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Last Updated: 2 Apr 2018 - 8:45:17 PM |
M DONNELLY JUNIOR TOUR STARTS TOMORROW
By Tommy Campbell, Irish Independent, Evening Herald, Sunday Independent
10 Jul 2006,
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With less than 24 hours, the countdown is on in earnest for the M Donnell y Junior Tour which will be held in various parts of Co.Mayo.
It rolls off the starting ramp on Tuesday evening at Horkans Garden Centre, Tourlough, Castlebar, with a 2.8 mile time trial, which will separate the men from the boys as to who will be in with a shout of overall victory come Sunday afternoon.
The StenaLine Irish team will have a job on their hand if they are to keep the title at home, because in recent the quality and depth of the visiting teams has improved dramatically. Stephen Halpin, Denis Dunworth, Fergus Keogh, Conor McAllister are the quartet with the burden!
Each year the event grows in stature, mainly due to the efforts of a hard working committee who have dedicated themselves to the promotion of junior cycling. They remember the days when the numbers participating were well in excess of 100 plus. Also the ratio was four Irish to every one visitor. Fast forward the years and the reverse is now in place, but with the will and support of MDonnelly and StenaLine the organising committee will bring it back to the glory days of not so long ago.
Organiser of the six-day event is Alice Sherratt, “I feel very privileged to be able to support cycling in Ireland at this level. Competitors come from all over the globe and it gives the opportunity to the domestic juniors the window of opportunity to be able to compete against foreign opposition.
“The last number of years has seen a greater level of participants from abroad. Word has spread throughout the cycling scene that the JT is an event of high quality. This year will no different as I have two teams from America, four teams from South Africa, three from Holland and several from Britain.
“Very few places in the world have an equal to the JT which was first organised way back in 1978. The roll call of winners has been very impressive. Martin Early won the inaugural event and he went on to win stages in the Tour de France. Kai Reus from Holland was successful and he also won the Junior World Championship in Hamilton, Canada two years ago.
“Of course the success of Mark Scanlon in 1998 when he won the Junior Tour and the World Championship in Valkenburg, Holland has made a significant difference to the stature of the event.
“In years previous we went throughout the country with the race, but this year we have based ourselves in Lough Lannagh Village, Castlebar where the facilities are on a par with a four star hotel. From that base it affords us the opportunity of having stages throughout Co. Mayo.
“There is great support from the Mayo people and in particular the Urban District Councils where the stages will start and finish. Also the various stage end organisers and the personnel who will stand on corners for the safe passage of the entourage attached to the JT,” said Alice.
Presently there are 83 competitors signed up to race.
A number of juniors from the United States and South Africa will take the opportunity to stay after the JT and will get some competition in the Kingdom of Kerry later in the month.
Route Details -
Stage 1: Tue 11th July - Castlebar Prologue, 2 Mile Time Trial in Castlebar Starts at 7.00pm.
Stage 2: Wed 12th July - Westport to Westport, 61 Mile Stage - Starts at 12.00
Stage 3: Thur 13th July - Newport - Achill - Newport, 71 Mile Stage to Achill Island - Starts at 12.00
Stage 4: Fri 14th July - Ballina to Ballina, 67 Mile Stage around north Mayo Starts at 12.00
Stage 5: Sat 15th July - Castlebar to Windy Gap, 66 Mile stage with mountain top finish - Starts at 12.00
Stage 6: Sun 16th July - Castlebar to Castlebar, 63 Miles The final stage - Starts at 11.00am
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