 k ahead of Balrothery, but they have spent 18mins more 'on track' ?


*EDIT - just noticed they are a 4 man team ….

daragh_

First two 8 man teams are done.

VCB way ahead of the pack in the 4 man teams. Heading into the home run now and one of the toughest sections. Mount Leinster and then across to Aughrim and all the Wicklow climbs.

trek climber

daragh_ wrote: »

For a 4 Person Team? Entry is around €2700. On top of that you've got to cover the costs of a follow car, other vehicles for moving your crew and off duty riders around, as well as feeding everyone. And you'll need to factor in hiring race radios. It all mounts up pretty quickly.

It is an expensive event to take part in - I was involved with a 4 man team in 2017 and as far as I can remember the total cost was approximately € 5000 plus for those working it meant keeping a weeks holidays for the event.

cython

trek climber wrote: »

It is an expensive event to take part in - I was involved with a 4 man team in 2017 and as far as I can remember the total cost was approximately € 5000 plus for those working it meant keeping a weeks holidays for the event.

Yup, entry alone is sizeable for teams especially:

Cost of Entry

Standard Registration
To secure this price the deposit at least must be paid at time of registration, with the balance paid in full by 31st March 2019
If this deadline is missed Late Registration Fee will apply
Irish Ultra Challenge – Solo Cost EUR 600
Race Around Ireland – Solo Cost EUR 900
2-Person Team – Race Around Ireland Cost EUR 1,800
4-Person Team – Race Around Ireland Cost EUR 2,700
8-Person Team Race Around Ireland Cost EUR 3,850

Late Registration
The deposit at least must be paid at time of registration.
This price applies if you miss the 31st March 2019 payment deadline or if you register after the 31st March 2019. If you register after the 31st March and pay the deposit, the balance must be paid in full by the 31st May 2019.
Irish Ultra Challenge – Solo Cost EUR 750
Race Around Ireland – Solo Cost EUR 1,125
2-Person Team – Race Around Ireland Cost EUR 2,125
4-Person Team – Race Around Ireland Cost EUR 3,250
8-Person Team Race Around Ireland Cost EUR 4,800

If there's something novel about the attempt you may be in with a shout of getting sponsorship for elements, and enough different ones (e.g. If you can get a vehicle sponsor it goes a long way) can help a lot but having crewed in the past for an 8 person, 2 person and an Ultra this year, and knowing those behind another 8 person and 4 person team, I've never heard of one even close to cost neutral.

RobFowl

greenspurs wrote: »

is it done on time? or on finishing position?

MAke a wish are 10 k ahead of Balrothery, but they have spent 18mins more 'on track' ?


*EDIT - just noticed they are a 4 man team ….

They were ahead but now 18kms behind.

VCB absolutely rocking the 4 man event.
Follow here if you like


https://twitter.com/VCBalrothery

magicbastarder

actually, i hadn't considered how the logistics would work in terms of numbers of riders from the team on the road at the same time - it's typically just one rider?

cython

magicbastarder wrote: »

actually, i hadn't considered how the logistics would work in terms of numbers of riders from the team on the road at the same time - it's typically just one rider?

Yes. Exceptions typically around the start and end (buzz of the start, and everyone sharing the finish), and rolling exchanges (very brief, like seconds). There's a plethora of rules preventing multiple riders from one team being on the road together for too long as well.

The run in from wicklow after the Lamb is fairly flat, so rather than having a bunch nearly TTTing in for a distance, the rules usually result in teams doing one last hard blast each before rolling in together

magicbastarder

any reason for that? obviously drafting might give some advantage, but it's an advantage available to all teams?

cython

magicbastarder wrote: »

any reason for that? obviously drafting might give some advantage, but it's an advantage available to all teams?

Logistics of having up to 8 people on open road with a follow car I'd imagine, especially as some of these have come down to very fine margins in recent years. And I can envisage other safety issue with the bits that pass through town if gunned too much.

EDIT: By the organisers' own admission the rules are largely adapted from RAAM, so it may well also be that this was copy/pasted from there and they just haven't wanted to look at the alternative.

daragh_

cython wrote: »

There's a plethora of rules preventing multiple riders from one team being on the road together for too long as well.

I'm not sure that's strictly accurate unless the rules have changed since 2017? We were told we could ride in any combination we wanted.

The last year I did it (2017) Team Aspect who beat us raced the first section as a 4 man TT. I could be wrong.

It was an excellent strategy that year as it maximised the advantage they had as first 4 man team away (less cars in front to leapfrog). We were last off.

That said they were the stronger team the road anyway.

daragh_

Personally in the 4 Man category I think the format of the race has flaws. It's essentially a Time Trial - no drafting of other teams etc. But in practice you can end up on narrow roads at night unable to get past a team who may be sitting behind you on the leaderboard. That definitely happened to us.

cython

daragh_ wrote: »

I'm not sure that's strictly accurate unless the rules have changed since 2017? We were told we could ride in any combination we wanted.

The last year I did it (2017) Team Aspect who beat us raced the first section as a 4 man TT. I could be wrong.

It was an excellent strategy that year as it maximised the advantage they had as first 4 man team away (less cars in front to leapfrog). We were last off.

That said they were the stronger team the road anyway.

No two riders may ride alongside each other for more than 15 mins in a 24hour period. Plethora is an exaggeration on rereading the rules just now, but it's still there.

11. Racers may ride alongside each otherfor 15minutes per 24 hour period, and nomore.
Example: Racer A rides with Racer B for 15 minutes. These two Racers cannot repeat this for a further
24 hours; Racer A, however, can ride with Racer C, D, E, or F etc. for 15 minutes within 24 hours, etc.

So if that first section took more than 15 mins, that should have been penalised.

And I think this is present since at least 2015 when I first crewed

daragh_

cython wrote: »

No two riders may ride alongside each other for more than 15 mins in a 24hour period. Plethora is an exaggeration on rereading the rules just now, but it's still there.


So if that first section took more than 15 mins, that should have been penalised.

And I think this is present since at least 2015 when I first crewed

I think that refers to riders from opposing teams.