What good sportif should i go on this year

BadCharlie

Hi,

My friend and I plan on doing at least one cycle this year. We both did the SK last year on the 24th of August. But this year he has something going on the weekend the SK tour will take place "i plan on still doing it".
Ring of Kerry is on the July the 4th but once again we cant make this weekend.

Any other big events that we might like ? & what date/weekend/month does it take place?

bazermc

I heard the rebel tour Cork is quite good. It is on early September.

Or the Wicklow 200 is a must do for cyclists.

smacl

Orwell Randonee has growing numbers each year and is always a great day out. Described as the Wicklow 200 without the flat bits, it also has had great nosh and a fantastic atmosphere on the years I've done it. If you fancy something smaller, you could consider a 200k audax. The dying cow was probably my favourite event in recent years, though I'm not mad into big crowds.

Koobcam

Leinster Loop is a good one, on August 15. There's also the Tour of Kildare, usually on the week before the loop. A good one I did in Kerry last year was the Ivereach 200-there are 130 and 200km options. Numbers were quite small but it was well organised and the scenery is impossible to match. That's very very hilly though.

kuro_man

Reservoir Cogs "Lap de Gaps" for Down Syndrome Ireland is on 17 May, starting in Blessington, Co. Wicklow.

zl1whqvjs75cdy

Did the Tour of Kildare last year. Was very well organised and a nice cycle but the lands a bit flat for stunning scenery. There are a couple of hill views alright but if its views you like the Wicklow 200 is your only man. Tough going though. I cycled the route with a mate the week before the actual event and struggled badly.

nak

Mick Byrne Randonnee - cheaper than the Wicklow 200, less people and really well organised. Different distances too. Usually in May.

Luxman

nak wrote: »

Mick Byrne Randonnee - cheaper than the Wicklow 200, less people and really well organised. Different distances too. Usually in May.

This from 2013 was my most memorable and challenging event. Ww200 was only trotting after it. Missed 14 so earmarking for this year. Climbing within te first kilometre!!

Pinch Flat

Luxman wrote: »

This from 2013 was my most memorable and challenging event. Ww200 was only trotting after it. Missed 14 so earmarking for this year. Climbing within te first kilometre!!

It's a tough one alright - you even have to climb to the good stops. That and the mount Leinster challenge are the two hardest I've done.

dragratchet

Mick Byrne is a good one alright if you like your climbing, Tour of Louth run by Cuculainn is great too if you enjoy bombing along the flat

Daroxtar

Any of the An Post sportives. They've the options of 100 or 160 k. I did the tour of meath 100 k last year, massive crowd, great atmosphere. It was flat and fast but I think the 160 was quite lumpy. I think the tour of meath is around the last weekend of July.

daragh_

Mick Byrne isn't for the faint hearted. Non-stop climbing from the get go.

Tour De Kilkenny is always good craic.

The Orwell Randonee is probably the best organised I've ever done.

There is also a nice little leg warmer the day before the Wicklow 200. I'm sure someone will start a thread about it soon.

Inquitus

Mick Byrne is great, a different experience than most Sportives and takes you to parts of Wicklow you won't have seen before, the organisers seem to have a better arrangement with the weather than the likes of the WW200 as well!

mcgratheoin

kuro_man wrote: »

Reservoir Cogs "Lap de Gaps" for Down Syndrome Ireland is on 17 May, starting in Blessington, Co. Wicklow.

This was the best Sportif I did last year by a long way (glorious weather may have helped).

Tour de Burren is a great spin as well.

G1032

The Westportif, (160km) but no date for 2015 yet. Stunning scenery.

Tour De Connemara is a nice spin too (140km)

Hunterbiker

Another shout out for the An Post Rebel Tour. Its in September so do that and you still have plenty of choice for earlier in the year too as surely you want to do more than 1

Alek

the organisers seem to have a better arrangement with the weather than the likes of the WW200 as well!

Not in 2014 I'm afraid. Descending in lashing rain after the second control made me die a little bit inside.

Mick Byrne's was definitely the best long ride I had, though

NBar

The DID cycle is another good one with a nice crowd as well, more a charity raising event but a worthy cause

Hunterbiker

Another shout out for the An Post Rebel Tour. Its in September so do that and you still have plenty of choice for earlier in the year too as surely you want to do more than 1

The Buster

G1032 wrote: »

The Westportif, (160km) but no date for 2015 yet. Stunning scenery.

Tour De Connemara is a nice spin too (140km)

Thinking of doing my first Sportif this year. Have been cycling 40KM regularly so aiming for an 80KM. I am going to do the Westport one and assume it will be in July again this year.

My question is what is the Connemara one like? Most of my cycling is on flatish roads. I have 4 months to build up the stamina for Connemara but am wondering do I need to mix some hill climbs into training. What is Connemara like for a newbie!

Animella

Also wondering about Connemara. The route looks fab. Apparently they were unlucky with the weather in the past two years so hopefully it will be nice this time.

I did the Westportif last year, the views are spectacular and fortunately the weather was perfect for it.

devonp

considering doing one myself and should be able to handle a 80-100km distance
are most sportives charity events?
what notable ones AREN'T ?, do you just register and pay?
cheers

lissard

Last year the Tour de Conemara was dry but there was a fairly bitter northerly headwind. The 80k route has no hills worth talking about (certainly compared to Wicklow), the real challenge is the wind. It's spectacular countryside and a very nice day out.

G1032

The Buster wrote: »

Thinking of doing my first Sportif this year. Have been cycling 40KM regularly so aiming for an 80KM. I am going to do the Westport one and assume it will be in July again this year.

My question is what is the Connemara one like? Most of my cycling is on flatish roads. I have 4 months to build up the stamina for Connemara but am wondering do I need to mix some hill climbs into training. What is Connemara like for a newbie!

Animella wrote: »

Also wondering about Connemara. The route looks fab. Apparently they were unlucky with the weather in the past two years so hopefully it will be nice this time.

I did the Westportif last year, the views are spectacular and fortunately the weather was perfect for it.

There are no climbs really worth talking about in the Tour De Connemara. There is one little drag between Maam Cross and Maam which I don't think the 80km group do and that's as hard as it gets really. The 80km is perfect for a newbie.

The wind was vicious last year but it was a great day overall. Great atmosphere at it too.

The views on Westportif are more spectacular than Tour De Connemara. No doubt.

Captain Havoc

Not biased at all but the tour de Kilkenny is totes amazeballs.. Outside of that I like the Tour de Burren, Rebel tour and Carlow always run low key affairs that I@ve really liked.

at1withmyself

Koobcam wrote: »

Leinster Loop is a good one, on August 15. There's also the Tour of Kildare, usually on the week before the loop. A good one I did in Kerry last year was the Ivereach 200-there are 130 and 200km options. Numbers were quite small but it was well organised and the scenery is impossible to match. That's very very hilly though.

Have done the Iveragh 200 twice now and its definitely the best scenery and well organised event although I love the small numbers on the event. Plus its competitively priced.

http://www.iveragh200.com/

simonrooneyzaga

Captain Havoc wrote: »

Not biased at all but the tour de Kilkenny is totes amazeballs.. Outside of that I like the Tour de Burren, Rebel tour and Carlow always run low key affairs that I@ve really liked.

Did the 60k tour of Sligo, 100k tour de Burren and 160 westportif last summer. All very well run and great routes. Would reccomend them all.

I Would do the westportif again this year if I had to pick one but I'll be doing a slightly shorter sportif with far more climbing in France in July instead!

The Buster

Thanks for the replies. Looks like Connemara in May then. Depending how that goes I will then consider Westport. Looking forward to it and is great to have something to aim towards

eeeee

I really injured the Headstrong Sportive last year. Super well organized and glorious soup at the finish! Lots of food at the food stops and a couple of hoor's of hills in-between! Wasn't too hilly, flat enough really. Was in April last year I am guessing around that time again. There are 2 distance options too. Might be a nice one to start with before the bigger ones in the summer.

Doc07

Tour de Burren and Tour of Meath were my favourite 'big' sportives last year. As for the smaller ones, the 100km Tour of South Meath by Clonard CC was an enjoyable 'bomb it along the flat/race' style sportive.

Daroxtar

Doc07 wrote: »

Tour de Burren and Tour of Meath were my favourite 'big' sportives last year. As for the smaller ones, the 100km Tour of South Meath by Clonard CC was an enjoyable 'bomb it along the flat/race' style sportive.

I'll second that about the Clonard one, averaged 34km/h until the food stop. Substantially slower when I got dropped shortly afterwards and then blew up with a cramp:o Good fun all the same

Doc07

Daroxtar wrote: »

I'll second that about the Clonard one, averaged 34km/h until the food stop. Substantially slower when I got dropped shortly afterwards and then blew up with a cramp:o Good fun all the same

You were in the front group then. I was delighted to be hanging to the back of the next group until I blew up at 90 and free wheeled the last 10. It was the first time I'd ever averaged over 30km for any distance .

dogsears

Second the comment about the Tour of Kilkenny. Really nice route and damn hard too!

mossym

anyone looking for an early season one should consider the atlantic challenge in Clare. it's a good day out, beautiful route, and is a superb gauge of where your winter training has left you.

bobbuk

tour of Meath was my highlight of last year.
great route, and very lucky with the weather.

shaka

Haven't done it in a while but will revisit tour de Kilkenny this year, Desmond sportive ran a sportive in west limerick last year which was excellent- they billed it as a warm up to Wicklow , i wasn't long back on the bike so I bugged out at 100k on a link road I knew.
Going to do tour de Connemara this year and may venture back to Waterford Sean Kelly tour for one more spin

Rebel tour in September is always highlight of year for me.

Trasna na gleanta

Esroh

Westportif is July 18th for those asking earlier .

G1032

Esroh wrote: »

Westportif is July 18th for those asking earlier .

Is it the same route as last year?

DaithiMC

devonp wrote: »

considering doing one myself and should be able to handle a 80-100km distance
are most sportives charity events?
what notable ones AREN'T ?, do you just register and pay?
cheers

Most are charity events or fundraisers for the organising club, e.g., Wicklow 200 is the main fundraiser for the IVCA. The Mick Byrne 200 is organised by Audax Ireland so strictly speaking falls into the "Audax" category, though there is a 160km route option too. Audax usually has less support on the route but that is part of its attraction, i.e., you have to be able to navigate or programme a GPS! There are also fewer people and it is cheaper.

I did several last year and the year before and you will get mixed reports about organisation. In most cases "the early bird catches the worm" is true, i.e., if you get on the road a little ahead of the official start time (if allowed) you will not run into the things people generally get p***ed off about, queues, lack of food at stops, etc. The downside to that strategy is that you miss some of the atmosphere of the event. The Sean Kelly Tour is the best organised I have been to.

Regatta12

Lap of Laois on in Feb this year?

Esroh

G1032 wrote: »

Is it the same route as last year?

Not involved directly. Just its been posted on our club FB and website. Pretty sure it is though.

RST

Regatta12 wrote: »

Lap of Laois on in Feb this year?

No, 22nd March. New routes to look forward to this year. I will post details here in a few weeks when everything is finalised.

yop

G1032 wrote: »

Is it the same route as last year?

Same route so far anyway ya. Will be decided in the next couple of weeks but due to feedback I can't see it been changed.

Skrynesaver

Isn't there one the properly early in Wexford? Got postponed due to weather last year and conflicted with work

I'd like to try and get out early this year if only to chart how unfit it's possible to get in a couple of months...

Kinet1c

Skoda events happening again?

superelliptic

The Buster wrote: »

Thinking of doing my first Sportif this year. Have been cycling 40KM regularly so aiming for an 80KM. I am going to do the Westport one and assume it will be in July again this year.

My question is what is the Connemara one like? Most of my cycling is on flatish roads. I have 4 months to build up the stamina for Connemara but am wondering do I need to mix some hill climbs into training. What is Connemara like for a newbie!

I did it last May and it was my first sportif. Did it in 5 hours and was well happy with it and with 4 months before the start you have plenty of time to be putting in the K's. Just get comfortable doing 80-100K in a respectable time and you will feel great on the day. The first 40k we cycled were into a headwind but it was well organised with 3 rest stops (free grub and drinks)and the guys on the motorcycles did a great job of keeping oncoming traffic out of the way.

As for the route itself it is stunning. Few places in Ireland beat Connemara in Summertime. The route feels mostly flat throughout with some easy enough climbs about half and 3/4 of the way through (getting out of killary Harbour) but being Connemara its actually a long lumpy road with lots of small drops and small climbs for the duration. Overall its a good experience and if you train with fat tyres and switch to skinny's on the day you will fly along. I trained on 28's and dropped to 23's the night before. Speeeeeeed!! :pac:

zindicato

SERC threepeaks, Mick Byrne, W200, lap the gap and MT.Lienster challenge for the Wicklow ones Skoda tour of louth my first skoda last year good route and well organized, tour of Kildare and any of the anpost ones too as its always well organized and good food, The one in Meath is good you could cycle into trim feom dublin and do any of the route thats on offer as its not that lumpy really there are climbs in there alright but enjoyable ones not like Mt. Leinster or the likes of MB wherein halfway the the route you start asking yourself why the hell are you there hehehehhehehe.... theres also one that the irish army organizes i forgot the name from last year you start in tallaght and go up in wicklow and back down to the stadium which was also quite well organized and the best after cycle food'' chicken curry rice and chips '':-)

G1032

yop wrote: »

Same route so far anyway ya. Will be decided in the next couple of weeks but due to feedback I can't see it been changed.

Just saw an email from Westportif. New 120km route. I guess that's what the 'Ballinrobe Club Route'. Hang a left in Leenane instead of going with the 160km group.....!

Stonehall9

Can't believe nobody mentioned the ring of North kerry , or the RONK as kits called, very well ran, great food stops and unreal scenery taking in beale hill climb and the kerry head climb just to mention two.it starts outside listowel in lixnaw and heads to ballybunion and ballyheigue and back to listowel.120 or 60k

shaka

Stonehall9 wrote: »

Can't believe nobody mentioned the ring of North kerry , or the RONK as kits called, very well ran, great food stops and unreal scenery taking in beale hill climb and the kerry head climb just to mention two.it starts outside listowel in lixnaw and heads to ballybunion and ballyheigue and back to listowel.120 or 60k

Knew there was one I forgot, really enjoyed that last year. Finuge wheelers are a great bunch and it's an enjoyable route, couple rough bits on the road but very enjoyable route. Johny Foys instructions before the off last year were brilliant.

Jim Stynes

Lots of possibilities here!!