Tour de Burren

boege

Went down on my own to TDB this year, not having done it for a few years now. One thing I have found is that the Burren terrain wears you down and really exposes poor training. Ask me how I know!

I was the opposite this year. I have a good km in the legs and I managed to get in with a nice bunch of riders clipping along at just the right pace (28-30kmph). Everyone seemed of a similar standard so the group of about 20 riders made great time and we breezed past the first stop which I thought was a bit early. However, we all stopped for a picture at Farther Ted's house and that was a good laugh. Group broke up after that but I
joined other groups throughout the day. I have learned to let a group go if the pace is above my comfort zone, or move on, if a bit too slow.

Loved the madness of dutch corner, missed out on cheescake as it was all gone but generally had a really good day.

Tailwind home was a joy and was really tempted to stop in pub in Fanore to watch soccer match over a pint (there must have been a good 50 bikes outside one pub) but feared for my lack of self control.

Funniest part was when early on met some lads from Dungarvan CC. Often meet them on sportives. Whilst chatting I thanked them for all the times they dragged me home on various sportives. Never saw them again all day but 15km from home guess who rolls by with the comment 'time for your pick up'. Jumped on the train and rolled home at savage pace to finish the 155km in 5 hours 38 minutes rolling time, a record for me.

Loved the hoody, dutch corner was new to me and a great wacky idea, would have preferred proper ice cream at finish but can see why they have to streamline the event. Signage and marshaling were top class.

Probably my most enjoyable 160km of cycling I have ever finished and I put that down to being prepared.

Will look forward to SKT and Rebel tours now.

thesimpsons

agree with boege about being prepared and having the training in. wouldn't be the strongest in the club or on any sportive but I do have plenty of training and alot of miles in this year and while I found the road surface pulled me back I was able to plough my way up hill after hill and the dreaded (to me) Cliffs of Moher wasn't at all as bad I had been led to believe. I found that I was passing the same people all the time on the hills who would then pass me on the downhills and I finished the last 20km strong enough.

fryup

boege wrote: »

Tailwind home was a joy and was really tempted to stop in pub in Fanore to watch soccer match over a pint (there must have been a good 50 bikes

tailwind

felt like a headwind to me esp from fanore to ballyvaughan, my speed dropped considerably

kayaksurfbum

Did the big one, 149kms! Left at the oficial start, pushed hard for the first hour and ended up on my own for the whole day! The roads on the first half were really shocking, rattled the ****e out of me. 4 hours 50 mins on the bike.

Loads of people walking around at the end looking for food and a cup of tea. It didnt bother me but a good few people was really giving out about it.

I would not do it again as the surface was so crap and no groups to ride with.

BUT, my wife did it also and loved it. Loads of ladies on the road to cycle with.

boredatwork82

kayaksurfbum wrote:

Did the big one, 149kms! Left at the oficial start, pushed hard for the first hour and ended up on my own for the whole day! The roads on the first half were really shocking, rattled the ****e out of me. 4 hours 50 mins on the bike.

That's pretty good. I was in the saddle for about 7 and a half hours!

lismore7

My 3rd TDB and 1st time on the 150 (AKA 160).

Great event as always and I'll hopefully be back agian next year...but I did have a few little gripes on this year's event....
Firstly....Wasn't mad about the 1st half of the new route...some roads we were directed onto were dodgey to say the least and at least 1 section was only a car width wide. On that section we had 3 encounters with tractors and trailers taking up the entire road, so we had to dismount to get by....1 tractor roared down the road and nearly took us all out on a bend as he took up the whole road and we had nowhere to go!! not the safest road for the strongest/fastest catagory...
2nd gripe....Danergerous corners with gravel...they could have been swept, especially as all 3 levels (160, 100 & 62ks were using them and so you have a large number of lesser experienced riders taking a sharp downhill corner in a group in the wet and over gravel...not good......
Sadly my wife was 1 of those and paid the price....she had a bad fall shortly after the main food stop on such a corner on gravel...ended up with bad road rash on both knees, fingers and injured shoulder.
On such dangerous corners maybe a bit more advance warning and sweep the gravel (not a big job) especially when all 3 levels were using it..

By the way..twas mentiond earlier about a guy who crashed at Father Teds...it happened 2 bikes behind me...loads of riders braked when the shout came up..."it's Father Teds house" and as everyone braked that poor sole hit the wheel of the guy behind me. He hit the deck hard and lay where he fell until ambulance arrived...aound 25 mins later...looked like shoulder injury..
Anyways I'll be back next yeat god willing and maybe they might alter the route of the 160 onto wider better roads...and sweep de gravel on those bad corners please......did miss Cork Screw Hill this year.... but loved Dutch Corner...

fryup

why was cork screw hill left out?? too tough?

trek climber

lismore7 wrote: »

My 3rd TDB and 1st time on the 150 (AKA 160).

Great event as always and I'll hopefully be back agian next year...but I did have a few little gripes on this year's event....
Firstly....Wasn't mad about the 1st half of the new route...some roads we were directed onto were dodgey to say the least and at least 1 section was only a car width wide. On that section we had 3 encounters with tractors and trailers taking up the entire road, so we had to dismount to get by....1 tractor roared down the road and nearly took us all out on a bend as he took up the whole road and we had nowhere to go!! not the safest road for the strongest/fastest catagory...
2nd gripe....Danergerous corners with gravel...they could have been swept, especially as all 3 levels (160, 100 & 62ks were using them and so you have a large number of lesser experienced riders taking a sharp downhill corner in a group in the wet and over gravel...not good......
Sadly my wife was 1 of those and paid the price....she had a bad fall shortly after the main food stop on such a corner on gravel...ended up with bad road rash on both knees, fingers and injured shoulder.
On such dangerous corners maybe a bit more advance warning and sweep the gravel (not a big job) especially when all 3 levels were using it..

By the way..twas mentiond earlier about a guy who crashed at Father Teds...it happened 2 bikes behind me...loads of riders braked when the shout came up..."it's Father Teds house" and as everyone braked that poor sole hit the wheel of the guy behind me. He hit the deck hard and lay where he fell until ambulance arrived...aound 25 mins later...looked like shoulder injury..
Anyways I'll be back next yeat god willing and maybe they might alter the route of the 160 onto wider better roads...and sweep de gravel on those bad corners please......did miss Cork Screw Hill this year.... but loved Dutch Corner...

I was the poor soul who hit the deck at Fr.Ted's house, took my eye of the road when someone shouted about the house and in a split second I had hit the ground. Would like to thank the cyclists who stayed with me until the ambulance arrived - really appreciate what they did for me. Ended up in Ennis General where an xray confirmed that I had a broken collarbone and some nasty road rash. Got back to Ballyvaughan later in day so could have been worse, the bike seems ok and looks like I will only have to replace a helmet. Cannot praise the organisers enough for how everything was handled from looking after my bike, to keeping in contact with my wife and checking in with me later to see if that I was ok (I also got a hoody ). I know that this is their job but it meant a lot to me.

wuzziwig

I pulled right back this year and did the 62km route. I absolutely loved it. Weather was fab. Scenery was stunning and after doing so many long rides it was a pleasure to pull back and really enjoy the cycle and the scenery. We got off at so many different scenic spots to take photographs. I thoroughly enjoyed it, it was more like a day out than a sportive.

I went off earlier than the official 62km start time as I was under pressure to get home. Loved Dutch corner and the good shove they gave me up the hill as I passed by!!! I didn't mind Corkscrew being taken out of it as I cycle it regularly. The foodstop was really quite when we got there. I didn't have the cheesecake so can't comment on it but the egg sandwiches were lovely. The road going into Kilfenora was ****e with shovels of tar lumped all over the road to fill the potholes but other than that I found it fine. I'm used to the roads in the Burren so maybe I don't take as much notice of them as others do. The tourist buses are dangerous on the route but there isn't a whole lot you can do about them. There normally is sandwiches at the end. I didn't miss them as I wasn't hungry but I think there should have been something at the end for the longer routes. Love my hoody. It's really warm and fits nicely. I'll be back next year and will probably take on the 160.

wuzziwig

Ouch trek climber, a broken collar bone is a sore injury. Glad you had good care and hope you managed a few sociables in Ballyvaughan to ease the pain.

wuzziwig

Photos from Dutch Corner here: https://www.facebook.com/BurrenEyePhotography/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1021410567913262

Moflojo

Really enjoyed the Tour de Burren on Saturday. First time doing it and would highly recommend it. The organisation and marshalling were excellent.

The most notable thing for me was the atmosphere; it was very relaxed compared to some other sportives I've done. There was no aggression, no racing, and no large club groups whizzing past at high speed or shouting the odds at less experienced riders. Everyone was happy to say hello and have a chat, groups formed and unformed with ease. Even the mass start was very relaxed and civilised, there was no jockeying for position, everyone just eased along with the large group until the first climb started to break things up naturally.

Delighted with the hoodie at the end too - didn't realise we were getting anything!

fryup

one teeny weeny gripe.....

no paper plates and plastic forks for the cheesecake...or did i miss them?

Deagol

fryup wrote: »

why was cork screw hill left out?? too tough?

I think they were trying to move the volume of riders off the main tourist road and corkscrew is part of that road.

TBH, I was happy not see it, I'm sick of doing it every cycle ever organized in the Burren.

And to answer the last part of your question, NOPE, it's not that tough at all. I think 200mt ascent in 4km or so.

jamesd

fryup wrote: »

one teeny weeny gripe.....

no paper plates and plastic forks for the cheesecake...or did i miss them?

They had napkins and small spoons.

Tifosi

No complaints for me on the TDB, very enjoyable, the climb up Ballyallaban was good, Dutch Corner was a surprise and great Craic. Everyone on the way was pleasant and polite, public support was great.

Food stop was grand, plenty of food, no silver service but then most wouldn't know which fork to use anyway.

Roads were fine, cycle on far worse every week, you need to remember this is rural Ireland not South County Dublin.

Scenery is great especially around Black Head.

One memory I will take with me, at the main food stop minding mine own business head down three guys pull up near me place their bikes. One says, "look at everyone looking at my bike" I look up and low and behold two fellows are looking this way, of which I look at ye mans bike totally unimpressed and turn back.

It beats last year when two fellows are discussing whether or not to wear shoe covers, and decided not as it looked better without them.