Drogheda Weekend April 18th/19th

wav1

The following is the details of the Drogheda Wheelers weekend of racing on Sa/Sun Apr18th/19th

Ras na N'og 3 stage race for youths

Sat 18th HQ and sign on from 9am at Bellewstown Racecourse

Stage 1 Sat 10.30 on a new 1.8km crit circuit
Stage 2 Sat 2.00pm on a tough 6.6 km circuit
Stage 3 Sun 10.30 am on a flat 7.7 km circuit

Presentation for Ras na N'og will be at Bellewstown Racecourse on Sun at 1.30pm.
We have a new title sponsor for Ras na N'og this year.Thanks to the IVCA.
The oldest cycling community giving to the youngest.

Sat 18th Peter Bidwell Memorial H/cap race 51km.
8 x laps of the usual 6.4 km circuit
Sign on from 3.30 in Drogheda Retail Pk Donore Rd,Drogheda
Race start time 5.30pm
Presentation in Thatch Bar afterwards
As the race is open to all cats inc A4s the 140 max rider rule will apply
but I don't see it being an issue for a Saturday evening race.

Sun 19th Coombes Connor Memorial Races
Sign on from 11am at BELLEWSTOWN RACECOURSE
Races will depart from the racecourse to the circuit at 12.45 in race order for a 1pm start.This will be a rolling start and we wont be stopping at the start proper.Flag dropped and gone.
Its the usual 14k circuit starting and finishing on the R150.
We hace moved the finish approx. 1.7 k further along the road in the direction of Julianstown[Just before the left turn off this road]
Race 1 A1/A2 9 X laps 126k
Race 2 A3/Jun 6 x laps 84k
Race 3 A4 5 x laps 70k
Presentation will again be at the racecourse afterwards
Again a REMINDER that unlike other years we will not be assembling at the finish area.It will be a rolling start with a neutralised section of approx 5k.

Beasty

wav1 wrote: »

.Thanks to the IVCA.
The oldest cycling community giving to the youngest.

We have our uses:)

Just to add though - I know the IVCA has accumulated a lot of cash from the WW200 over the years and it's great to see them ploughing some of it back into the likes of the Ras na N'og, the Junior Tour and the Ras na mBan

wav1

Any of you who have youths in their clubs and intend riding Ras na N'og I need to have the entrys no later than Tuesday night..Its a stage race for them so a start list has to be compiled and fed in to the computer for results..Nearly 100 in at this stage.

Harrybelafonte

Sorry Wav, but the racecourse is the big oval shape in the Bellewstown right? Google maps is showing it to be in the middle of Drogheda.

wav1

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

Sorry Wav, but the racecourse is the big oval shape in the Bellewstown right? Google maps is showing it to be in the middle of Drogheda.

Its definitely in BELLEWSTOWN..There may be an opportunity to take a viewing and note its position as you pass by it on your left after ascending the Carnes climb in todays Stamullen race.[or maybe that's not a good idea]

hunter9

Anyone got a mapmyroute link.

wirelessdude01

hunter9 wrote: »

Anyone got a mapmyroute link.

Links to strava routes are on the Drogheda Wheelers website.

Inquitus

Flat, Fast, Fun

Harrybelafonte

There's already a thread here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057410800

Beasty

Threads merged

mathie

Where exactly is the finish?
Anyone have a Google maps link (or similar) of the circuit?
Thanks

EDIT Think I have the circuit just not the finish.

https://www.google.ie/maps/dir/53.6922054,-6.3437488/53.6663797,-6.3995387/53.6714494,-6.3224237/53.6917326,-6.3429372/@53.6771185,-6.3593738,13z/data=!4m2!4m1!3e1

wav1

Final pre race meeting and very informative briefing tonight.
Alls in place and good to go.
139 youth riders confirmed for Ras na N'og part of weekend.Promises to be a huge spectacle..Stage 1 is a crit on a 1.8k circuit and with 60 riders alone in the U16 race it promises to be great fun.
Senior races all good to go also.
REMINDER Unlike previous editions the race will be a rolling/neutralised start from the racecourse to the circuit where we wont be stopping.So all riders must leave from HQ in race order behind lead vehicles..Spread the word on that one please.

cornet

Thanks to the organisers for a great Day 1 in the Ras Na nÓg. Tough but safe circuits, good HQ location and sunshine too! Although we didn't have any podiums today it was great to see the pipeline of future racers. The U16 racers in particular were impressive - some very strong riders - lots of attacking.

wav1

Doogan from Errigal,Donley from Ballymoney,and Barnes from East Tyrone lead Ras na N'og with 1 stage to go.
Peter Bidwell race resulted tonight in the defending champ Sean Mc kenna going home with the trophy again..What a great day today..Shagged now but all to do again tomorrow

Harrybelafonte

Is there a prime this year?

wav1

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

Is there a prime this year?

LOL I knew someone would bring that up.NO but we might have prizes.We will definitely have marshalls and safety cars in abundance.Wish it was 4 o clock.

Harrybelafonte

Thanks wav1. I remember there was one in previous years and wanted to be sure. I went for it a lap late last year. Looking forward to this, one of my favourite races of the year.

buffalo

Good racing today, well organised and a great circuit.

If you could just install some escalators or travellators to get us back uphill to sign-on after the race, that'd be great.

colm_gti

buffalo wrote: »

Good racing today, well organised and a great circuit.

If you could just install some escalators or travellators to get us back uphill to sign-on after the race, that'd be great.

Haha was just about to post the same, an auld bus back up to the sign-on would have been the job, seriously thought about walking back up.

Great little circuit, and very well organised, hats off to wav1!

Harrybelafonte

Many thanks to Wav1 and all for a great race. Well organised and safe. Moto dudes were pulling guys out of bunch for messing. Commissaire behind A4 reminding over the white liners. All made for great racing.

Chips Lovell

Many thanks to all at Drogheda Wheelers for putting on a fantastic day's racing.

wav1

Thanks to all race staff who worked tirelessly over the past 2 days and to the riders for their support.Today we had 265 Senior riders and in the morning there were 150 youths so that was a lot of sambos alone.Seriously though thanks to all and to the couple of youths who had a bit of an accident this morning,get well soon and come back stronger.Will try and do something re the escalator but budget didn't allow this year.

padjo5

buffalo wrote: »

Good racing today, well organised and a great circuit.

If you could just install some escalators or travellators to get us back uphill to sign-on after the race, that'd be great.

There were a few suggestions re getting yee to race up it.....so should think yee were lucky!

Well done Wav and all who did their bit, colossal organisation goes into putting on a weekend show like that.

I was in my element in the Leinster car, with funky siren!

How did the a4 finish?

Lusk_Doyle

padjo5 wrote: »

There were a few suggestions re getting yee to race up it.....so should think yee were lucky!

Well done Wav and all who did their bit, colossal organisation goes into putting on a weekend show like that.

I was in my element in the Leinster car, with funky siren!

How did the a4 finish?

You looked like you were loving it each time you passed by me after the corner after the finish line! Whoop whoop, here I come!

Lusk_Doyle

Well done racers too btw. It looked seriously fast all day. Ken1975 took a well earned lift back up the hill frome after his 6th place!

niceonetom

I'd like to add my own thanks to everyone involved in putting on the races this weekend. Great racing today and it felt really well marshalled and safe. And thanks for not making us race up that hill. Jesus. I nearly had to walk back to the racecourse.

A special thank you to the moto marshal who saved me and a team-mate from missing the show altogether. We were dawdling in the car park and hadn't realised that the A1/A2 race had already rolled out the other gate and was a few minutes up the road, albeit rolling along neutralised. The moto paced us up and slotted us in with time to spare before the flag dropped. Would have been a pretty embarrassing fail without him. Good warm up too.

padjo5

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

You looked like you were loving it each time you passed by me after the corner after the finish line! Whoop whoop, here I come!

Ah that was yerself!? Good on you manning that junction. As we did roll-out I noted nobody on it, only for a VCB to appear next time round! Fair play

buffalo

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

You looked like you were loving it each time you passed by me after the corner after the finish line! Whoop whoop, here I come!

Ah that was you! Thanks for the shout!

Lusk_Doyle

Jep Gambardella wrote: »

Many thanks to all at Drogheda Wheelers for putting on a fantastic day's racing.

I hadn't realised that you were up to A2 now. Good result today.

Chips Lovell

Cheers. Thanks for the shout out too.

Lusk_Doyle

Jep Gambardella wrote: »

Cheers. Thanks for the shout out too.

Not sure I gave you one! I was trying hard to spot oeople that I recognised but it was bloody fast so I only managed a few familiars. Maybe on a hill climb I'd do better!

Harrybelafonte

padjo5 wrote: »

How did the a4 finish?

Sprint finish. There was the usual slow down after the last corner as everyone rested for the sprint a few of us tred to up the pace at the front. I promptly died on that little drag got pushed past then found myself at the front again, then about 30 guys charged past with 200 or so to go.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Well done Wav and DW, very well organised race and love that 14k circuit (my training loop).

Inquitus

Well done Wav, DW, thanks for an excellent days racing. Thanks Lusk Doyle for some shouts of support.

wirelessdude01

Any idea of the numbers in the A4 race?

Have to say the moto marshall was great, coming up along the peleton whenever the group got overly friendly with the wrong side of the white line. Literally just came up beeping the horn and pointing at the white line.

One bug bear of mine and not just associated to this race but was particularly bad today due to the flat course but the number of people who take position for a sprint and then just literally sit up/soft pedal/coast in to the finish. If you aren't going to take part in the sprint then please stay out of the firing line. You are causing more issues and likely to cause an accident doing what you are doing. Today people decided to sit up within the last 100m or so causing huge issues for those who were trying to place.

Hmmzis

Thanks to all the marshals, organisers, food and coffee makers and everyone else involved in making the race happen. Enjoyed the A3 race very much today. Was chasing the break with a good few other lads, probably all had sprinters in their teams that missed the split. Legs are in bits now but we got our result and everyone went home happy.

Harrybelafonte

wirelessdude01 wrote: »

One bug bear of mine and not just associated to this race but was particularly bad today due to the flat course but the number of people who take position for a sprint and then just literally sit up/soft pedal/coast in to the finish. If you aren't going to take part in the sprint then please stay out of the firing line. You are causing more issues and likely to cause an accident doing what you are doing. Today people decided to sit up within the last 100m or so causing huge issues for those who were trying to place.

Are you saying people sat up or that their legs ran out of steam?

Chips Lovell

Lusk_Doyle wrote: »

Not sure I gave you one! I was trying hard to spot oeople that I recognised but it was bloody fast so I only managed a few familiars. Maybe on a hill climb I'd do better!

Ah, someone called to me a few times and I was told afterwards you were standing on that corner so I figured it was you.

mathie

padjo5 wrote:

How did the a4 finish?

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

Sprint finish. There was the usual slow down after the last corner as everyone rested for the sprint a few of us tred to up the pace at the front. I promptly died on that little drag got pushed past then found myself at the front again, then about 30 guys charged past with 200 or so to go.

I was in the bunch and it started to spread out across the road with about 1km to go. It was really hard to get out as everyone was going around on the right and then - as wirelessdude01 said - just dying.
Why make the move if you're going to stop dead?
I'm new to racing (only my fourth race) but even to a newbie it seems like an insane move. Maybe the headwind caught them and knocked them out?

Two guys died a death in front of me. A lad behind me screaming "GET UP THE F'ING ROAD!" and me thinking to myself "I can't go through them!"
Then the lad on the left in front of me holds up his arm (possibly to wave to his mates) and drifts left, the guy on the right drifts right and I find a gap.

We're about 250 metres out and the race has got away to us on the left. They're more on less lined out. But I took the gap and shot up the right. Managed to nip in for 3rd.

Delighted to get some points.

Many, many thanks to wav1 and all for a great weekends racing. When it runs as seemlessly as this its almost easy to forget the effort that went in.

Harrybelafonte

mathie wrote: »

I was in the bunch and it started to spread out across the road with about 1km to go. It was really hard to get out as everyone was going around on the right and then - as wirelessdude01 said - just dying.
Why make the move if you're going to stop dead?
I'm new to racing (only my fourth race) but even to a newbie it seems like an insane move. Maybe the headwind caught them and knocked them out?

Two guys died a death in front of me. A lad behind me screaming "GET UP THE F'ING ROAD!" and me thinking to myself "I can't go through them!"
Then the lad on the left in front of me holds up his arm (possibly to wave to his mates) and drifts left, the guy on the right drifts right and I find a gap.

We're about 250 metres out and the race has got away to us on the left. They're more on less lined out. But I took the gap and shot up the right. Managed to nip in for 3rd.

Delighted to get some points.

Many, many thanks to wav1 and all for a great weekends racing. When it runs as seemlessly as this its almost easy to forget the effort that went in.

So what I'm reading into this and wirelessdude's point is that people just shouldn't try? They should just stay out of the way? I'm not being smart here, I had to go into the grass and dirt to get around a guy and get back to the front, but surely in a sprint you have position yourself well so that you don't have guys dying in front of you? How far back in the bunch were you sprinting from? I'm one of the guys who died cos I misjudged the distance and how much I had in my legs, so forgive me if I'm getting a little defensive here.

mathie

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

So what I'm reading into this and wirelessdude's point is that people just shouldn't try? They should just stay out of the way? I'm not being smart here, I had to go into the grass and dirt to get around a guy and get back to the front, but surely in a sprint you have position yourself well so that you don't have guys dying in front of you? How far back in the bunch were you sprinting from? I'm one of the guys who died cos I misjudged the distance and how much I had in my legs, so forgive me if I'm getting a little defensive here.

Sorry if it came across as telling people not to try. It wasn't my intention.

What seemed to be happening (due to the head wind) was that people were making a move and getting knocked out by the headwind and then just stopping after a two - three seconds effort. I think you know yourself if you have the legs to be in contention and the headwind shouldn't be enough to put you off.

But as I said I'm new to all this so I, by and large, don't know what I'm talking about and am learning as I go.

EDIT : started my sprint at about 250metres.

Harrybelafonte

mathie wrote: »

Sorry if it came across as telling people not to try. It wasn't my intention.

What seemed to be happening (due to the head wind) was that people were making a move and getting knocked out by the headwind and then just stopping after a two - three seconds effort. I think you know yourself if you have the legs to be in contention and the headwind shouldn't be enough to put you off.

But as I said I'm new to all this so I, by and large, don't know what I'm talking about and am learning as I go.

That always happens, but I and a few others were trying to keep the pace up on the last few km and absolutely no-one else wanted to pull. I mean literally, I pulled to the right with 2km or so to go cos I knew I was running out of steam and wanted to get out of the way and let someone else come through, they just weaved behind me, so I get stuck on the front like an idiot trying to keep the pace up, so on the little drag everyone storms past when I'm knackered, then you get dogs abuse for being in the way... Then everyone f'king slows up again on the top of the drag and you're at the front again... and then you get abused again as they all storm past after getting a nice rest behind you.

So, y'know, what's the point in trying at all? The only point in that race where any speed was picked up was the back straight, when the wind was behind us or on downhill sections. Even after getting caught up in the crash I was easily able to get back on with a few others... so what's the point then? Go to A4 races, sit in the bunch resting up, wait for the sprint, get your points. Make sure you don't waste energy, give out to people who get in your way when you decide to put in your effort? This may not be your attitude Mathie but I hope you see what I'm getting at.

I'm disappointed this has turned negative again after initially having enjoyed the race. I still think DW and Wav put on an excellent race with all the right boxes ticked, but I'm done talking about how the racers actually act.

mathie

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

That always happens, but I and a few others were trying to keep the pace up on the last few km and absolutely no-one else wanted to pull. I mean literally, I pulled to the right with 2km or so to go cos I knew I was running out of steam and wanted to get out of the way and let someone else come through, they just weaved behind me, so I get stuck on the front like an idiot trying to keep the pace up, so on the little drag everyone storms past when I'm knackered, then you get dogs abuse for being in the way... Then everyone f'king slows up again on the top of the drag and you're at the front again... and then you get abused again as they all storm past after getting a nice rest behind you.

So, y'know, what's the point in trying at all? The only point in that race where any speed was picked up was the back straight, when the wind was behind us or on downhill sections. Even after getting caught up in the crash I was easily able to get back on with a few others... so what's the point then? Go to A4 races, sit in the bunch resting up, wait for the sprint, get your points. Make sure you don't waste energy, give out to people who get in your way when you decide to put in your effort? This may not be your attitude Mathie but I hope you see what I'm getting at.

I'm disappointed this has turned negative again after initially having enjoyed the race. I still think DW and Wav put on an excellent race with all the right boxes ticked, but I'm done talking about how the racers actually act.

Certainly not my attitude but I do see what you mean.

Anyone I spoke to about the break in the race said it'd be shot down on the home straight into the headwind.

I worked really hard at the front on my own in Stamullen last week and got swallowed up by the bunch with about 30 metres to go.
I wasn't annoyed. That's the game. I made a move and it didn't work out. I was delighted to be part of it.

From what I can see from my four races in A4 there is rarely an effort to work together. It seems to be a bunch finish and the lucky/well-positioned/freshest/sprinters seem to get up.

But I think this is moving into another area of debate and away from the races of the weekend.

colm_gti

Meanwhile in the A3 race it was extremely close at the finish.

I had a go early on with a few others which was quickly shut down, and then a club mate slipped away in the 14 man move so I made every effort to make a complete nuisance of myself at the front to let the gap grow. If a gap opened from the bunch anytime I followed wheels I chipped in to try and get across, otherwise I just sat on.

Pretty sure the gap was up to 2 minutes at one point, I was surprised we caught them on the final drag, must have been a bit of messing going on.

Serious respect for the winner. He missed the move, and spent half a lap out with 2 or 3 others trying to get across before being dragged in again, and still had the firepower to get across the line first at the end.

Harrybelafonte

Epic break. Felt awful for thrm caught so close to line

Inquitus

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

Epic break. Felt awful for thrm caught so close to line

We could see them at the start of the final lap, they were only about 35 secs up the road. I think their number was up from that point onwards, the gap stayed steady until the headwind on the home stretch and then they were pulled back to a couple of hundred meters and with about 1km to go the pace went up for the finish and they were all swept up. Chapeau to the lads for an epic ride, heartbreak at the finish.

greenmat

Late with my thanks to Drogheda Wheelers for an epic days racing yesterday. Love that circuit and that turn at the cement factory was pure joy at 50-60km per hour with the tailwind. Those poor souls in the A3 break, heartbreaking but I've no doubt their day will come again. Really good finish, best this year, no accidents, well behaved group, honest riding, fantastic race HQ, great marshals encouraging all the riders as they passed (Thanks luskdoyle), motorbike marshals suberb, good sambo and coffee after. Everything about the event was top notch except that fecking climb after we finished Rode up it many times before but never hurt as much lol.

And well done to my Clubmate on his 3rd place in the A4 race, see you in A3 very soon.

lennymc

i think someone mentioned it earlier but there were suggestions of finishing the race up the hill....

Harrybelafonte

That climb back up after was a killer, my legs cramped on each upstroke.

keoclassic

greenmat wrote: »

Late with my thanks to Drogheda Wheelers for an epic days racing yesterday. Love that circuit and that turn at the cement factory was pure joy at 50-60km per hour with the tailwind. Those poor souls in the A3 break, heartbreaking but I've no doubt their day will come again. Really good finish, best this year, no accidents, well behaved group, honest riding, fantastic race HQ, great marshals encouraging all the riders as they passed (Thanks luskdoyle), motorbike marshals suberb, good sambo and coffee after. Everything about the event was top notch except that fecking climb after we finished Rode up it many times before but never hurt as much lol.

And well done to my Clubmate on his 3rd place in the A4 race, see you in A3 very soon.

Honest riding by some in the A3 you mean, I must have called 20 times for more lads to come up, but only about 10 of us were there consistently for the last 2 laps.Good racing yesterday, sat up at the sprint cause i was knackered from chasing.Thanks to drogheda wheelers for the day and all those who helped out.

butterworth

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

Epic break. Felt awful for thrm caught so close to line

Conversely I felt great having actually managed to catch up to them in the end, considering (from my POV at least) that a good number of us put in some solid work to close the gap in the last couple of laps. Although I was too fecked at the end to contest anything!

keoclassic wrote: »

Honest riding by some in the A3 you mean, I must have called 20 times for more lads to come up, but only about 10 of us were there consistently for the last 2 laps.Good racing yesterday, sat up at the sprint cause i was knackered from chasing.Thanks to drogheda wheelers for the day and all those who helped out.

Like I said I think those of us up the front did a very good job, probably the best team-work I've experienced so far.