Cycling Events 2003

Tour of Ulster
Date: 2nd - 3rd May 2003

PRESS RELEASE WEDNESDAY MARCH 26

This year's Tour of Ulster will take place over the weekend of May 2-4.  The race covers some of the roads used during the past two years taking place in counties Armagh and Down. Stage end towns are Craigavon and Downpatrick.

A notable feature this year is that there is no time-trial, race director Eddie Farquhar instead going for a long opening stage of 95 miles which combines much of last year's opening stage from Craigavon to Lisburn with the opening stage in 2001 to Downpatrick.  With no TT there will be time bonuses for the first 10 riders on each stage to split up the riders in case of groups on equal time.

The long stage will fulfill a gap in the Irish calendar for race distances comparable with those in the 8-day FBD Milk Ras which starts later in the month. Nearly all the Irish riders in the 8-day have been using the Tour of Ulster as final preparation in recent years, giving the event probably the largest entry of first category riders of any  Irish race apart from the Ras.

As usual there is a demand from cross-channel teams for places but the Tour of Ulster has always had the policy of home riders first. However entries are limited to 100 and any places not taken up will be allocated to teams such as the Isle of Man who provided last year's winner Rob Holden.

The Manx team had a great tussle a year ago with the top Ulster squad Total Cycling/Lindsay Cars who are even stronger this season having added continental based Tommy Evans to their team.

Modern Tyre Service (Vredstein Tyres) will once again be sponsoring the King of the Mountains award and the race is receiving support from the Craigavon and Down District Councils. We also wish to thank the PSNI Motorcycle Team who have become such a feature of major cycle events, without whose superb work  such events would be impossible to promote because of the big increase of traffic on the roads.

There are three stages. 

• On Saturday 4th the race starts at Craigavon Water Sports Centre (12.00) with a 95m. stage to Downpatrick via Portadown, Armagh, (KOH), Markethill, Crankey Hill (KOH), Newry, Mayobridge, Hilltown, Castlewellan (KOH), Clough, Killough, (KOH),  Ardglass, Strangford, Downpatrick (finish at Abbey Lodge Hotel.)

• Sunday's stage is 80 miles from Down Leisure Centre, Downpatrick (11.00) via Castlewellan (KOH), Hilltown (KOH), Newry, Crankey Hill (KOH) , Markethill, Deadman's Hill (KOH), Newtownhamilton,  Fews Forest (KOH),  Armagh, Portadown, Craigavon (finish at Craigavon Water Sports Centre)

• Monday's 76 miles stage leaves Craigavon Water Sports Centre (12.00) with a 70m. stage via Portadown, Armagh, then 2 laps Primate's Wall (KOH), Newtownhamilton,  Fews Forest (KOH), Keady,  Armagh, returning to Craigavon via Portadown (Old Tour of Armagh course).
  

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