THE CARRICK WHEELERS CHALLENGE SPORTIVE
IRELAND’S TOUGHEST SPORTIVE FOR 2011
Carrick Wheelers Cycling Club has announced that it is promoting a major new event for the Irish cycling season 2011 on Sunday June 5th, to be known as the “Carrick Wheelers Challenge Sportive”, and what a challenge it is going to be!! We believe that it is going to one of the toughest cycling events ever promoted in Ireland, with a hundred mile route covering a combination of the hardest established climbs in the Carrick on Suir area, savage new climbs never raced over before, and a finishing challenge on a “road” that is our version of Paris-Roubaix!!
This event is not a race, but it is certainly not a leisure cycle or touring event either, it is a sportive that is aimed at the strong, fit and tough cyclists from all disciplines. Racing cyclists are certainly welcome, but also regular touring cyclists who want a serious challenge, and also tri-athletes who want to test their cycling skills to the limit.
Details of the 160 kilometre route are as follows:
START Carrick Swans GAA club, Parkside, Carrick on Suir – Cregg Road – Skough – Tullaghought loop- Skough – Faugheen – Gap of Rathlarish – Glenbower – Ballypatrick – Kilcash – Grangemockler- Glenbower – Kilsheelan – Tikincor – Nire Valley loop – Rathgormuck TEA STOP – Mahon Bridge – Mahon Falls loop – Mahon Bridge – Kilmacthomas – Carroll’s Cross – Portlaw – Curraghmore Estate – Crahana - finish back at Swan GAA club, Carrick on Suir.
Yes, it’s quite a route and incorporates some seriously difficult challenges as follows :
Challenge 1. TULLAHOUGHT, a new steep climb to stretch the legs early on.
Challenge 2. THE GAP OF RATHLARISH. A narrow twisting new climb, the surface of which suffered badly in the recent bad weather.
Challenge 3. SLIEVENAMON. The iconic sacred mountain of Tipperary that will be climbed through the village of Kilcash.
Challenge 4. TIGANCOR, another very steep climb once used for a hill climb time trial in the FBD Milk Rás.
Challenge 5. THE NIRE VALLEY LOOP. A loop through the stunning scenery of the Nire Valley with another very tough climb.
Challenge 6. SESKIN HILL. No route in Carrick would be complete without this climb first used by the pros in the Nissan Classic and subsequently as stage finishes for the Rás.
Challenge 7. MAHON FALLS. Again another famous climb in the Carrick area, now being used by the Sean Kelly Tour of Waterford. If you have not done it before, a stunningly beautiful but very difficult five mile long climb.
Challenge 8.THE CURRAGHMORE CHALLENGE. The most spectacular test of them all, a 5k stretch off road through the private grounds of Curraghmore Estate. For followers of professional cycling, think of the “strada bianca” of the Giro d’Italia crossed with cobbles of Paris Roubaix!! The final challenge, the ultimate test!!
So are you fit enough, strong enough, tough enough to take on the Carrick Wheelers Challenge Sportive ? Further details on the route are available on our website www.carrickwheelers.com with on line and postal entry available from 1st March, strictly limited to the first 300 applicants. As an added bonus to visitors to Carrick on Suir that June bank holiday weekend, the Clancy Brothers Music and Arts Festival takes place in the town, so there will be plenty to see and do for all the family over the weekend. So get your diary sorted out, pencil in The Carrick Wheelers Challenge Sportive for Sunday, 5th June, and then start some serious training!!