CLUB NOTES

Post date: Mar 24, 2012 8:4:46 PM

Youghal Cycling Club Notes – Sunday 18th March 2012

Sportiffs Next weekend Midleton Wheelers will be holding their 2nd Christchurch Earthquake Disaster Fundraising Cycle. The scheduled 9am group will support this event again this year. The event is an 80km cycle, leaving from the courthouse in Midleton at 9am. Some of us plan on cycling up to the event from Moby Dicks, leaving at 8am. So if you are coming, we will either see you at Moby Dicks at 8am or in Midleton for 9am.

Racing Saturday, 17th March – yes St Patrick’s Day I hear you murmur, is the day that the racing community head to Carrick-On-Suir for the annual Carrick Wheelers Cup. This early season classic, which dates back to 1955, has always been an important goal for many of Ireland’s top riders and the event attracted a quality field, with participants from as far away as Kerry and Dublin travelling to the event. Our racing contingent of Jason Collins, Brian Sanders and Eoin Whyte wore the Club colours at the event. Jason on his second outing for the season raced in the A4 category. This week he kept with the main bunch and he was caught to do a lot of work up front that had his legs tired come the sprint finish. But he managed to keep with the main bunch and finish in the top third of his category, well done Jason! Next up were Brian Sanders and Eoin Whyte in the A3 category. Both Eoin and Brian were very comfortable in the main peloton but come the last 20km a breakaway group formed. Eoin and Brian were boxed in and unable to jump with them. The group got a 2 minute lead. Eoin managed to make his way out of the following peloton first and through true grit and determination managed to close the gap and roll in with the breakaway group in 10th position. Brian rolled in with the leaders of the main peloton less than 30 seconds later. All in all a great representation from 3 great Club riders, well done lads!

Club Spins At 9am on Sunday morning the club members started to assemble at Moby Dicks for the regular club spin. On a bright March morning it was nice to have a group of 16 riders assemble. With a strong northerly wind blowing it was always going to be a tough route. We headed towards East Cork this week and took the bog road, down to Ballymacoda and turned right into Ladysbridge. Sticking to the back roads we ploughed onto Ballinacurra before arriving in Midleton. Facing into the strong northerly and a long climbing road we then headed to Dungourney before a well earned Tea stop in Tallow. Itching for more climbing we then took the back roads to Knocknaraha and then climbed up to the main Tallow Road at The Pike. Finally with the northerly at our back we opened up the throttle back to Youghal for the regular loop up the bypass and around into town with a handy 100km on the legs and home in time to pamper our understanding wives & girlfriends on Mothers Day! Highlights of the spin were having two new guys out with the 9am group this week – Ronan and Kieran. Lads, ye did great on a tough spin, well done and looking forward to seeing ye next week again! Also, well done to John Walsh and Wayne Fitzgerald for all the work done out front into the wind, others take notice! On the medals front there was a powerful display from Team Bulman/Hill today. After below par displays the week previous, both men were on a mission to redeem themselves, and by god they did! They rode like men possessed up the climb to The Pike and took a joint Polkadot Jersey. After some tactical sprinting it was Gregg Hill that also took the Green Jersey. Heading up the bypass he then attacked his teammates Yellow Jersey for a 36kph sprint finish to the top. But John Bulman was made of stronger stuff and held on to Yellow by half a wheel length. Well done lads, same again next week!

Meanwhile another group of 8 riders assembled at Moby Dicks at 10am for a more leisurely spin, concentrating on the social points of cycling and true interest in how each other got on with their St Patricks Day celebrations the day before. Hearing that they may have had a pint or two, rather than burn them they help and encourage each other on, like true comerades and cycling buddies. Take note 9am group. This week they headed towards Ardmore and took the steady climb to Kielys Cross. Here the crossed the N25 and took the long descent down by Mount Stuart and into Clashmore before rolling into town with a nice 60km on the legs.

St Patrick’s Day Parade Thanks to all Club members and kids that walked with us in the St Patricks Day parade. It is nice to get the Club colours out there and hopefully we will pick up a few riders from it.

Schedule as follows (weather dependent):

Tuesday & Thursday at 10am from Lidl Carpark – Intermediate Cycling

Tuesday & Thursday at 7.30pm – Lidl Carpark for a 60-90 minute high tempo spin

Saturday’s at 10am from Lidl Carpark – Beginner & Intermediate Cycling

Sunday at 9am from Moby Dicks – Intermediate Cycling

Sunday at 10am from Moby Dicks – Beginner (& Golden) Cycling

Please note that all riders are expected to have road bikes (racer type) of good repair for scheduled spins. Riders must wear helmets, bring a spare tube & pump.