An Post RAS 2017

Chips Lovell

1bryan wrote: »

right, but try to detach yourself from your closeness to the scene here in Ireland and look at it objectively? Does it make for a good race when you know that a good number of teams can't offer any real challenge to the overall?

It's certainly a great thing for the local riders and it's unique in that regard, from what I can tell. It's more the race itself that I was thinking about.

It's certainly hard to challenge, but not impossible. Look at Eoin Morton last year. In terms of the race itself, you get no shortage of international teams who want to compete, you get hard racing and you get the best crowds you'll ever see for an Irish race. I don't think it would be as well supported if you excluded the domestic riders.

1bryan wrote: »

Incidentally, I've heard anecdotal evidence down the years of county riders being treated quite shabbily by some of the so-called pros. Being looked down on, etc. That can't be much fun.

Not my experience. There's actually quite a nice atmosphere.

Weepsie

Outside of families and job, cycling is the whole world to some people. Part of what makes RAS unique is mixing of county and pros/neo-pros. It would be a shame to lose that as I think it really adds to it.

If one wanted a pro only race, there are surely potential circuits and an audience for really good one day races in Ireland but that would require a lot of work to get going.

1bryan

RobFowl wrote: »

I haven't
I'm a complete Fred and really quite sh*t but love the bike all the same.

Volunteer a lot though and worked on 10 Raseanna.

I love it the way it is, I also see a leap in the quality of rides coming from the county riders and think the county prize is a progressive and welcome incentive.
Change is constant but as it it I think the Ras is brilliant and don't think anything radical needs to be done.

I don't really disagree, but I think my point is being missed. I also love the Ras (even as it is), as stated in an early post. I'm just trying to think more objectively from the point of view of the race and what would make it more competitive.

1bryan

greenspurs wrote: »

If this is the man i think it is, youll find he has competed at top level, and won, and has his finger on the pulse of what is happening.
So i think his points are well validated, as he speaks from experience..

If its not him ...... Thats me made look stupid !!!!!!!

almost certainly not the same person. I'm a fred but competed at the top level in a different sport.

thanks though!

1bryan

Jep Gambardella wrote: »

It's certainly hard to challenge, but not impossible. Look at Eoin Morton last year. In terms of the race itself, you get no shortage of international teams who want to compete, you get hard racing and you get the best crowds you'll ever see for an Irish race. I don't think it would be as well supported if you excluded the domestic riders.

what about if there were more domestic riders? Not to the total exclusion of the pros but maybe slightly weaker pro teams.

And I'd never want to see a situation where a top domestic rider couldn't ride, regardless of what format the race took. Morton's win last year was incredible, as was Conor Dunne's the year he took stage 1. I don't think either of those guys entered the races those years just wanting to get around. Similarly any of the AquaBlue guys, who seem to mop up much of the best of Irish domestic talent. Maybe what Aqua Blue do is the model for what a county team should be.

I don't know the answer here. But debate can't be bad.

DirkVoodoo

Remove the pro teams? Weaker pro teams?

Most of the pro teams that come over are developmental squads, training the best new talent before they become superstars!

I think it's great that kids can line up outside their school and see someone like Postalberger or Degenkolb, the flashy team vehicles, the tanned legs and foreign accents.

I think the comment earlier about amateurs "getting around" misses the mark. No one gets around. You suffer like a dog at the hands of the pros and survive the attempts to break you. No one just gets around. I'd imagine that having one of those "men of the ras" medals at the end is a sign that you've been to hell and back, you've endured. You may not have competed or got into any breaks, but does it diminish the achievement?

The only negative I can possibly think of with the current Ras format is the placement in the calendar completely unbalances the racing in Ireland. Full gas from March (or is it even Feb now) to May and then the best summer months struggle to put on big races.

1bryan

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Most of the pro teams that come over are developmental squads, training the best new talent before they become superstars!

so, kind of like sticking juniors in A3 then.

Lumen

1bryan wrote: »

I'm just trying to think more objectively from the point of view of the race and what would make it more competitive.

But it is competitive.

Do you mean that everyone in the race should be at more or less the same level? That's not even the case in the pro ranks. AquaBlue are going to the Vuelta!

I think it's amazing that some of my friends have "raced against" Mr Postal Burger in Ireland. Nobody is under any delusions that it makes their ability equivalent.

Sure, what's the harm!

greenspurs

1bryan wrote: »

almost certainly not the same person. I'm a fred but competed at the top level in a different sport.

thanks though!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh balls.....

DirkVoodoo

1bryan wrote: »

so, kind of like sticking juniors in A3 then.

I suppose, but with lots of people out to see you fail, which is a novelty.

You could reduce any version of the Ras you've suggested to "so, it's kind of like a sunday amateur race but for 8 days" or "so it's like racing against the Belarusian equivalent of A1 coaching"

Harrybelafonte

1bryan wrote: »

Yes, I have competed at elite level.

You?

Also, your point?

Yes. Believe it or not.

My point was in the question, why do you compete?

1bryan

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

My point was in the question, why do you compete?

to help my team win

1bryan

Lumen wrote: »

But it is competitive.

Do you mean that everyone in the race should be at more or less the same level? That's not even the case in the pro ranks. AquaBlue are going to the Vuelta!

I think it's amazing that some of my friends have "raced against" Mr Postal Burger in Ireland. Nobody is under any delusions that it makes their ability equivalent.

Sure, what's the harm!

right, I completely agree. Not so much with about being at the same level - in the protour races there'll always be pressure on wildcard teams to justify their selection. The rest will qualify by status. So, while they're certainly not on the same level, the disparity isn't as glaring.

And your last paragraph sums up what's great about the Ras.

Lets say, though, one of the UK races (ToB, Yorkshire), followed the Ras model. Would anyone outside the UK be interested?

Maybe that's moot though. There probably isn't a whole pile of interest in the Ras beyond these shores. For that reason the organisers have license to continue to run the race as they please.

Kaisr Sose

Lumen wrote: »

But it is AquaBlue are going to the Vuelta!

That's a totally different team , with a separate ID etc. You must know that?

Harrybelafonte

1bryan wrote: »

to help my team win

Ok so.

Chips Lovell

Kaisr Sose wrote: »

That's a totally different team , with a separate ID etc. You must know that?

I think he means that there's different levels of team there as well. Aqua Blue are Pro Conti and would be racing against World Tour teams.

Anyone have a link to the current GC and stage results?:

Inquitus

ronoc wrote: »

Anyone have a link to the current GC and stage results?:

http://www.anpost.ie/AnPost/IrishCyclingRas/Results/

Inquitus

Inquitus wrote: »

http://www.anpost.ie/AnPost/IrishCyclingRas/Results/

They haven't uploaded any results that I can see

mal1

ronoc wrote: »

They haven't uploaded any results that I can see

Google the website and try. That link isn't showing results for some reason.

CramCycle

Stage 6 won't be up until later tonight

Stage 5 here: http://www.anpost.ie/AnPost/IrishCyclingRas/Results/Stage+5/

Kaisr Sose

mal1 wrote: »

Google the website and try. That link isn't showing results for some reason.

Google is always the answer

ednwireland

stage 6 highlights showing off donegal in all its glory

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6mAm_Qr4Ec

full results up

http://www.anpost.ie/AnPost/IrishCyclingRas/Results/Stage+6/

Kaisr Sose

Jep Gambardella wrote: »

I think he means that there's different levels of team there as well. Aqua Blue are Pro Conti and would be racing against World Tour teams.

I see what he/you mean, but Aqua Blue in the Vuelta is not an apples with apples comparrisson to the county riders in the Ras. By that I mean, Aqua Blue are there because they either qualified or were invited – as are other Spanish teams. Or am I totally wrong here and any team can enter if they have the money to support a team?

CramCycle

You have to be of a certain standard to enter the Ras too. Something they have tightened up on in recent years

CrowdedHouse

Kaisr Sose wrote: »

Google is always the answer

That's it


The Google Ras!

Kaisr Sose

CrowdedHouse wrote: »

That's it


The Google Ras!

They may even get a tax break for it!!

CramCycle

Matress Micks Ras. He could put a few matresses in a trailer for riders who get picked up by the broomwagon to help them deal with it.

Kaisr Sose

The Hardly Normal Ras Stage Race

ednwireland

stage 7 what a horrible day, good to see everyone home safe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7qsUMD549A