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Carn Wheelers are set for the biggest Road Race in Ulster for 2013 which takes place 4th – 6th May covering over 250 miles. The race has attracted the top riders in the country who will fight it out over the 3 days to wear the coveted yellow jersey sponsored by BP McKeefry, for the climbers the Time Bar & Venue polka dot jersey is up for grabs while the Under 23s will fight to wear the white jersey sponsored by Cicli Sport, Moneymore.
Race Director Aidan Higgins says “This is an exciting time for local cycling. To bring a race of this stature to Maghera has been no easy task. We are continuously thankful to the local businesses that have helped back the race, as well as the local cycling clubs who have offered their assistance, Donnelly Bros. Mallusk are providing Fiat 500 cars – adding an Italian theme ahead of the Giro d’Italia coming next yearâ€.
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“With a full Irish line up it will be a hard one to call, Team Aqua Blue are sending a strong team from Cork who will be hard to rule out. On the other hand some of the local riders such as Gary Jeffers from East Tyrone have shown great form in the early 2013 season and will be keen to wear that yellow jerseyâ€.
Stage One sponsored by Time Bar & Venue will depart Maghera for a 12noon start, this stage is relatively flat for the first 30 miles, until it hits the first of four categorised climbs of the day. First up is the Cat 3 climb at Springwell, not too steep but rather a long drag, then it’s a fast run down to Limavady where the race turns left and heads for Ringsend over the Cat 2 Cam Forest, its downhill for a few miles before climbing again over the Cat 2 Plantation Road and through Dungiven, where on the riders head for Draperstown over the Birren Mountain – a Cat 1 climb which at 60 miles will be a real tester for the legs. It’s a fast descent with a few technical corners where riders will be hitting 60mph, from here its flat to Desertmartin and straight to Maghera finishing at approximately 2:45pm.
The riders get a few hours to rest the legs before Stage Two - a short, flat Time Trial which is sponsored by Cycling Ulster– starting on the Swatragh Road and running straight to Maghera.
On Sunday, the race heads off to County Armagh for Stage Three sponsored by Donnelly Bros. Mallusk. The riders will roll out from Clann Eireann’s club rooms for a neutralised section through Lurgan to the drop of the flag. This will be another hilly stage with the first prime the Cat 1 Keady Mountain and after it a fast descent into Newtownhamilton. Aptly named Cat 2 climb Deadman’s Hill is next, after which the race goes through Markethill before Seagham Dam – another Cat 2 climb, the race makes its way through Armagh before taking in a final Cat 3 out of Armagh city. By this stage the race will have inevitably split and will make its way back to Lurgan for the straight in finish on the Gilford Road at around 2.45pm.
On Monday the race returns to Maghera for Stage Four sponsored by Purvis Precast & Stone where it takes in 6 laps of a tough circuit around Swatragh, Garvagh and Glenullin, with KOH primes available on alternate laps on the Cat 3 Matty’s Brae climb, after the sixth lap the riders will turn left into Maghera for the finish after 90 tough miles in the saddle where they will be greeted by the chequered flag a hot shower and awards ceremony to present the winners with their jerseys and trophies.
Full details of the race are posted on www.tourofulster.com and live updates of the race weekend will be on twitter @carnwheelers.
Full Start List available HERE
http://www.cyclingireland.ie/Ulster/Ulster-Photos/Other/TourOfUlsterStartList-2013.aspx