Sportives/Leisure Cycles 2024

tbo1

I think I saw a ‘toughest sportives’ thread but I thought it might be helpful to have a more general one to make people aware of upcoming events - not just the toughies - and for newbies or people taking on particular cycles for the first time in 2024 if seasoned participants wish to share hints and tips they’ve acquired over time.

So to start, I’ve just signed up to Ring of Beara 2024 (140km route - prob should have gone for the 110km as am so far off the mark right now but hopefully with training I’ll be ok when the time comes!). I’ve done the Ring of Kerry before so I probably have the distance but the exposed coastal roads and hills of West Cork could humble me!

test account 123

I've just signed up for RoB 2024 after years of trying to get on the registrar! Can't wait. I haven't done RoK for a couple of years because I thought they were charging extortionate amounts as the years went on. Any idea how much RoK was last year? I'd like to give it another go sometime

tbo1

Brilliant good luck with it! I’m thinking the high demand each year is a good sign, I can’t wait for it now.

The RoK was about €100 last year so yeah, I agree it is steep but I just love the atmosphere and cycling the likes of Molls Gap with no cars around is pretty cool. I convince myself I could spend €100 in worse ways 😁 There are definitely fewer participants in the last couple of years too so the road isn’t as jammers.

marvin80

I was looking at a few sportives for next year (like the Ring of Beara) but accommodation prices are very off-putting.

potters ground

Any idea when registration for wicklow 200 opens

hollowlands

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121370431#Comment_121370431

Opens this Friday, got an email yesterday

Does it usually sell out pretty quickly?

tbo1

Ride Dingle opens next Friday 25th November in case anybody is interested (same organiser as Ring of Beara).

Two routes of either 55km and 120km - the latter includes a climb up the Conor Pass.

potters ground

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121370464#Comment_121370464

Sorry no idea just want to register for this

Montage of Feck

The tour de beara (rebel tour) is the original and best beara sportive. A good bit tougher, but as it's in September you've more time to get in some training over the summer.

retalivity

The cyclingireland calendar is pretty sparse for 2024, any early sportives? Looking at March/April or earlier, if possible.

gn3dr

Shite, I didn't realise Ring of Beara registration had opened. I did it last year for the first time but bought the ticket from someone here so wasn’t on their e,ail list. Have registered for their waiting list.

spudpicker2022

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121373341#Comment_121373341

The full calendar won't be published for a few more weeks. Typically there aren't many Sportives in March or earlier unfortunately.

beggars_bush

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121373341#Comment_121373341

Donegal Bay is early enough

Cliffs of Moher has been moved later by 2 weekends I think

monkeyslayer

SERC 3 peaks in Wicklow is usually my first of the year, its usually early April

RikkFlair

I'll be doing Rings of Kerry and Clare, and hope to do Ride Dingle and Tour de Conemara for first time. Would like to squeeze in a gravel event at some stage too hopefully.

saccades

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121374588#Comment_121374588

This, it's great opener to the year.

I'm biased as I marshal on it but we get good feedback.

@hollowlands last year uptake was pretty slow for the W200 and they dropped the 150km option. I reckon you'll be fine until end Q1

billyhead

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121373341#Comment_121373341

Orwell Randonee the end of April is a good early season leg tester.

spudpicker2022

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121373341#Comment_121373341

The 2024 roacd racing calendar looks to be updated from what i can see, majority of road races seem to be listed. There are more sportives listed now but there seems to be still a good few missing.

dahat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121496770#Comment_121496770

Thanks for that.

My March & April are full of races, I can’t bloody wait.

beggars_bush

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121496866#Comment_121496866

Plenty of lumpy circuits for you

dahat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121496906#Comment_121496906

Some of my fav races are early season plus some of my fav ones to swerve as well 😂.

dahat

Local sportive entry €45 run independently from cycle Ireland.

€45, is this just too much for a fundraiser basically? I’ve done this for many years but not this year at €45 entry.

Macy0161

That's ball park what my local athletics club charged last year for their longer route - they ran it via a club/ CI.

dahat

€45 with CI ?

Macy0161

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121635473#Comment_121635473

I think it was €40, plus the eventbrite fees which would've made 42 odd?

beggars_bush

Any sportives coming up not listed on the CI website?

Johnners1878

Hello Everyone,

The Curlieu Wheelers Cycling Club is running its Annual Lough Key Classic Sportive on Sunday 12th May 2024.

Our event is well-run, well-marshalled and famous for providing lots of good food and refreshments for participants.  In 2022, the Lough Key Classic was voted Cycling Connacht's Leisure Event of The Year.

There are two routes of 70km and 120km including a tough King of The Mountains challenge at the end (it's optional!).

Registration takes place at the Abbey College, Boyle, Eircode - F52 HK46 - Start times are 9 sharp for the 120k and 9.30 for the 70k.

Online entries are open here -
Lough Key Classic

The Entry Fee is €30 and we will accept walk-in entries on the day.

120 route here - https://www.strava.com/activities/11231463231  

Thanks!

vintcerf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122053003#Comment_122053003

what's the King of the Mountains option?

Johnners1878

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122055893#Comment_122055893

As you hit town after about 117km, you can turn right and head in for your well-earned refreshments, but if you're feeling strong and fancy a little more punishment you turn left (up Green Street if you know Boyle) and tackle a punishing 3km climb up to the Curlieu Mountains - the gradient hits 14% on one section. Then you have a fast, winding descent down the old Sligo road back into Boyle. Usually only the very fit, brave or foolhardy turn left 😀

secman

Gorey cc are running the Nine Stones Cycling Challenge - Sunday, June 23, 2024 -starting at Gorey Rangers FC,

2 routes available, a 86km and 118km, hilly enough route And a decent challenge at that.

A decent substitute for the 3 Peaks which I understand is not being run this year.

beggars_bush

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122056447#Comment_122056447

Its a nice finish to it alright

Only issue is the condition of that mail coach road climb with the grass up the middle of it

Wishbone Ash

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122053003#Comment_122053003

Just curious but how are you managing to take entries on the day? My club have been informed that under no circumstances are entries to be taken on the day. It must be online only as per CI regulations.

I've done several sportives this year to date and all were also taking cash entries on the day. It just seems unfair that some are abiding by the regulations (and losing out) while others are ignoring them.

GandhiwasfromBallyfermot

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122057911#Comment_122057911

Looking forward to this, I'll be signing up soon. Do you have the routes Secman?

spudpicker2022

i have ticket for tour de connemara (140km route) for sale if anyone would like it please PM me

saccades

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122057911#Comment_122057911

Aye, no 3 Peaks this year. 😔

secman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122060209#Comment_122060209

On eventmaster, 9 stones challenge cycle, before buying tickets, scroll down and there are links to both routes on strava, I'm not techny enough to attach links 😀

Johnners1878

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122058091#Comment_122058091

I'm not aware of any restriction imposed by CI on walk-up entries. There may have been in the immediate aftermath of Covid - I remember some of our members being refused entry to a neighbouring Sportive a couple of years ago but we only returned last year. We accepted walk-in entries and where people didn't have a one-day license we took their additional €20 for a ODI and remitted them back to CI as we'd always done previously - they were received without complaint. I'd be curious as to who/how that was communicated to you. As you say, it's common practice. We certainly don't want to breach CI regulations, but we haven't seen that one.

spudpicker2022

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122061141#Comment_122061141

gone

Wishbone Ash

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122063086#Comment_122063086

From CI webpage:

All events, including club events, must receive a permit and use the Cycling Ireland Online Entry System. The benefits of the new system are that it removes cash and the handling of money, entry fees move seamlessly into your stripe account and you have a list of all your entries before event day.

Event Licence fees (one Day Licence) are also collected directly at the time of entry and sign-on sheets are not required. Unfortunately, if your event has not received a permit and is not available for booking via our online system it cannot avail of event insurance.

Johnners1878

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122064595#Comment_122064595

Thanks for that - not sure it clarifies anything though - without getting bogged down in semantics, it seems open to interpretation. We (and others presumably) have received a permit and use the CI Online System, so comply with those terms. It doesn't state the Online system must be used exclusively nor does it say that walk-in entries are not permitted. As I said, we remitted ODI licenses paid on the day last year to CI and there were no questions asked as to how or why. I'll investigate further….

Wishbone Ash

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122065538#Comment_122065538

Yes perhaps we're being overly cautious with the interpretation. It's not nice to have to turn away people on the day with cash in their hands (especially when they are club members!).

Morris Garren

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122065538#Comment_122065538

If you take cash from a random/unlicensed cyclist, how does this grant them a 'licence' to ride i.e. how are they insured? I agree with WA above and while traditionally Ireland has had a 'sure it will be grand' attitude to many such things, cash in hand etc, it does feel like we are in different times now, what with exorbitant insurance fees and payouts. I would not take a risk with cash in a bucket from johnnycomelately. If CI can advise definitively, perhaps that would clear things up.

Johnners1878

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122067605#Comment_122067605

Most walk-ins are licensed and are from other Clubs. If an unlicensed individual arrives, they pay an entry fee for the event and separately buy a one-day event license for €20 - the same way as someone without CI membershp can do on Eventmaster. We send the €20 odi fee to CI with the individual's details. If they don't want to pay the additional €20 they don't ride.

Morris Garren

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122067797#Comment_122067797

Are these riders who pay €20 insured to ride?

Johnners1878

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122068365#Comment_122068365

Yes, €20 buys an event license which brings them under the umbrella of CI insurance, in the same way as it buys an event license online. I'd have said that categorically until this discussion arose, but we'll be looking for cast-iron clarity now.

Morris Garren

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122069893#Comment_122069893

And who exactly gets this money? Is it sent in an envelope to CI headquarters? The only issue I have is that historically, the governing body was/is the licensing and insuring body; one-day 'event' licences were a separate sign on sheet, with waiver included, the same as on race days, separate sheets with different race numbers given to such participants, overseen by commisaires. Frankly, that system is a bit 20th century to me; a digital point of entry, sign on and cross checks, tick boxes etc is what the Eventmaster portal and CI are using, with a proper paper trail, albeit digital. The 'cash in hand' approach implies that the event organisers are now 'licensing' who can ride - if that's OK then it's news to me. And if that's above board, then just carry on.

beggars_bush

Doesn't make cycling a very accessible sport if people cannot sign up on the day for local events

Morris Garren

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122070169#Comment_122070169

Well, there could be an online portal option available for late entrants? The fact is that many events have a closing date/time so as to help with logistics on the morning of the event. The night before the event - 9pm- is that not good enough for anybody wanting to participate? You just can please everyone

eeeee

Organisers can leave the closing date on their event to the morning of, and anyone turning up can just enter online as usual.

Bar national championships or NS races, organisers set the closing date to their events to whatever day and time they want.

Morris Garren

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122071875#Comment_122071875

Yes, this makes sense to me also.

DrumcDub1

I have an entry for the Wicklow 200 and for L'Etape in Kerry for sale (at a discount) if anyone is interested