Etape Hibernia - August 22 2010

moby2101

Signal rabbit
Esroh
Lumen
Lafors
buzzingnoise
penexpers
Ashleey
anoble66
Mellon
Jawgap
Twin-go
moby2101

AstraMonti

Just writing it here just in case someone else is on the same boat. I 've called them regarding transfer of the entry, and the response of the lovely lady on the phone was that they are unable to transfer the entry as this would be causing issues with their insurance.

FrankGrimes

smacl wrote: »

I also got an email the other day, which among other things reminded me to Check / know your race number before visiting the Registration desks which trawling through previous emails was not evident. After some head scratching, I eventually found the full list of names, numbers, and start times here. Maybe of some use to other entrants...

Thanks for that post. There's something wrong when I've got a total of 6 emails from Sky and all of the key info is not provided in one concise list. Also, why do rider names have to be published on the web?

I think Sky Etape have lost the run of themselves and have forgotten that this is just one of probably around a hundred sportives run around Ireland each year, with the only difference being that the roads are closed. The vast majority of participants will likely have participated in several other sportives and while we can tolerate some amount of marketing bumph, it's generally followed up by all the need-to-know info being provided on a single sheet. I'd suggest you obey some of the golden rules of marketing: don't market to your secured customers - satisfy them with the service they signed up for and that will generate repeat customers and word-of-mouth marketing for next time. Targetting marketing spiels (such as the welcome to Ireland piece in the brochure when the vast majority of participants live in Ireland) at secured customers has a negative effect and actually increases the service level that those customers will be required to be net-satisfied.

I think one of the emails said t-shirts were on the way: will they be posted out or collected at registration, or provided on the day? Will the start times be staggered based on target times (I've heard that plan was cancelled)? If so, how exactly will that process work (e.g. so that people who may want to change their grouping could do so in advance instead of showing up at regirstration to see if that can be done)? What can we expect at the end - will we get a cert with official time on it etc.? All pretty basic questions and if the answers are buried in the mass of communications, that just proves my point that the marketing spiel has diluted the core content - customers shouldn't have to spend time figuring this stuff out, one simple piece of paper would do the trick.

FrankGrimes

Signal rabbit
Esroh
Lumen
Lafors
buzzingnoise
penexpers
Ashleey
anoble66
Mellon
Jawgap
Twin-go
moby2101
FrankGrimes + 3

smacl

Signal rabbit
Esroh
Lumen
Lafors
buzzingnoise
penexpers
Ashleey
anoble66
Mellon
Jawgap
Twin-go
moby2101
FrankGrimes + 3
smacl + 1

smacl

FrankGrimes wrote: »

I think Sky Etape have lost the run of themselves...

Seems to be the case alright, trying to find pertinent information among the ads and martketting blurb has been painful. I believe you collect t-shirts at the registration. This is only my second sportive after the W100 earlier in the year, which was a joy by comparison. That said, really looking forward to a great day spinning around the Burren, followed by many pints in Lehinch. Should be a blast.

Esroh

Sky seem to think they have brought something new here alright. From reading reports of Sportives in Britian I think the An Post Series and Tour de Burren in particular would surpass 99% of them. Not to mention the many othersaround the country TKK being one.
Re the T-Shirts I got an email that told me I could collect mine on Sat. I did not pay 15 euro for one but I'll take it.
The other thing is the feedstops. Any visitors who have ridden the WL Polka Pot have been amazed by our supply of Sambos and Cakes etc so I hope we not in for a shock.

FrankGrimes

ah yeh, really looking forward to it myself too...just wish they'd focused on satisfying customers in a simple way. A mate has a house in Lahinch and there's a gang of us going down for the weekend so there'll be a few good sessions involved no matter what happens!

garminguy

smacl wrote: »

Signal rabbit
Esroh
Lumen
Lafors
buzzingnoise
penexpers
Ashleey
anoble66
Mellon
Jawgap
Twin-go
moby2101
FrankGrimes + 3
smacl + 1

garminguy

theotherone

Signal rabbit
Esroh
Lumen
Lafors
buzzingnoise
penexpers
Ashleey
anoble66
Mellon
Jawgap
Twin-go
moby2101
FrankGrimes + 3
smacl + 1
garminguy
theotherone

Lumen

FrankGrimes wrote: »

I think Sky Etape have lost the run of themselves and have forgotten that this is just one of probably around a hundred sportives run around Ireland each year, with the only difference being that the roads are closed.

A bunch of jumped up commercial blow-ins scheming with a mob of desperate overindebted hoteliers, assisted by a sprinking of travel-and-tourism tax leaches. Like Bradley Wiggins, it'll promise much but turn out crap.

Can't even register on the day. How convenient for them all.

Sky - putting the Fáil into Fáilte.

This is a joke. Unless it turns out to be right

Anyway - Hammerfest!

ROK ON

Lumen wrote: »

A bunch of jumped up commercial blow-ins scheming with a mob of desperate overindebted hoteliers, assisted by a sprinking of travel-and-tourism tax leaches. Like Bradley Wiggins, it'll promise much but turn out crap.

Can't even register on the day. How convenient for them all.

Sky - putting the Fáil into Fáilte.

This is a joke. Unless it turns out to be right

Anyway - Hammerfest!

During the past week I was speaking with a couple of cyclists who are members of Clare based clubs - not one of them doing it (I guess why pay 54notes to cycle your own road). Apparently there is some uneasy feeling about it - cost versus that it is commercial and not for charity/club fundraising etc etc.
I was going to do it, but couldnt be arsed now, although the distance and profile suits my particular type of cycling. Hopefully the organisers will make it a little more user friendly in the future. Hope everyone has a good day. Nice part of the world.

Jawgap

I doubt I'll be doing this again - unless it is absolutely the best event. The whole thing feels like it's been contrived to extract as much money from gullible cyclists (like me!!).

Next year, when I travel for an event, it'll be the An Post ones - I'm aiming to do them all in 2011.

Esroh

I did a google on its sister event Etape Caladonia. Ok last year it did have the Tack Attack but still there has not really been a bad word to say about it.

The one thing is that the feedstops only had Zipvit energy foods and Water . This might be replicated so I would recommend people bring any solid food they might want.
Do not expect to get Cake

EC did seem to be To Quote Lumen' A Hammerfest'

FrankGrimes

Lumen wrote: »

A bunch of jumped up commercial blow-ins scheming with a mob of desperate overindebted hoteliers, assisted by a sprinking of travel-and-tourism tax leaches. Like Bradley Wiggins, it'll promise much but turn out crap.

Can't even register on the day. How convenient for them all.

Sky - putting the Fáil into Fáilte.

This is a joke. Unless it turns out to be right

Anyway - Hammerfest!

I don't get it. I mean, those $5,000 bucks I spent on that Jokes 101 course was one of the best investments I've ever made and I'm now coming close to being able to put 'I get jokes' onto my CV (gotta wait till I save up the requisite $10,000 for the follow-up Advanced Humour 201 course I guess)....but I don't get it. I reckon it'll be grand and a well run event on the day and the hammerfest should be excellent....but it's all the hype around it (which you've nailed above) and the fact that it seems to have diluted their focus on what should be their main focus, making it a great experience for the paying customers, that doesn't sit easy with me.

FrankGrimes

Esroh wrote: »

I did a google on its sister event Etape Caladonia. Ok last year it did have the Tack Attack but still there has not really been a bad word to say about it.

The one thing is that the feedstops only had Zipvit energy foods and Water . This might be replicated so I would recommend people bring any solid food they might want.
Do not expect to get Cake

EC did seem to be To Quote Lumen' A Hammerfest'

Thanks for the heads-up....again, over 50 quid and instead of giving you actual solid food (like EVERY other sportive out there), they opt for a nice product-placement option (if it's true that there's no 'normal' food), which probably costs them nothing...but does it really put the needs of the cyclist first? I don't like Zipvit stuff as it happens and even gave a tub of it away, but that just reflects that energy products are very subjective and it's generally advised to get to know what products work for you before trying it out in a major event, particularly if it's going to be your only source of nutrients.

Actually, this event is starting to p1ss me right off. If it wasn't for my love of hammerfests, I'd be on for just getting stuck into the pints on Saturday and saying feck it....but unfortunately I do love hammerfests so.

ROK ON

FrankGrimes wrote: »

I don't like Zipvit stuff as it happens and even gave a tub of it away, but that just reflects that energy products are very subjective and it's generally advised to get to know what products work for you before trying it out in a major event, particularly if it's going to be your only source of nutrients.

One of the cycling mags recently gave a powder and bar away. Personally I thought the powder was simply undrinkable - just gagged. The bar - cardboard mulch.

Jawgap

FrankGrimes wrote: »

Thanks for the heads-up....again, over 50 quid and instead of giving you actual solid food (like EVERY other sportive out there), they opt for a nice product-placement option (if it's true that there's no 'normal' food), which probably costs them nothing...but does it really put the needs of the cyclist first? I don't like Zipvit stuff as it happens and even gave a tub of it away, but that just reflects that energy products are very subjective and it's generally advised to get to know what products work for you before trying it out in a major event, particularly if it's going to be your only source of nutrients.

Actually, this event is starting to p1ss me right off. If it wasn't for my love of hammerfests, I'd be on for just getting stuck into the pints on Saturday and saying feck it....but unfortunately I do love hammerfests so.

Sounds like the organisers are the ones having their cake and eating it.......





.........I'll get me coat.....

Benbecul97

ROK ON wrote: »

During the past week I was speaking with a couple of cyclists who are members of Clare based clubs - not one of them doing it (I guess why pay 54notes to cycle your own road). Apparently there is some uneasy feeling about it - cost versus that it is commercial and not for charity/club fundraising etc etc.
I was going to do it, but couldnt be arsed now, although the distance and profile suits my particular type of cycling. Hopefully the organisers will make it a little more user friendly in the future. Hope everyone has a good day. Nice part of the world.

Also talking to Lahinch area locals at the weekend and its not just the cyclists that are uneasy. They are not impressed (to put it mildly) that some of the access roads to the Cliffs of Moher are closed from between 8 and 1 on a Sunday in the peak tourist season. And its hard to blame them. Why could this not have been organised in say September when it would have been less disruptive? Or a different route chosen?

Also, apparently the communication of the fact that the roads are closed for the event has not been the best - and this with a week to go!

Was going to do this myself but no way was I overpaying for this and then forced to travel down to register on Saturday, back up home and then back down again to participate on Sunday. No registration on the morning of the event is crazy.

I dont see what the big deal is about the closed roads. Did the Tour of Meath in last month and the route they chose was so quiet, traffic wise, that it may as well have been on closed roads.

Nietzschean

Benbecul97 wrote: »

I dont see what the big deal is about the closed roads. Did the Tour of Meath in last month and the route they chose was so quiet, traffic wise, that it may as well have been on closed roads.

At least in clare in that area your not likely to find too many roads a bunch could go at a decent speed without closed roads or the marshalling used in a road race(which normally amounts to a rolling road closure really, but the groups are closer together so it doesn't close a lot of a road at once). If you ever do something like the ROK you'd see how much nicer that event would be anyway if the roads were closed.....

FrankGrimes

Benbecul97 wrote: »

I dont see what the big deal is about the closed roads. Did the Tour of Meath in last month and the route they chose was so quiet, traffic wise, that it may as well have been on closed roads.

I don't think any road will be closed for a full 5 hours from 8-1pm but agree it is some disruption. Reality is it will bring a net increase in revenue to tourist/service related businesses in the area.

Anywho, this is purely speculation, but I think the reason the closed roads aspect is a 'big deal' is that it allows for a full on hammerfest no matter what anyone says, there will be plenty of people looking to finish first (aka 'to win') and I reckon that'll attract plenty of racing cyclists that wouldn't normally bother with a regular sportive on the same route. I, for one, am looking forward to seeing those lads in action and seeing how many minutes I can hang onto their wheels for.

Esroh

Benbecul97 wrote: »

Lahinch area locals

The only place that is really making anything out of this is Ennis so I can understand why other areas might be peeved. And the reason we are not coming down the road used in the Tour de Burren is to avoid the Cliffs directly

This was arranged to run close to the Tour of Ireland it being all part of selling the Sky team to us Paddies before the race came thru.

I was talking to guys from 3 clubs in Clare at the Ballinrobe 2 day that were all riding it

penexpers

Esroh wrote: »

The only place that is really making anything out of this is Ennis so I can understand why other areas might be peeved.

We've booked a house in Doolin for the week so I don't think this statement is 100% true.

Esroh

penexpers wrote: »

We've booked a house in Doolin for the week so I don't think this statement is 100% true.

I'll give you that it may not be 100% true but it may be percieved that way.;)

ashleey

Wouldn't we have had to pay an entry fee to see the cliffs anyway?( despite them being 'owned' by citizens of the republic anyway)

AstraMonti

Off topic but you don't have to pay to see the cliffs, only if you want to see the exhibition inside (which doesn't worth the time anyway).

Benbecul97

Esroh wrote: »

The only place that is really making anything out of this is Ennis so I can understand why other areas might be peeved. And the reason we are not coming down the road used in the Tour de Burren is to avoid the Cliffs directly

This was arranged to run close to the Tour of Ireland it being all part of selling the Sky team to us Paddies before the race came thru.

I was talking to guys from 3 clubs in Clare at the Ballinrobe 2 day that were all riding it

Exactly right! The vast majority of people that require accomodation for this will be staying close to Ennis.

The locals were highlighting the fact that the route tourists would normally take from Galway to the various attractions in North Clare, that the various stretches along this route are closed for up to 5 hours in total on a Sunday. Fair point.

smacl

Esroh wrote: »

I'll give you that it may not be 100% true but it may be percieved that way.;)

Also staying for a week in Lahinch, with extended family. When I tried booking various places around Clare (none near Ennis), the week of the etape was mostly booked solid, whereas the previous week was not. One email actually cited the event as the reason they were busy.

Fintan21

ROK ON wrote: »

During the past week I was speaking with a couple of cyclists who are members of Clare based clubs - not one of them doing it (I guess why pay 54notes to cycle your own road). Apparently there is some uneasy feeling about it - cost versus that it is commercial and not for charity/club fundraising etc etc.
I was going to do it, but couldnt be arsed now, although the distance and profile suits my particular type of cycling. Hopefully the organisers will make it a little more user friendly in the future. Hope everyone has a good day. Nice part of the world.

In the interest of balance: As one of those members of a Clare based club I can tell you that 90% of serious club cyclists within the county are doing the Etape. You spoke to "a couple" (two), "not one of them doing it". Your arguement is flawed. What's with all this "unease" I'm reading about? I live in Ruan, the first point of call. I have yet to meet a person who has expressed a negative viewpoint. I have, however, met many who are quite looking forward to the spectacle. I hope to complete it in under 4:30. Thank you.

cipo

In addition to the above by fintan21:
the road closures are all staged and not the whole route for 5 / 6 hours as some have stated!!

First section we ride out closes at 6am and reopen by 9 I believe...!!! I'm open to correction but I read it somewhere the past few weeks!

All events like this are going to have it's pros and cons...

In order to get road closures with Garda cooperation... It needs to begin early to cause minimum disruption while still having a benefit for local community... Eg shops, bats , restaurants.

Sign on on morning of event is very difficult as a lot of people would not sign on on the Saturday if this option os available!

Therefore in theory you could 1800 people trying to reg on Sunday am!! And that's just ridiculous..

If you don't wanna do it, don't do it!
Don't wanna pay the cash, don't pay the cash!

End of, I think!

I'm doing it for two reasons: I'm 30 on 22nd and this sounded like a good laugh with mates
And 2 said mates are all travelling from Uk so good to show off the west to the COCKneys!!!

Dave