Pat McQuaid, President of the Union Cycliste Internationale
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The Irish will be back in the Dutch Province of Limburg this weekend for the highlight of the cycling calendar, the world championships. This will be the fifth occasion that the worlds have been held in the province. Whilst all the talk is about the racing fraternity and the possibility of the Irish contingent flying the flag.
Another Irishman will be in the spotlight! Patrick McQuaid as President of the Union Cycliste Internationale will be in the spotlight as he addresses the delegates from all over the world who will assemble on Friday morning at 9.00am in the MECC Expo Centre, Maastricht for the Congress.
Whilst the itinerary for the Congress is a lengthy one, much of the attention will focus on his address. No doubt the President will speak to the delegates about the Lance Armstrong affair. One would assume there will be no fudging the issue and that he will go down the line and re-iterate both his personal and the UCI policy of zero tolerance on doping . Their wish also which has been at the forefront of his presidency to continue to develop a dynamic doping free cycling agenda around the globe.
Also cycling was one of the sports that was way on the richter scale at the recent Olympic and Paralympic Games which no doubt was a real bonus not alone to the UCI but the competing nations all over the world who were in London. Cycling is one of those sports which has broke many barriers, particularly in the recent number of years.
Ronan McLoughlin An Post Sean Kelly Team
Last week in the column I highlighted the performance of Ronan McLoughlin of An Post Sean Kelly and Peter Hawkins on their performances in the Tour of Britain in the early part of the week. Well, Ronan must have pressed a lot of buttons in the selectors eyes. He has been nominated for a place in the elite professional road race championships on Sunday alongside Nicholas Roche and Daniel. Wishing them along with all the Irish competitors who will be in action in the next couple of days.
Ronan McLoughlin, An Post Sean Kelly Team
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One man that was over the moon with Ronan's selection was his manager, "I'm delighted that Ronan has been selected for the Irish team at the World Championships this weekend. He has improved every year he has been with the team, and in particular this season he has been very consistent. He had a great An Post R�s and was involved in many of the breaks at the Tour of Britain last weekend, so he fully deserves his place in the side and I'm sure he will do well again this Sunday," said Kurt Bogaerts.
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The COSTA AUTUMN CLASSIC - New event for women racers in Meath
The organising team behind Ireland�s top stage race for women has announced details of the Costa Autumn Classic single-day race in Moynalvey, Co Meath on Sunday 23rd September.
Promoted by the organisers of R�s na mBan with help from the Women�s Commission of Cycling Ireland, the Costa Autumn Classic is a rare women-only single day road race over 70km starting and finishing at Shanks Mare pub in Moynalvey near Summerhill in County Meath.
The event, covering three laps of the well-known Dorey�s Forge circuit is open to all categories including Under-16 Girls with a generous prize fund including prizes for the top six over the line and unplaced awards.
Race organiser Valerie Considine believes the event will be an important festive celebration of women�s road racing. �Lots of riders are carrying great form into R�s na mBan and from the various leagues and open events run this year. �We believe the Costa Autumn Classic will be an important addition to the race calendar and with the focus fully on the women�s race, will be a great way to celebrate another great year of racing in 2012. �With support from Costa Coffee and generous assistance from Orla McEvoy of the Women�s Commission, we�re looking forward to making it an event to remember and an absolute �must-do� for racers from all over Ireland.�
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CLONEE 40k CHARITY CYCLE
On Saturday morning 22nd Sept at 11:00am from Clonee, Co. Meath - Martin Donnelly (Joint Sponsor of Stamullen Road Club) has organised a 40K Charity Cycle with the total proceeds going to Suicide Awareness. The cycle is an open event and already many cycling clubs' and individuals of all ages have indicated their intention to participate and support this very worthy cause.
If you have a spare hour on Saturday morning, please come along and lend your support as it really would be appreciated. Helmets must be worn.
Sign-On and Assembly will be at car park of Grasshopper Inn in Clonee. There will be an open-air concert at Grasshopper Inn as a follow-up on return from this short flat circuit cycle.
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Donamon Dynamos Leisure Tour:
The local club in Roscommon, Donamon Dynamos hold their annual leisure tour this Sunday with one eye on the All Ireland Football Final in Coke Park. Sign on Donamon Castle at 8.45 (military operation). Depart 10am.
Distance 80mls,45mls and 25mls (nice to see mileage in vogue again). The tour will leave Donamon and go over the Hill of Oran,then into Ballintober, Castlerea, turning right and on to Ballinlough via the lake road, Garranlahan is next, then the border crossing into Galway (passports not NEEDED), Willamstown, Glemanaddy TEA TIME EXPRESS. Then role out to KIlkerren, Moylough, Mountbellew, across the bogs,over the river Suck into Co Roscommon and Ballyforan, Dysert, Lackan cross, home to Donamon via Athleague, done and dusted. Hot showers, food,and a big TV to watch Mayo bring home Sam (You hope). No doubt MAYO will have their day and their neighbours Roscommon will share in the glory.
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Leisure Tour of South Meath:
Sun 23rd Sept 2012, 11am. The start and finish is in the historic village of Clonard (on the old N4, 8 mile from Enfield, 4 mile from Kinnegad), where St Finian built his monastery during the 6th century, and where up to 3000 scholars studied.
There are cycle distances to choose from 100k or 50k. The 100k route follows old N4 to Kilcock then heads to Summerhill on nice wide roads. Then takes sheltered roads to the historic Hill of Tara (halfway food Stop overlooking hill), then returning to Rathmolyon and Kinnegad, Clonard. All on quiet, sheltered, country roads.
The 50k also takes old N4 but turns at Enfield and joins the 100k route at Rathmolyon, and is nice flat sheltered route. Afterwards there is a hot dinner for all finishers in the Monastery Inn, across the road from sign on which is on Sunday morning, 23rd Sept, from 10am at Clonard Parish Hall. Start 11am, all for only 15 euro
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Donncha Cuttriss Around Ireland in 127 Hours
By Marie Byrne
Donncha Cuttriss solo cyclist in the Race Around Ireland, 2192 kilometres non stop, crossed the line in fifth position. He covered the entire distance in 127 hours finishing at 3.15am. in the morning. Race Around Ireland is now viewed as the toughest ultra marathon cycle race in the world with changeable weather conditions and rough road surfaces. Donncha was the first Irish solo cyclist to take part in the US equivalent Race Across America, in 2011. His efforts were as before, to help raise funds for the national charity Aisling Group International, www.aislinggroupinternational.ie of which he is patron.
Donncha Cuttriss in Race Around Ireland - (L-R) Crew and Donncha at the start RAI, Trim Castle also seen in 'Braveheart' in the background.
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Donncha thanked everyone who supported him on his race back to Navan and Planet X also for their faith in him. Donncha proved his worth on this mammoth event with only a small number so far actually completing the course in the solo category in its four year existence.
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PROVINCIAL YOUTHS
Think about it! Fair dues to people like Jude Roche who put his thoughts down on paper for a 'youth league" at least it is out in the open and discussion can take place over a bowl of Kellogg's Cornflakes.
PROPOSED PROVINCIAL YOUTHS LEAGUE WITH INTER PROVINCIAL FINAL.
1. I propose that we start this youth's road league the second week in July between 4 or 5 clubs within each province on a midweek evening if possible. For the last race I recommend a time trial the last week before the National Youth Championships.
2. Each event will be run on a league basis with points awarded for all competitors in each event.
3. At the end of the league in each province the top 5 competitors overall points will go forward to the interprovincial youths final. 1 wild card will be awarded in each province.
4. This Inter-Provincial Final will take place on the Sunday following the Youth National Road Championships.
5. List of events as follows: distances are set at the minimum - Boys under 12 10k / Boys under 14 35k / Boys under 16 45k / Girls under 14 & 16 35k / 8k timetrial for all ages both boys and girls.
The interprovincial youths final will run as follows:
11.30am starting with the time trial race and the road races in the afternoon. The idea of this is to give every competitor a chance to travel to the event. It is hoped that we can try and have this final as near to all provinces as possible.
Points system as follows:
1st place 12 points
2nd place 10 points
3rd place 8 points
4th place 6 points
5th place 4 points
6th place 2 points
7th place onwards 1 point
Wild card: A competitor can only receive the wild card if they have competed in three road events and the time trial.
No event to take place on the weekend of 19th July 2013 as the youth Olympics take place.
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BMX ticking all the right BOXES
You cannot keep a good man down! Liam Collins of Cycling Pursuits fame is back on the road from the Cherry Orchard BMX track in Palmerstown. Last Friday the autumn league got under way and the second in the series goes to POST tomorrow.
Cherry Orchard BMX Autumn League kicked off last Friday night. All categories are catered for. The league will run for seven weeks and blast off time is 19.00 hours.
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CYCLING IRELAND - Over 15,000 members and counting
Cycling Ireland is committed to being the lead organisation for the sport and activity of cycling on the island of Ireland through promoting cycling as an accessible and enjoyable leisure pursuit where every cyclist may participate and develop to their full potential.
In this regard we are achieving considerable success and we are very proud to report our membership is now over 15,000 with membership having almost tripled in the last 3 years alone. This is a credit to all the hard work put in by our volunteers, members and staff over the last number of years and testimony to the ever increasing popularity of our sport in all its various guises.