KERRY YOUTH TOUR
First stop on our journey this coming weekend is the promotion of a Youth Tour in Beaufort where none other than the President of the Union Cycliste Internationale Pat McQuaid will drop the flag.
The Kerry Youth Tour is a major item in the calendar for all Irish and British youth riders. It is also a major money-spinner for the Mid-Kerry area generating as it does approx 2500 bed nights and the consequent spending in the area.
Frank Hayes, Director of Corporate Affairs, Kerry Group said: “Kerry Group is delighted to sponsor the Kerry Youth Tour 2008. Sport should be an integral part of every young person’s development and events such as the Kerry Youth Tour, which encourage and nurture participation in sport, are of immense importance. Much credit must go to the event organisers who invest their time, effort and care in ensuring the Tour remains a most successful event year on year. The opportunity for young Irish cyclists to test themselves against a strong international contingent in a professionally managed stage race such as the Youth Tour is of huge benefit both in experience and confidence terms. I have no doubt but that this year’s tour will be a memorable one – both from a competitor and spectator point of view”.
”Kerry Group is delighted to be associated with a community-based project which also has a huge international profile. Additionally, the fact that it is a youth-based event fits very well with Kerry’s core values and ethos” Frank Hayes added
The event will follow the four-stage formula, which has proved a success previously. As in previous years, there will be three categories of racing on each stage.
Category 1 and 1a for boys born in 1992 and 1993 respectively.
Category 2 and 2a for boys born in 1994 and 1995 respectively.
Category 3 and 3a for boys born in 1996 and 1997 respectively.
Girls race alongside the boys but the age categories are reduced by two years.
As usual, the race will attract the cream of young Irish cyclists to compete with a huge contention from England, Scotland, Wales and the Isle of Man. This year there will also be a contingent coming from Malta and Turkey. There are two Belgian Teams entered. In the Category 1 event, local charges will be led by Cian Corcoran. The Welsh Cycling Union team will probably concentrate on the Category 3 and Category 2 events where they have been very strong in the past number of years. The English, Scottish and Isle of Man riders will be using the event to get in some racing on the road.
The race will use the now traditional routes of previous races. On Saturday 2nd August racing will start in Beaufort at 2:30 p.m. The race will use the circuit from the village to Curchtown X and then back to the village via Carunahone X and the Green Road. Racing will finish at 5:30 approx. Neilie Doherty and John Doyle are stage organisers for the Beaufort stage. On Sunday morning 3rd of August the riders face a 1.8 mile time trial that will start at Tulig Cross on the Cromane Road near Flynn’s funeral home. Ciaran Corcoran will organise the time trial. The riders will depart at one-minute intervals and racing will finish at 12:30 approx.
The Sunday afternoon stage will be ran on the Barry’s X course. Riders will start at Mountain View in Killorglin and then via Glenagillagh X to Barry’s X to Owenagarry X and back to the start via Ardmoniel. Morgan and Brendan O Sullivan will coordinate the affairs on this stage. The final stage on Monday 4th of August is the classic Donal McKenna course around Killorglin, Ardmoniel and the Annadale Road. Dan Aherne will look after matters on this circuit. This is a fitting end to the race with the Category 1 riders coming up the hill 10 times to finish their weekend of racing.
Safe racing operates with the goodwill of other road users. Race Director Kieran Doherty ‘the goodwill of motorists is one of the key elements in the promotion of this race. The other essential players are the Killarney and Killorglin Gardai who are fantastic with the assistance they give us. The Roads Dept of Kerry County Council under Area Engineer Brian Hickey could not be more helpful’.
For most of the stages a one-way traffic flow operates with alternative routes and diversions clearly signposted. Just over 200 young people ranging from 11 to 16 years of age will take part in the race. The main race for the oldest riders will attract a field of almost 100 riders.
The sight of 100 riders racing on narrow country roads, the wind from the wheels and the flash of colour that is a racing peleton in full flight is truly a spectacular experience. If you doubt it come out and see the new Sean Kelly’s in Killorglin and Beaufort on Saturday 2nd , Sunday 3rd and Monday 4th of August.
SUIR VALLEY 3 DAY
Stage 1
 |
Clonmel Kilsheelan Carrick-On-Suir Portlaw Fiddown Piltown Owning Templeouroum Kilmaganney Faugheen Lissadobber Glenbower Ormonde Stores Clonmel.
Stage One starts outside the race headquarters in Hearn’s Hotel and after the official
Procession through town the Neutral start is at the Moangarrif roundabout and the first major Event of the day is a hotspot Sprint on the Bridge passing over the Suir in Carrick-on Suir. The race Then heads down the backroad to Waterford and heads for Portlaw. The race turns into Portlaw At the woodlands entrance passed through the Village out the Waterford road and turns left back On itself and heads for the Fiddown bridge where there is another hot spot Sprint again where the race Heads over the river Suir. After the Sprint the race goes into Piltown and turns Right at the tower for Owning and for the first KOM of the day at the imposing Templeoroum. Once over the climb we head For Aghaviller the onto Kilmaganney and the second KOM is between Kilmaganney and Curraghbawn.
The race then heads for the motorbike racing capital of Munster Faugheen home to the Faugheen 50 and Heads cross the gentle slopes and backroads to lissadobber and a KOM at Glenbower which features in the Carrick On Suir Race every year. From Glenbower it’s a very fast run home back through the Ormonde Stores and Kilheffernan Roundabouts. The open roads running up to the Bulmer’s roundabout should give time for the Sprinters of the group to get ready for the Finish outside the Clonmel Cemetery
Stage 2
 |
Clonmel Cahir Bansha Tipperary Kilfeacle Golden Cashel Fethard Clonmel
Stage Two starts outside the race headquarters in Hearn’s Hotel and after the official Procession through town the Neutral start is at the Cahir roundabout and the first Bump of the day is the barn Lodge climb at 2kms. The Race heads for the old town Of Cahir and passes through past the castle for a hotspot sprint at Morrison BMW after which the race turns right onto the old cork Dublin Road and then turns left at the Tipperary roundabout and heads for out the Limerick Road for Bansha. One at Bansha the race heads into the Glen of Aherlow at the back of the Galtee Mountains with the imposing Galtee Mor on our left hand side. After about 5kms the First KOM of the day is the Glen of Aherlow and a long decent into Tipperary Town is after that. Once past Tipperary Town we head towards Cashel but first have another Hotspot when we pass over the Suir through the picturesque village Of Golden and Then onto Cashel. We pass through Cashel town Centre and with “The Rock of Cashel “ behind us we head on the rolly roads to Fethard and after 1.5kms we have our second KOM of the Day a short sharp drag but very fast. Leaving Fethard we have another KOM Test in the Long but fast Market hill out of Fethard and with only 10-15kms to the finish in Rathronan Outside the Maxol Filling Station.
Stage 3
 |
Clonmel Criterium
Stage 3 is the Criterium in the centre of Town and well Hey it’s a criterium sure you can’t get lost. We have closed the streets of Clonmel and the Crit will incorporate Hot Spot Sprints
Stage 4
 |
Clonmel Kilmanahan Ballymacarbry Renadumpaun Ballymacarbry Clonmel 4 laps Clonmel Marlfield Knocklofty Clonmel
Stage Four again starts outside the race headquarters in Hearn’s Hotel and after the official Procession through town the Neutral start is at the Kilmacomma roundabout and the first major KOM is the drag at Greenmount which is affectionately known as the “Bee hive” to all riders who Have spent a winter doing the Spin around the Pike with Sean Kelly and the Crew from there it’s A long rolly drop into Ballymacarbry to the first Hotspot Sprint of the Day outside the Pinewood Pharmaceuticals Factory in Ballymacarbery after which we turn left and we enter the Nire Valley but not for Long as we take the first right turn up the second KOM of the Day on the Way to Kileany. This is a Short twisty flandersesque type of climb and it’s a rolly open roads at the top running along and to Main Dungarvan road and a right turn back to the second Hotspot Sprint of the Day outside the Pinewood Pharmaceuticals Factory again in Ballymacarbery. We head back on ourselves into Clonmel for the First of 4 Laps of the Finishing Circuit the same as last Year. There will be 3 KOM and 3 Sprints competition on these laps but are to be confirmed
____________________________________
SEND US YOUR EVENT INFORMATION
Clubs and race organisers can send their event information in text format to us here in IrishCycling.com (see our 'Contact Us' for relevant email addresses) If we don't get it, it won't be posted.
Please include
1. Event Date and Start Time:
2. Type of Event and distance:
3. Venue Details including Sign-On location:
4. Categories catered for:
5. Contact details - phone number / email address (we don't allow links to websites on article pages)
6. Entry Forms - you can send us pre-race entry forms and we will include a download link on our online calendar.
