Video: Cigala & McLaughlin ride Mamore Gap, hardest climb of Rás 2017

Video: Cigala & McLaughlin ride Mamore Gap, hardest climb of Rás 2017

Matteo Cigala, top of Cycling Ireland rankings, and Ronan McLaughlin take us up the savage Mamore Gap in Co Donegal.

 

It’s the hardest climb on the An Post Rás route this year, and now here’s a unique look at Mamore Gap.

Matteo Cigala (Aqua Blue Sport Academy) takes us up the climb on a recent reconnaissance ride ahead of the Rás.

They tackled the climb yesterday evening, with Cigala turning on the on-board camera to record from base to summit.

The ascent is a cat 1 and will be tackled by the field on stage 4. That takes place on Wednesday, May 24th, when the riders start in Bundoran and finish in Buncrana.

The climb comes after 136km and with just 14km remaining to the finish.

Mamore Gap may decide Rás stage and yellow

It may well be where the stage is won. Indeed, the general classification may be decided, or at least heavily shaped, by this one ascent.

It’s 1.7km in length and has an average gradient of 14.8 per cent. The maximum gradient is 22 per cent.

If you are planning to turn out to see the Rás, this climb would be an excellent vantage point.

And as you can see in Cigala’s video, it’s a place of rugged beauty – for all but those riding up it!

 

Matteo Cigala, Mamore Gap