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Galway Classic - Hell of the West

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  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,341 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    How did it go guys ?
    Brilliantly, one of the best run races in the country
    Good race ?
    Ours stayed together for the most part despite the best of intentions from a few of us at the front. A3 , A2 and A1 were obliterated but in a great way for spectators. A guy I got the train with came in looking exactly like Eddy Merck in the 1975 Paris Roubais, and this was a dry day.
    Any punctures, mechanicals or crashes :pac: :pac: :pac: ?
    None for me. I heard of a few but it was more the epicness of the course than any issues from listening at the end, although i heard one SDCC rider was climbing over a wall when the group he broke a way from caught up with him after he supermanned over it.


  • Registered Users Posts: 28 flash84962


    I did the a3 race. Best day racing I have ever had. Massive effort by galway bay to run it. There was over 65 marshals. Two/three stationed at every junction. Neutral service and broom wagon with every race.

    The route is pure savagery. You have to work for every metre of it. The north loop above abbeyknockmoy includes the
    4 bog/rough sectors which just blew up the race. There is no easy way to get through it. Just pedal like feck.

    The a3 race was aggressive, couple of lads trying to split it in the neutral zone. That set the tone for the day really. It was like the charge of the light brigade to get onto the first sector in Monivea at 10k. This is where that guy flew over the wall. I got in the break after that but was spat out in the first really rough sector. I rode solo through the first bog sector and then was picked up by the second group on the road. I was tipping away okay, but punctured 300m from the end of the last bog sector. Effectively that was my race over. Got a wheel and finished off the route.

    The vision and organization to get this unique race up and running is a credit to everyone involved.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,562 ✭✭✭harringtonp


    What type of bikes did you see. Ordinary Sunday race bikes ? Different wheels ? CX bikes ?


  • Registered Users Posts: 28 flash84962


    Most lads on their normal race bike. 1 guy in the a1/2 on a cannondale gravel bike and another on a cross. A3+4 all looked like they were on road bikes. I was on a TCR with 25mm tyres.

    Loads of pics on Facebook. Sean Rowe, John hammer. Get an idea of the bikes ad sectors.


  • Registered Users Posts: 120 ✭✭doiredoire


    What type of bikes did you see. Ordinary Sunday race bikes ? Different wheels ? CX bikes ?

    Most rode their normal bikes. I know a fair few didn't use their normal race wheels.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,221 ✭✭✭thekooman


    doiredoire wrote: »
    Most rode their normal bikes. I know a fair few didn't use their normal race wheels.

    i did the A3 race and rode on my Canyon Ultimate CF SLX with Mavic Cosmic Elite (training wheels), 28mm Schwalbe Durano on the rear and an old GP4000 25mm on the front. kept pressure at 85 to 90psi and it handled like a dream. literally passed out 10+ lads at the bog/grass section on the bog road. Race was split to muck even with 40k left. 5 up the road and it ended up with me in a group of 4 chasing for the last 20k. we were honest enough and kept trucking where it came down to a sprint for 6th place... I wont say how i did! :rolleyes:

    Indeed, it was probably one of the best organised races ive been at it since i started racing 6 years ago. a credit to the club. Its a shame there weren't more in attendance but im glad there were no juniors cos they would bomb into sectors with no care (or jobs to go to the next day!) and there would have been incidents. there were lots of punctures and i brought a frame pump and a tube/levers in the back pocket.
    yep, seen that lad superman over the wall but he was grand as I seen him at the end cycle in.
    The winner was a marked man but not even the break could keep with him, chapeau to him.

    I hope Galway bay can run it next year but with the low attendance, bike marshalls, signage, etc I cant see how they broke even. Maybe the pics and the comments on social media might persuade some more to do it next year.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,562 ✭✭✭harringtonp


    I thought the races were pre entry, capped and sold out ? No ?


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,341 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    I thought the races were pre entry, capped and sold out ? No ?

    Not sold out, just closed pre entry, they said there would be on the day sign on.


  • Registered Users Posts: 120 ✭✭doiredoire


    thekooman wrote: »

    I hope Galway bay can run it next year but with the low attendance, bike marshalls, signage, etc I cant see how they broke even. Maybe the pics and the comments on social media might persuade some more to do it next year.

    Yes we have lost money on the race but I think we have created the most iconic race in the country. The photos and videos look like something from the Paris Roubaix or the Strade Bianchi. These photos/videos will help us market the race next year as will the comments from people who did this years race

    Have no fear the race will be run next year. We intend it to become an annual event and to build and grow it


  • Registered Users Posts: 16 nevskin


    doiredoire wrote: »
    Yes we have lost money on the race but I think we have created the most iconic race in the country. The photos and videos look like something from the Paris Roubaix or the Strade Bianchi. These photos/videos will help us market the race next year as will the comments from people who did this years race

    Have no fear the race will be run next year. We intend it to become an annual event and to build and grow it

    Fair play folks- immense efforts from all at GBCC.

    Rode the A3 race- chain droped in Moyne Park, chased back on, chain dropped again, no getting back in after that- finished it out. The non gravel part of the race is no easy ride - all in all a hard race.

    The coverage & pix will help sell this next year I would have thought..


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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,460 ✭✭✭at1withmyself


    doiredoire wrote: »
    Yes we have lost money on the race but I think we have created the most iconic race in the country. The photos and videos look like something from the Paris Roubaix or the Strade Bianchi. These photos/videos will help us market the race next year as will the comments from people who did this years race

    Have no fear the race will be run next year. We intend it to become an annual event and to build and grow it

    Any links to the pics and videos?


  • Registered Users Posts: 120 ✭✭doiredoire


    The Galway Classic is back against this year at the later date of August 2nd. This year we have added a sportif taking in ten of the sectors on the Saturday.

    For more information you can have a look at the link below:

    https://www.irishcyclingnews.com/ride-the-classic-2020-hell-of-the-west-2020/


  • Registered Users Posts: 177 ✭✭mitchelsontour


    I am ready to book flights home for the sportif - looks great.


  • Registered Users Posts: 815 ✭✭✭columbus_66


    I'm aiming to do it this year, last year it clashed with the Mullingar GP so I can imagine that why the numbers were low. I hope to do it on a cross carbon bike as if the weather is bad it will be more suitable than a road bike. Last year it looked like you only had dust to clog up the bike!


  • Registered Users Posts: 120 ✭✭doiredoire


    Interview with Cathal Dillane about this year Galway Classic which is being run on Sunday 25th of October. We are also running a sportif on the course on the day before the race. Links to register for the race and sportif can be found in the article below.

    Due to Covid 19 the races are limited to 70 riders per race and the sportif to 150. Book early as they will sell out.

    https://www.irishcyclingnews.com/provinces-to-ride-the-galway-classic/


  • Registered Users Posts: 120 ✭✭doiredoire


    If anyone wants to enter the Galway Classic on October 25th they may be too late as the A3 race has sold out and only 15 places left in the A1/2 race.

    There will be provincials teams form Connacht, Munster and Leinster in the A1/2 race.


  • Registered Users Posts: 120 ✭✭doiredoire


    Galway Bay CC are promoting the Galway Classic weekend on August 21/22nd. On Saturday 21st we are running a sportive on the classic route and on the Sunday an A3 race and an A1/2 race.

    Entries to the two events are NOW available:
    Ride The Classic Sportif, Aug 21st: https://eventmaster.ie/event/vKWjiPoSb4
    Galway Classic Road Race, Aug 22nd: https://eventmaster.ie/event/1vbGhwDHeM


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,341 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    I'm in, and now I am A3 I can have proper gravel sections to ride on. Quality run race last time I was at it, great fun and the lads from the west were honest racers, no messing about.


  • Registered Users Posts: 9,249 ✭✭✭Macy0161


    Very tempted if I can get a pass!


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  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 19,483 Mod ✭✭✭✭Weepsie


    Macy0161 wrote: »
    Very tempted if I can get a pass!

    My wife's birthday. I won't even try


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 6,813 Mod ✭✭✭✭eeeee


    Any chance of a women's only race?


  • Registered Users Posts: 120 ✭✭doiredoire


    eeeee wrote: »
    Any chance of a women's only race?

    We did look into running a women’s only race but ultimately decided against it as we felt we would not get sufficient numbers to make it viable.

    To run this race takes over 120 people with 85 static marshals alone. We hope to run women’s only race in the future


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 6,813 Mod ✭✭✭✭eeeee


    doiredoire wrote: »
    We did look into running a women’s only race but ultimately decided against it as we felt we would not get sufficient numbers to make it viable.

    To run this race takes over 120 people with 85 static marshals alone. We hope to run women’s only race in the future


    Hi doiredoire, I understand the difficulties in running one, but the Women's Commission I think have a purse to support races, it's worth getting in touch with them now to see what they can offer you. There are huge numbers of women looking to race, after not a single road race for us last year (bar the nationals), and plenty of us that would travel to a women's only race! I have raced out that way before, always in a good sized bunch.


  • Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,341 Mod ✭✭✭✭CramCycle


    doiredoire wrote: »
    We did look into running a women’s only race but ultimately decided against it as we felt we would not get sufficient numbers to make it viable.

    To run this race takes over 120 people with 85 static marshals alone. We hope to run women’s only race in the future
    eeeee wrote: »
    Hi doiredoire, I understand the difficulties in running one, but the Women's Commission I think have a purse to support races, it's worth getting in touch with them now to see what they can offer you. There are huge numbers of women looking to race, after not a single road race for us last year (bar the nationals), and plenty of us that would travel to a women's only race! I have raced out that way before, always in a good sized bunch.

    Possibly too late now but if you ran it straight after the A3 race, and ask the WC to cover Comms and maybe a follow ambulance, it would cover itself without increased marshals. One to think of for next year.


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