The dust has settled after last weekend’s Ras Mumhan but Irish riders have another strong change to gauge their form in the run up to the FBD Insurance Rás when they line out in the Shay Elliott Memorial this Sunday. The race is the most prestigious Irish one-day event outside of the national championships, and will see a good field of domestic and international competitors scrap it out over 164 kilometres of tough Wicklow roads.
Former winner David McCann is home from racing with his Giant Asia team and is one of those who should be in the final tussle for the win. His main opposition may come from Ireland's two continental teams, who are both entering squads in the race.
The Sean Kelly-ACLVB M Donnelly squad are seeking to emulate Kelly's own successes in 1974 and 1975, before he embarked on a highly successful pro career. Paídi O’Brien highlighted his form last weekend when he took a stage of the Ras Mumhan, while team-mate Tim Cassidy should thrive on the two tough uphills sections at Old Wicklow Gap and Drumgoff. Concannon brothers Eoin and Miceal and Andrew McQuaid are also expected to ride on the squad.
Ireland’s second Continental team The Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group team come into the race after their strong showing in last weekend's Rás Mumhan in Kerry. Paul Healion won a stage there, comfortably took the overall victory and also scooped the points classification.
The field will also include some strong Irish domestic squads such as MyHome.ie/Cycleways and Dan Morrissey Carrick Wheelers [both of whom also won in Kerry, via the efforts of Mehall Fitzgerald and Martin O’Loughlin] plus several foreign teams. An Ulster selection of Adam Petrie Armstrong, Frazer Duncan, David Watson, David Mulholland and Michael Murray were announced in recent days, while one of those travelling from overseas to the Murphy and Gunn/Stena Line-backed event is former Tour of Spain points jersey winner Malcolm Elliott.
Scotland are sending a team comprising Gary Hand, Robert Wardell, Stuart McManus and Stuart MacGregor, while Wales – Fujibike will be represented by Gareth Jones, Dafydd Dylan, Iain Roach and Mike Harrison, a Sigmasport rider guesting for them.
The Bray Wheelers promotion begins at Bray Town Hall at 10:30am and finishes at Fassaroe Lane off the N11 at 2:30pm. For more information, contact Michael O'Donnell at 087 6287128.
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10/4/06 TWO WEEKS TO ELLIOTT
By Mick O'Donnell, Bray Wheelers PRO
The Shay Elliott Memorial Race 2006
Date: Sunday 23rd April 2006
Race Headquarters: Presentation College, Putland Road, Bray, County Wicklow
Ceremonial Start: Town Hall, Main Street, Bray
Finish: Fassaroe Lane, Bray
Eligible categories: Senior 1, Senior 2
Distance: 163.5 km
Start time: 10.30am
Sign on: Opens at 8.15am, closes at 9.45am
Contact: Urban Monks, 9 Valeview Close, Cabinteely, Dublin, Ph 01 285 6382
Entry fee: €15 per rider
Team managers: 9.00am meeting
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THE RACE ITSELF
The 2006 Shay Elliott Memorial Road Race takes place on the roads of Wicklow on Sunday, 23rd of April, promoted by Bray Wheelers. The course for the race will be a total distance of 163.5 kilometres through Wicklow. This will take the race winner around four hours to complete the round trip from Bray. The winner will require all the cycling characteristics of strength, speed and endurance in abundance. The ceremonial start will take place at the Town Hall, Main Street, Bray at 10.30am.
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The race will be neutralised and will proceed on the route until the start line after 2.4 km, where the race proper will begin with a rolling start. The start of racing will be signalled to the riders from the lead car. Once racing gets underway, a sprint prime will await the riders at Kilpeddar, eleven kilometres into the race, so the pace will be hot from the start. At Rathnew, riders come off the N11 and onto a twisting road to Glenealy, then onto Rathdrum, Avoca, Woodenbridge and Arklow.
They then head towards the start of the first real climb of the race, the steep ascent of Old Wicklow Gap, locally known as Croghan, with a prime at the summit. Then it’s onto Aughrim and the undulating run-in towards the foot of the daunting Glenmalure climb, past the Shay Elliott monument at the top. A tricky decent to Laragh once that climb is completed, the riders will then climb to Annamoe and make a diversion through the Roundwood lakes to avoid traffic congestion in the town. Then it’s back onto the undulating roads between Roundwood and Calary towards the high-speed descent of the Long Hill. Back onto the N11, again decending down the high speed dual carriage way, riders contesting the finish will swoop up the leg sapping incline to the finish at Fassaroe Lane.
Two Irish Professional teams are confirmed for the event; Team Murphy & Gunn and Team Sean Kelly. Other Irish contenders taking part include Eugene Moriarty (Listowel, Co. Kerry), Tommy Evans (Banbridge, Co. Down), Niall Delahaye (Redcross, county Wicklow), Bryan Keane, Timmy Barry (both Cork City) and Brian Kinneally (Piltown, Co. Kilkenny). The foreign teams involved are Team Fuji Bikes, Surrey League representatives and a Scottish selection.
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SPONSORS
Bray Wheelers thank Murphy & Gunn for their generous sponsorship of the race and Stena Line for their support.
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ABOUT SHAY ELLIOTT
Shay Elliott was a pioneer for Irish cycling. Like all young riders, he dreamed of riding on the continent with the big names, but unlike the rest, Shay did something about it. His second overall in the 1953 Tour of Ireland, at the mere age of 18, earned him a trip to a French training camp for the spring of the following season.
Over the winter he contacted Francis Pelissier, the grand old man of French cycling in those days. Pelissier told Elliott to compete in as many races as possible, at least three or four a week. Poor Pelissier couldn't imagine a place on earth where this wasn't possible. Ireland was such a place.
But the Dubliner did the next best thing. Through the slush and rain he trained religiously. His performances at the training camp were more than acceptable. He was snatched up by a club and rewarded that confidence by winning the Galibier stage of the Route de France, a major continental stage race. In that race the team was assisted by a Bray Wheelers founding member, Joe Loughman, who helped the team out during their epic journey through France.
The following season, 1955, Elliott was inducted into the ranks of the ACBB, France's most prestigious amateur club. He blazed new trails and opened up new frontiers for English speaking rider. Thanks to him, the Boulogne-Billancourt club would become a nursery for foreign riders, grooming them for greatness – including stars like Stephen Roche. He proceeded to win five one-day amateur classics. The pro scouts were convinced.
1956 was a year of adaptation to professionalism, but come 1957 Shay showed his stuff. In the first classic of the season, Belgium's early season classic - Het Volk, he was in a race-long break with the British professional, Brian Robinson. They were caught near the end, but not before they won a bundle of primes and made a big name for themselves. Two years later in 1959, Shay was the first non Belgian winner of Het Volk.
Years passed and the big ones always seemed to elude Shay. He was always there in the front of the action, but not quite there on the finish line. He lead the 1962 Vuelta for nine days, taking a stage, and finished an eventual third overall.
As for World Championships, he got close in ‘62 when he went away in the winning move with his friend and teammate, Jean Stablinski, at Salo, Italy. After collaborating for many miles "Stab" attacked, and Shay felt duty bound to hold tight. After the race he confessed, "I know I shouldn't say it, but I couldn't chase after my friend when he attacked, could I?" Nevertheless, Shay had no trouble of disposing of the rest of the break to take the silver. Stablinski was well aware of the debt he owed. The following year, on the third day of the Tour de France he found a way to repay it. They were in breakaway together. When Shay punctured, Stab deftly slowed the break long enough for Elliot to get a new wheel and power back to the group.
With six kilometres to go to the Roubaix finish, Jean gave Shay a wink as he led the breakaway onto a bike path. (This was preferred to the cobblestone road). At this moment Shay attacked down the opposite side of the road. He was away for good. At Roubaix, he not only won the stage, but also slipped into the coveted yellow jersey. He was the first Irishman to wear the "maillot jaune." He had no illusions. In three days he had lost it, but three days in yellow is a definition of immortality in bikedom. Shay also won a stage of the Tour of Italy that year.
At the age 30, after the 1964 season, that once again saw him win the Manx Trophy, he retired from the big time and returned to Dublin to set up a metal working business with his father. He had troubles adapting to this lifestyle. In '66 his French wife, Marguerite, returned to France, and the following year Shay attempted a comeback. His first race was London-Holyhead, 270 nonstop miles, and at the time the longest unpaced race in the world. His 21st placing showed the old legs weren't dead yet. Still, the domestic scene didn't interest him like the continent, and in any event, as long as he worked full time it was doubtful he could be really competitive in any field of bike competition. Shay had been a member of Dublin Wheelers, so when he moved to Kilmacanogue around that time, Joe Loughman contacted him, and he subsequently became Bray Wheelers President. He continued to ride, and train juniors.
Shay’s father died in April of 1971. Marguerite came for Elliott Senior's funeral, and two days after she returned to France. Tragically, Shay was found, on May 4, 1971, dead from a shotgun wound.
His legacy was dormant for only a short time. Within a decade his heirs were emulating him. He was the first english speaking rider to wear the coveted Tour de France yellow jersey and a legend on the continent. His contribution to world cycling and Irish cycling, in particular, will never be forgotten.
A monument to him was erected by friends and stands on the hard climb from Drumgoff Bridge towards Laragh. A legendary Bray Wheeler - Peter Crinnion, followed the trail blazed by Elliott and while he did not achieve the same success as his fellow Dubliner, the experience he gathered along the way helped Stephen Roche mould his career.
In 1958, the first Route de Chill Mhantáin was held, it was Bray Wheelers first open massed start race, and was won by John Lackey. In 1959, Crinnion was victorious. The race was re-named ‘The Shay Elliott Memorial’ in later years. The trophy presented each year was won by Elliott himself as a prize for best amateur in France in 1955. The race is renowned as the hardest one day cycling event in Ireland, a fitting tribute to such a man.
ABOUT BRAY WHEELERS
Bray Wheelers Cycling Club always welcome new members to the club. Currently the club has about 100 members. The club is primarily a cycle road racing club, but members are also involved with leisure cycling, touring, track racing and mountain biking. Our club activities include Open Races, Club Races, Underage and Entry Level Spins, Touring and Training Spins.
Training spins around Wicklow depart from Kilmacanogue, at the new fly-over on the N11, every Saturday and Sunday at 10am sharp. Riders must wear a hard shell helmet at all times.
Established in 1949, the club is one of the oldest and most respected cycle racing clubs in Ireland. Bray Wheelers are the only cycling club in Ireland to have a clubhouse. The club will move soon from its existing clubhouse on Dargle Road, to a new clubhouse, situated on Schools Road, Boghall, shortly. It’s modern building with changing rooms, showers and kitchen.
For further information, contact Mark Loughran, Club Secretary, at 086 822 5310 or see www.BrayWheelers.com
PAST WINNERS OF ROUTE DE CHILL MHANTAIN & THE SHAY ELLIOTT MEMORIAL
1958 John Lackey Tailteann CC
1959 Peter Crinnion Bray Whs CC
1960 Vinny Higgins Obelisk CC
1961 Paul Elliott Bray Whs CC
1962 Paul Elliott Bray Whs CC
1963 Vinny Higgins Obelisk CC
1964 Noel O’Neill Bray Whs CC
1965 Terry Colbert Tailteann CC
1966 Maurice Foster Cyprus CC
1967 Hughie Davis Lorraine CC
1968 Peter Doyle Bray Whs CC
1969 Terry Colbert Tailteann CC
1970 Joe Smyth Cyprus CC
1971 Joe Smyth Cyprus CC
1972 Pat McQuaid Emerald CC
1973 Peter Doyle Bray Whs CC
1974 Sean Kelly Carrick RC
1975 Sean Kelly Carrick RC
1976 Alan McCormack Eagle CC
1977 Mick Nulty Tailteann CC
1978 Billy Kerr Ballymena CC
1979 Peter Morton Les Jeunes CC
1980 Alan McCormack Eagle CC
1981 Martin Earley Les Jeunes CC
1982 Philip Cassidy Team Tirolia
1983 Raphael Kimmage Tara CC
1984 John Shortt Lusk CC
1985 Frank Relf Les Jeunes CC
1986 John Shortt Lusk CC
1987 Anthony O’Gorman Clonmel
1988 Paul McCormack Eagle CC
1989 Paul McQuaid Emerald CC
1990 Daragh McQuaid Emerald CC
1991 Colm Maye Rapparee CC
1992 Robert Power Waterford
1993 Kevin Kimmage Navan RC
1994 Mark Kane Northern CC
1995 Richard McCauley Bray Whs CC
1996 David McCann Phoenix CC
1997 Ciaran Power Comeragh CC
1998 Michael O’Donnell Bray Whs CC
1999 Brian Kinneally Carrick RC
2000 Stephen O’Sullivan Team Clarke
2001 David Peelo Usher Irish RC
2002 Mark Lovatt England
2003 Alessandro Guerra Italy
2004 David O’Loughlin Team Total Cycling
2005 Kevin Dawson England