An Post Rebel Tour 2015

A great day -stunning route, fantastic organisation & marshaling and we even managed to dodge the worst of the rain. The move to Glengarriff has been the making of the event.

For me, the only downside was the behaviour of several of the participants as they drove to the event. As I rode to the start, I lost count of the number of close /aggressive passes from cars festooned in bikes or others sitting right on my back wheel trying to force past into oncoming traffic. Not to mention the utter gobshyte who thought that doing well over 120 kmh on a back country road was appropriate.
As cyclists we are all too aware of a lack of respect and courtesy from other road users - its pretty sad when we won't even extend it to our own.

Did the 160km again yesterday and now have 2 x 160's and 2 x 85 Rebels under my belt. It is an incredible and beautiful route but pretty much at the limits of what I can do as it is very tough. Delighted that I never had to get off the bike and walk up any of those nasty climbs around Allihies and that last 50m of Healy is a nightmare. Road surfaces excellent all the way around (other than after Caha which has been like that for 5 years now) and how about that lovely smooth tarmac surface heading up Healy? We lucked out with the rain as we were warm and dry inside in that school at the first food stop having our ham sandwiches and tea when it came down.

If you did the 85 this year and complicating the 160 next year get in some training as it is a huge leap between the two.

Great day out and well done to Glengarriff and and all the organizers and cyclists.

outfox wrote: »

How is it that, when Kerry County Council decide to resurface their side of the Healy Pass, they lay smooth blacktop (which was heavenly yesterday). Yet a few months ago, when Cork County Council resurfaced the lower half of the Cork side, they put down tar and chips, with chips the size of marbles that rattle the teeth out of your head. I'm tempted to sponsor a field trip for CCC engineers to Lauragh to show them the blacktop.

You say that but ccc put a lovely bit of smooth road down a few years ago on the r571 just up to the county bounds to show Kerry how to do it! They seem to take it in turns competing with road surfacing "my bits better than your bit" etc.

Maybe they just topped the road off with tar and chip to give it a few more years the artifice side?

mcgratheoin wrote: »

I'm not convinced that Kerry CC are finished with that part of the road yet I suspect that chippings may well still be applied.

Nice spin on Saturday - I was on my old commuter bike and took it pretty handy around, very enjoyable spin. Between Adrigole and Castletownbere was pretty awful weather wise but by the time we got past the Buddhist place the sun started to appear. Big fan of the jellies at the food stops as well

Anyone know when the photos/videos will be available - I was tailed by a camera on a motorbike for a brief while - almost felt like a pro there...

If the Healy pass stretch is being done the same as the Lauragh bit then it won't be chipped as they've already done the line painting on the Lauragh side.

Swinefluproof wrote: »

Healy Pass section is going to be chipped BUT I've been reliably informed that the Caha Pass section is getting asphalt only when the roadworks are completed, should make for a good descent next year folks.

Oh ok, I assumed that it would be the same as the other work a few miles away done at the same time.

MSL Cork Mercedes-Benz have 150 pics up on thier facebook page

(I can't post the link sorry)

Terrific snaps there, there can't be a more scenic route in the country.:)

I did both the W200 and the Rebel 160. I found the Rebel Tour harder, mainly I think because the second attempt of the Healy Pass is towards the end. Most of the hard climbing in the W200 is earlier on.

The Cork Sports Partnership have emailed to say there are links to photo on their website http://www.corksports.ie/index.cfm/page/cork-rebel-tour-photo_s-2015 and on their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/CorkSportsPartnership
They expect more to be added over the next few days.

Tonight at 9.45 on Setanta Sports there's a 30 min feature of the An Post Rebel Tour 2015.

Signal_ rabbit wrote: »

Don't have Setanta Ireland Is there a way to watch online does anybody know?

The Cork Sports Partnership FB page says they will have other coverage in the next week or so for those who don't have Setanta. That was posted on the 22nd but there are no details yet.