Most Scenic Sportifs

bazzer86

Not sure if this has been covered before (I had a look and couldn't find something similar) but I'd like to get your views on what are the most scenic Sportifs in the country. I'm relatively new to cycling & having done the ROK last year, I'd like to put the most scenic cycles such as Wicklow200 & Iveragh200 on the calendar. Any other suggestions?

nilhg

Rebel tour, Tour of Connemara would be the standouts of the sportives I've done, you do need luck with the weather though.

shaka

Rebel Tour 160 is most scenic I've done

ednwireland

Donegal Bay Spring Sportive

http://www.donegalbaycyclingclub.com/leisure/

ROK ON

The Inner Ring200 Audax run by moi is over a fantastically stunning route. Small event so does not have the event feel of a Wicklow200 for example.

The will be a new sportif run this May out of Kenmare covering the Ring of Beara the route is 140km but much of it is beautiful.

Any event that passes the coastal route in the Burren will have great scenery.

Finally the Cork club The Valley Wheelers run a cycle called the Mick Dineen and the route is a great one.

Bigus

Loop the loop in Clare , kilrush etc, but it's september

jamesd

Tour de burren

bazzer86

ROK ON wrote: »

The Inner Ring200 Audax run by moi is over a fantastically stunning route. Small event so does not have the event feel of a Wicklow200 for example.

The will be a new sportif run this May out of Kenmare covering the Ring of Beara the route is 140km but much of it is beautiful.

Any event that passes the coastal route in the Burren will have great scenery.

Finally the Cork club The Valley Wheelers run a cycle called the Mick Dineen and the route is a great one.

The inner ring is one I'd like to do also, some great views around Caragh lake. I haven't had a chance to do ballaghbeama or Ballaghasheen yet though. Out of interest how would they compare to the 2 better known climbs on ROK or even Coomanspic?

G1032

Westportif

Doolough Valley, Lough Nafooey

meercat

Giants causeway coast sportive
Beware of the sting in the tail though.

smacl

bazzer86 wrote: »

The inner ring is one I'd like to do also, some great views around Caragh lake. I haven't had a chance to do ballaghbeama or Ballaghasheen yet though. Out of interest how would they compare to the 2 better known climbs on ROK or even Coomanspic?

Haven't done the inner ring in a single go, but done all of the route and its is to date my favourite place to cycle in country. Ballaghbeama and Ballihagshen are tougher climbs than those in the ROK, but much nicer scenery and cracking descents from either towards Glencar direction. I find Coomanaspic a tough one though, probably as difficult as any of them.

ford2600

@ROK ON the Inner Ring can't be done as a permanent?

mossym

ROK ON wrote: »

Any event that passes the coastal route in the Burren will have great scenery.

and that suggest the atlantic challenge end of march, out of kilrush or lahinch(has varied the last two years but is a loop anyway), up over the cliffs of moher, up the coast, back to lisdoonvara via corkscrew and home. short at 80k, but a great early season sportif

ROK ON

Inner Ring

Firstly I don't want to hog the thread - so apologies.

Answers -
(1) The two Ballagh climbs are significantly more challenging than the climbs on the RoK but are slightly easier than Coomanaspic. However there is at least one other climb similar to Coomanaspic - the climb from Rosebigh Beach (1.3km @ 11.4%).
(2) Yes Inner Ring can be done as a permanent - it does say that on Audax Ireland website but I have asked that it be put up. K have four brave souls doing it as a permanent kn two weeks time. If you want to do it contact me and I will send on brevet cards.

Hope this helps.

bazzer86

smacl wrote: »

Haven't done the inner ring in a single go, but done all of the route and its is to date my favourite place to cycle in country. Ballaghbeama and Ballihagshen are tougher climbs than those in the ROK, but much nicer scenery and cracking descents from either towards Glencar direction. I find Coomanaspic a tough one though, probably as difficult as any of them.

Yeah I have cycled a bit there, on both the Waterville side and Caragh lake side but havent done either climbs. They look class from the pictures so they are high on the list this year. Yeah coming from the Portmagee side over Coomanaspic is the hardest physical activity I have ever done. pure torture :eek: haha

bazermc

Tour de Finglas

bazzer86

ROK ON wrote: »

Inner Ring

Firstly I don't want to hog the thread - so apologies.

Answers -
(1) The two Ballagh climbs are significantly more challenging than the climbs on the RoK but are slightly easier than Coomanaspic. However there is at least one other climb similar to Coomanaspic - the climb from Rosebigh Beach (1.3km @ 11.4%).
(2) Yes Inner Ring can be done as a permanent - it does say that on Audax Ireland website but I have asked that it be put up. K have four brave souls doing it as a permanent kn two weeks time. If you want to do it contact me and I will send on brevet cards.

Hope this helps.

It certainly does help thanks. Yeah having heard all the talk about the 2 climbs, having suffered through Coomanaspic in training, I felt they were noting in comparison. Looking forward to checking out the 2 Ballagh's. I have seen that climb out of Rossbeigh but haven't done it. Thats also on the list together with the Glenbeigh loop over the windy gap and Drung Hill on the mountain bike. God my list is getting long id better get training

Koobcam

I did a sportive in Dingle in 2012 which was the same route as a stage of the Ras Mumhan, but I believe there is a chain gang sportive in September which has a similar route, taking in the Sheep's Head and the Conor Pass. Stunning scenery, though a pretty tough course, esepcially if it's windy (which is normally is out west). I haven't done the Giant's Causeway sportive, but having driven most of the route, I would say that Antrim probably has the best coastal scenery in Ireland, so that would also be one to do.

Bikerbhoy

Without doubt its '' The AN POST Rebel Tour'' on a good day, mind you could possibly be one of the worst also , on a bad day.

rayquinn1

+1 on the Rebel Tour 160. God's country. Absolutely stunning scenery. We were very lucky with the weather last year. Looking forward to doing it again this year

Charlie69

The Giants causeway sportive, unfortunately on the same day as the Rebel tour last year but it's a must do imo

bazzer86

Bikerbhoy wrote: »

Without doubt its '' The AN POST Rebel Tour'' on a good day, mind you could possibly be one of the worst also , on a bad day.

rayquinn1 wrote: »

+1 on the Rebel Tour 160. God's country. Absolutely stunning scenery. We were very lucky with the weather last year. Looking forward to doing it again this year

Are ye both from Cork lads? :D

haha yeah I looked into it last year and the timing wasnt right, but it does look absolutely class. That, Inside the Ring and the Tour de Connemara are probably my favourite looking ones. Just need to convince one or 2 others to come along for the spins now.

xebec

Another +1 for the Rebel Tour here. Did the 85k last year, the scenery is something else and the weather definitely helped - top of the Healy Pass in heavy wind and rain would definitely not be as much fun! Great organisation, nice feed, only downside is the travel distance to get there (from Dub).

G1032

bazzer86 wrote: »

Are ye both from Cork lads? :D

haha yeah I looked into it last year and the timing wasnt right, but it does look absolutely class. That, Inside the Ring and the Tour de Connemara are probably my favourite looking ones. Just need to convince one or 2 others to come along for the spins now.

Westportif is definitely more scenic than TDC if you want to head up that way but TDC is a v good sportif too. I'll be doing both again this year

bazzer86

G1032 wrote: »

Westportif is definitely more scenic than TDC if you want to head up that way but TDC is a v good sportif too. I'll be doing both again this year

Cheers for that. Forgot about Westporif. Could but that into the equation also

Thanks

Dcully

Westportif ,amazing scenery.