Irish Road Racing 2023

CramCycle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120288758#Comment_120288758

Handy but not a necessity. If you are only starting, have a tube, tyre levers and a mini pump in your back pocket. Thats it, if you get a flat in Irish racing, unless you are an undiscovered star, you aren't winning from a flat.

Are you in a club, I'd recommend joining one nad gettign out with their race group spins and joining a club league before open racing

beggars_bush

Yep. Training away with the club and a few other lads.

Was using the winter bike until recently

Wheels are tubeless on the summer bike, is there a need for a spare set then?

CramCycle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120289073#Comment_120289073

Its handy to have but necessary, no. Most race without them, without any issue. Unless you have a team car and are likely to succeed in a break away, other than for neutral service to get you home or to get you started if you are flat before the race begins.

Long story short, buy the new wheels but if you can't afford them, then you will be fine without them.

eeeee

Get a wheelset if you want but it's not necessary. As Cram says above unless you've a car in the cavalcade and your a mutant you're race is over if you flat.

Bring the means to fix a puncture cos if you flat out the back of a lap you could be 10-20k unfun walk from your car!

harringtonp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120289378#Comment_120289378

Second all that. As a very average run of the mill racer I have never been able to get back into the bunch after a flat. Even with a fairly quick wheel change it never happened. Closest was a stage race where I was on the bumper of a van which got me back to the cars but even at that the pace was too high coming into the finish to make the final jump.

Regarding punctures and what to carry my consideration is always how to get back. If it's a nice day and I know people on the circuit will just carry a phone so I can make a call or two. Otherwise will carry enough to repair a flat.

It's another topic altogether but for me the switch to tubeless for racing was great. May be a bitch to repair on the road if they do go flat but the likelihood off it happening to start with is much lower and the race completion rate higher.

Arthurdaly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120249487#Comment_120249487

Firstly Drogheda wheelers put on great races year after year and is very much appreciated. I notice there is no separate A2 race and this was being encouraged by CI for promoters to implement. Will this be the case for all races run by Drogheda wheelers?

A lot of the active A2 racers are masters (myself included) and although its good to occasionally ride with the A1 riders for the most part I would prefer A2 only races where there is the possibility of being competitive.

Any plans for any A2 only races? Boyne GP is a nice race, will I ride if combined with A1? Probably not as zero chance of CI points and unplaced prizes are generally only a few spots.

wav1

A few different questions in there.will all our races be a1a2 combined.answer we don't know yet but I would say probably.

The a2 only races will only work for the first few months as proven back in about 2016 and 2017 when this was done previously. Thereafter the field sizes drop and separate races won't attract enough riders.

As for the boyne gp we did consider it but there were a few issues.Number 1 there is a 2 day stage race on that weekend and also another event which only switched to that date a few weeks ago and would be hugely worried that the race wouldn't attract enough riders for separate races. To be honest it's an A1 issue and not A2. That is not enough A1s

We are running 3 events that day and we can facilitate them all on the circuit together. If we added another race we would have to run 2 x early and 2 x later. Its Mother's day and most i have asked to help are looking to get home early.

Another feedback I got too was from a few A2 riders who will be riding the ras basically saying that an A2 only race wasn't really the prep required

Anyway we will.lopl at it for Coombes Connor and Sean lynch in April and May based on how the events pan out for other organisers over next few weeks

Arthurdaly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120297778#Comment_120297778

Thanks for the reasoning and transparency. At the moment its an A1 issue due to low numbers in the category which is most likely as a result of A2 riders not getting any CI points due to the combined A1/A2 races.

I think when renewing my license I had the option to select A1 so Ras riders should be probably going with that option.

Totally understand volunteers not wanting to be roadside all day so a difficult one keep everyone happy.

harringtonp

Do organisers ever consider not running an A1 race, so just catering for the other 3 categories. Or even just running 2 events, an A4 and a combined A2/A3.

You could make a case that 2 simultaneous A1 races sufficiently geographically spaced in the country on a weekend should open the door for the above options.

The A2 lads in our club tend to build their year around A2/A3 stage races. But even at that there are less of these on offer than there use to be, with Ras Mhaigh Eo opened up to A1, it leaves only Kanturk, Gorey and Charleville that I'm aware of.

beggars_bush

signed up for Navan. looking forward to it

now to figure out clothing for what could be a cold day

daragh_

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120300301#Comment_120300301

As long as it doesn't snow!

dahat

Had a look at the DCW wheelers course on google maps earlier. It looks good & fast with the long finishing straight that will hopefully line out the bunch for the sprint.

Really looking forward to getting back racing this weekend.

burger1979

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120300301#Comment_120300301

we have put various child of pragues out along the route, done a no snow dance on the route, and also prayed to some other deity's....hopefully it will stay dry, but i'd say it will be cold....

beggars_bush

https://www.cyclingireland.ie/news-item/2023-rs-tilteann-route-announcement-/

Day one and day 4 are tasty

Arthurdaly

Signed up for Navan, always a cold day out from memory!

Bambaata

Racing both Saturday and Sunday.

Reminder for anyone not yet signed up for my own club's (Dublin Wheelers) race on Saturday that entries close today !!

https://eventmaster.ie/event/lnq4TV8HPO

https://eventmaster.ie/event/lnq4TV8HPO

Sunday then is home roads for me, passes folks house so couldn't not do it!

dahat

Lacey cup cancelled?

wav1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120306258#Comment_120306258

Yes and it's for a very genuine and unfortunate set of circumstances

dahat

Racing tomorrow, shaves legs then remembers it’s not exactly shorts weather for opening weekend.

Assume the DCW race got the full 80 riders?

joey100

Lad in our club tried for A3 and got message it was sold out. Not sure about other races. Weather looks like 5/6 degrees, could be a cold cold one.

Bambaata

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120310068#Comment_120310068

Was to close for entries yesterday, when was he trying? Numbers werent massive on Tuesday

dutchy15

What's the Navan course like lads? Just entered A3 race there. Never raced there before.

wav1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120310061#Comment_120310061

A3 race full

Bambaata

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120310179#Comment_120310179

Home roads for me. Few short climbs but nothing major but they come fairly close together and there's fast enough section off the end of them which passes my home place. If windy the road back towards the finish of a lap can be exposed, not sure what wind is to be doing Sunday.

levitronix

Fresh legs ?

Frist races back are always murder for me, always have to much training done in the lead up to the season, just looking forward to getting navan done. Then newbridge gp next week is on my doorstep i can cycle out to the start

dutchy15

..

dutchy15

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120310647#Comment_120310647

Thanks for that. Short race only 75k I think so sounds like bunch sprint so if climbs not too hard as you say

burger1979

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120311068#Comment_120311068

https://www.strava.com/routes/3065287287966135520

route for you if you want to look at the lap for Sunday. If you have entered then a small race document will be with you tomorrow evening with that also in it.

dutchy15

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120311288#Comment_120311288

Thanks very much for this. Yes entered this morning. A3 likely to be stacked with few extra juniors from down my way who were supposed to race the cancelled Lacey cup. Just what a 41 year old A3 lad like me needs!!!

dahat

Dublin Wheelers

Enjoyed that today & great to be back racing.

Disappointed not to get a top 10 in the end.

Smashing course & well marshalled by all.

Bambaata

'Enjoyable' day out alright! Happy enough with my race despite nothing much to show for it. Must have ridden about 15-20km of it solo in various attempts to get across to no avail! Body went much better than I expected. Now praying I didn't go too deep ahead of tomorrow!

2011abc

Do the wrong early season Irish race with the wrong gloves and overshoes and your first Antarctic expedition will be a piece of cake :-(

Morris Garren

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120316812#Comment_120316812

Ras Naomh Finian: great early season leg spinner-- especially 2011 and the blizzard that arrived for the return leg! Plus I almost 'went outside' and was planning on being 'gone for some time' on the Gorey final stage in 2018 except for hanging onto the bumper and wing mirror for the last hour. Beast from the East + crash + rain + minus five windchill equalled early hypothermia for lantern rougers

But I digress...

beggars_bush

Happy enough with that. Top 10 finish. Two strong riders got away and nobody was too eager to chase.

Hope the two lads who crashed are ok

Raymzor

Fair play. Which race were you in?

joey100

Good weekend of racing. Found the A2 bunch very good in both racing, no real messing and felt safe. Saturday was lot colder than Sunday tho, underdressed for Sat and over for Sunday! Gave it a go 3km from the line on Sunday, got to about 200m before I got caught, some day it will work!

Good to meet Dahat at Saturday race too!

Another weekend coming up with 2 races, many doing both?

daragh_

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120301004#Comment_120301004

It didn't snow. Peeled off a few layers before the start but still ended up overheating (and that's why I got dropped - honest). Haven't done that race since 2013 and now I remember why :-)

Thanks to all at Navan for organising.

dahat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120319519#Comment_120319519

Nice to meet you as well!

Down for Sunday & would like to rwce Saturday but I’ve no way to get there from S. Tipp unfortunately.

A1 ranks will be bulked up soon with A2 lads now getting points in a proper manner.

Bambaata

Sunday not so good for me, stayed near back for first 1/2 of lap 1 knowing nothing was going to go away, only for a small few to get away. Went to front and helped bring back the break and soon after my race was over! Going up the 2nd of the 3 climbs my chain dropped. In trying to get it back on it then jammed into the frame. took an age to get out by which time i was gone, chased as hard as i could over that climb and the next but it seem,ed to ppen up then seeing the pace on strava after those climbs and i was gone. Rode around from there. Worst of all is that happened about 500m from my folks house! Was very tempted to stop there but then id have to get back to Navan for the car so just rode around. Legs felt ok considering efforts of Saturday but i still cant climb! Dont know what im going to do about Gorey with that! Have been tracking food now anbout 3 weeks and have already dropped 2.5kgs but seems id need to lose about 10kg more to have any chance of surviving that climb on stage 2 in Gorey and that aint happening!

beggars_bush

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120318574#Comment_120318574

A4. Pace was too slow for a lot of race until the break imho.

wav1

Just my tuppence worth.

I think we are getting close to the time when 3 x senior categories will suffice.A4 field sizes way down on pre covid and that's early season fields. Will probably get a whole lot smaller as the season evolves.

If quite a few A2s get upgraded to A1 with the A2 races and the same happens from A3 to A2 well then you have a cohort of A3s remaining

The relatively small number of A4s could all be then upgraded to A3 to make a good size field. This would mean promoters only having to run 3 x mens races and would keep a lot of the riders happy I'd say especially A2s. Probably for down the road but I'd say the A4 category will become unsustainable. The juniors will continue to dominate the early season A3 races but will be gone out of it sooner with the new grading system.

levitronix

Does anyone have a link to photos from the A3 race in navan

beggars_bush

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120321800#Comment_120321800

You're forgetting older riders being regraded and new riders wanting to start out

Anyway, over 40 in each men's category yesterday in Navan which was a healthy entry

dahat

Anyone find it wrong that in order to race the National series first years juniors will be facing 144km at the Des?

dahat

Re Newbridge GP next weekend - any potential fun to be had with west winds?

Raymzor

@joey100 ,I was driving the tail car in A2 race yesterday. I thought you 2 lads had stolen the show. Fair play for giving it a rattle.

Raymzor

@levitronix Sportsphoto Ireland (Sean Rowe) will have A3 photos posted shortly!

Raymzor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120321833#Comment_120321833

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02gqtTQvMxH3o5MEoqJvX3q1gJLNu8dUVDRNLHSgiuo8U6cYdpX82PDr8m597EPgodl&id=100008650729508

Raymzor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120320110#Comment_120320110

Interesting comment. First 10km had average speed of 42kph!

if your comment is true you should have had no problem clipping off the front solo!!

wav1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120321835#Comment_120321835

40 in an A4 race on the first weekend of the season is not a good entry

I know where you're coming from re new lads starting out but if A3 becomes the new lowest category its the same thing as the strong juniors will.have been all upgraded