The race starts in Dublin on Wednesday 27th August when 112 riders head out on a route across 12 counties toward the final destination of the City of Cork. The 900km race has been awarded a 2.1 ranking on the UCI (the world governing body for cycling) calendar and will attract some of the best professional teams from Europe, USA, Australia and South Africa. The route embraces key towns and cities as well as iconic mountain passes and splendid Irish scenery.
The Tour of Ireland is being run in association with F�ilte Ireland, the national tourism development authority, as part of their campaign to show the countryside of Ireland on world-wide television. RT� television will feature the event daily in Ireland and ITV television in Britain will show daily programmes as will France, Scandinavia and USA (Versus Channel) and Asia. Highlights will also be seen in South Africa and Australia.
Paul Keeley, Business Development and Investment Director at F�ilte Ireland said: �We are delighted once again to be associated with the Tour of Ireland through our Sports Tourism Initiative. The event will provide a unique opportunity for television audiences to see the breadth of Ireland�s landscape and scenery and will undoubtedly help boost tourism throughout all the regions over the five days. With diverse countryside throughout Ireland we have much to offer cycling visitors and attract thousands of cycling holiday-makers every year. This year we have invested significantly in cycling hubs to make it easier and safer for cyclists to navigate around Ireland and to help increase the number of people who have cycling holidays.�
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At the launch today, the organisers announced that the top team in the world this year �Team Columbia� has already signed up to ride the race. Formerly �Team High Road�, their rider list for the race includes recent double Giro d�Italia stage winner Mark Cavendish. The exciting sprinter from the Isle of Man is expected to ride in the Tour de France before participating on the track in the Olympic Games, Beijing. The team will also include triple world time trial champion Michael Rogers from Australia.
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Two professional Irish teams, An Post� Sean Kelly Team and Pezula Racing plus an Irish National Team will be competing against some of the best squads on the American and European circuits.
A number of additional sponsors have also been announced. An Post has expanded its involvement to become Official Partner of the race and repeat their sponsorship of the An Post Green Sprinters Jersey.
Official vehicles for the Tour of Ireland will be supplied by Fiat Automotive Ireland who will be providing more than 60 vehicles for teams and race officials.
Official Timing will be provided by Festina Watches who also time the Tour de France, Official Trophies are being created by Waterford Crystal, De Marchi Sport of Italy supply all of the race leaders jerseys, Thule Racks are supplied for all team vehicles and Vittel is the Official Water used throughout the race.
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2008 Tour of Ireland Route Overview
Stage 1 : Dublin to Waterford, 192km - Wednesday 27th August
112 riders from 16 teams start from Grand Canal Square in Dublin Docklands heading to Waterford on terrain best described as �undulating�. The peloton will wind its way through the south of the capital city on a 10km neutralised route until the flag finally drops at the National Mint at Dundrum. The race heads south to County Wicklow, well known as the �Garden of Ireland�, through Enniskerry and into Roundwood where the first of the sprints in the An Post Green Jersey competition will be contested. Proceeding through Rathdrum, the race crosses into County Carlow and the town of Bunclody before reaching the major climb of the day, the 6km first category climb of Mount Leinster. Two further climbs, including Inistioge will be encountered on the way to the finish in the historic port city of Waterford, finishing on the Quays just several yards from where the Tour de France sprint line was located when that famous race visited Ireland in 1998.
Stage route:
Dublin, Enniskerry, Roundwood, Laragh, Rathdrum, Avoca, Woodenbridge, Aughrim, Tinahely, Shillelagh, Bunclody, Borris, Inistioge, Waterford.
Stage 2 : Thurles to Loughrea, 158km � Thursday 28th August
A rolling stage start from Liberty Square in the busy Tipperary town of Thurles. This stage is a big opportunity for the top sprinters and their teams to show their prowess in a possible high speed bunch sprint finish. However there will be others aiming to get into a race winning breakaway group to spoil the sprinters� chances if they can stay clear on narrow Shannonside roads. The route goes westward to Silvermines and Portroe before swinging northward running parallel with the edge of Lough Derg and into Portumna for the second An Post sprint of the day. The riders head west again through the town of Puckaun turning north west towards Loughrea. The riders pass through the finish line and the town centre for the first time and head out to complete a 13km circuit of Lough Rea and returning to the town for the sprint finish near the court house.
Stage route:
Thurles, Ballycahill, Milestone, Dolla, Silvermines, Portroe, Puckaun, Coolbaun, Ballinderry, Terryglass, Portumna, Loughrea.
Stage 3 : Ballinrobe � Galway, 201km � Friday 29th August
This stage has three categorised climbs giving the strong riders the chance to break clear from the main field on severely hilly terrain. Starting from Ballinrobe, the riders race through to Cong and follow a similar route to last year crossing in and out of the Galway border with Mayo. The race ascends the 2nd category climb of Finny and then onto the pretty town of Westport via Killavally. The sprinters get their first opportunity of the day to score points for the An Post Green Jersey in Westport before the race winds its way out to Louisburgh and along the bottom of the historic mountain of Croagh Patrick. The field heads alongside Killary Harbour to Leen�un and brushes the banks of Lough Corrib and a final climb before reaching the finish line in Salthill on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean and the outskirts of Galway city centre.
Stage route:
Ballinrobe, Cong, Finny, Tourmakeady, Killavally, Westport, Louisburgh, Leen�un, Maam Cross, Oughterard, Moycullen, An Spideal, Barna, Salthill (Galway).
Stage 4 : Limerick to Dingle, 186km � Saturday 30th August
The tough penultimate stage starts at Clancy Strand on the banks of the River Shannon, overlooking King John�s Castle. It is neutralised through the city and passes the O�Connell statue before heading South West. Racing action will begin quickly with the first sprint after only 3.6km in Patrickswell. The first 100km is reasonably flat as the race travels through the Limerick towns of Adare and Newcastle West. The riders pass through the Kerry towns of Listowel and Tralee before reaching the bottom of the spectacular 8km Category One climb of the Connor Pass. The riders will reach speeds of up to 70 k.p.h on the fast descent into the picturesque town of Dingle for the first time. The race storms through the main street and heads out to Dunquin for a 36km loop of Slea Head and its dramatic scenery. The Connor Pass will split the field and there are two smaller opportunities to escape on the 185m steep climb of Mam Clasach and the tough narrow roads that follow on to the finish line as Dingle is reached again.
Stage route:
Limerick, Patrickswell, Adare, Newcastle West, Ardagh, Athea, Listowel, Abbeydorney, Tralee, Stradbally, Connor Pass, Dingle, Ventry, Slea Head, Dunquin, Mam Clasach, Ventry, Dingle.
Stage 5 : Killarney to Cork, 155km - Sunday 31st August
The final stage of the 2008 Tour of Ireland in association with F�ilte Ireland is a fast predominantly flat ride between Killarney in County Kerry and the City of Cork. The riders reach Ireland�s second largest city after 80km coming in from Blarney in the West. They then face the prospect of climbing the infamous St Patrick�s Hill on each of four laps of a very tough 17km finishing circuit. The 25% climb of St Patrick�s Hill will be lined with spectators as the riders gasp for air on one of the toughest city climbs on the professional circuit. The finish line is on McCurtain Street near the River Lee where the final F�ilte Ireland Yellow Jersey will be awarded to the overall race winner.
Stage route:
Killarney, Ballyvorney, Macroom, Coachford, Dripsey, Blarney, Cork.
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TOUR OF IRELAND ROUTE TO BE ANNOUNCED THURSDAY
Jun 24, 2008,
The details of this year�s Tour of Ireland will be revealed at the race launch in Dublin Castle on Thursday, with this year�s event expected to once again feature some of the world�s top teams. It will run from August 27th to 31st and be around 900 kilometres in length.
This week�s press release is as follows:
Tour of Ireland route to be revealed in Dublin
The route of this year�s Tour of Ireland cycle race will be announced at a special launch at 12.15pm in Dublin Castle on Thursday 26th June. Mr Martin Cullen T.D. Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism will be present at launch of the 2.1 ranked UCI calendar event which runs from 27th to 31st August in association with F�ilte Ireland.
A number of key Irish riders will be at the lunchtime event including Pezula Racing duo Ci�ran Power and David O'Loughlin alongside the An Post � Sean Kelly Team�s Mark Cassidy. Multiple Irish champion O�Loughlin has just been named in the Irish team heading to Beijing Olympic Games in August.
The race is expected to be around 900km. Last year�s inaugural event attracted top teams and some team details will be released for the 2008 Tour.
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