The Shay Elliott Memorial moves date, while some established races clash with each other and with new events in Cycling Ireland’s just released 2015 road race calendar. Philip Lavery on his way to winning the Shay Elliott in great style in 2012 (Photo courtesy of Bray Wheelers and homepage photo by Sean Rowe)
The official Cycling Ireland racing calendar has just been released. And while hostilities get underway as usual with the Ned Flanagan Memorial in Kildare on Sunday, February 15th, there are some changes in store early next year.
One feature of note is that Easter falls early – Easter Sunday is April 5th; alerting the traditional sequence of some major races.
As usual, the Easter weekend is a busy one with the Kerry Group Rás Mumhan, the Tour of the North and the Gorey Three Day all set to be contested.
The reshuffling early Easter forces means the Des Hanlon Memorial in Carlow will be on March 22nd and clashes with the Aquablue Classic in Cork.
Other shifts see the Dungarvan Open Race brought forward to Sunday March 29th, from its usual date of late May or early June.
Bryan McCrystal of Aquablue on his way to winning the Des Hanlon Memorial in Carlow last year. It’s back again but clashes with the Aquablue Classic in Cork (Photo: Brendan Slattery)
There are also a number of new races on the calendar.
The Fitscience Grand Prix in Ballina makes its debut on Sunday, March 1st, though that will clash with the Cycleways Cup in Navan.
The Darach McCarthy & Co Solicitors Road Race in Limerick is on the same day as the fixtures in Ballina and Navan. And the John Haldane Memorial promoted by Newry Wheelers also on that March 1st date.
The An Caislean Nua Classic on May 10th should attract a big crowd, as new races tend to but it clashes with the Shay Elliott Memorial, which returns to a Sunday.
And on that same day, the weekend before the An Post Rás begins, the Tour of the Mournes also takes place.
Not a soul in sight. Greg Swinand wins the Deenside Cup 2014 by a massive margin after a fine solo attack (Photo: Brenda Murtagh)
The Deenside Cup in Castlecomer, Co Kilkenny, was a welcome new addition last year won by Greg Swinand (UCD CC) and it falls on the last weekend in May next year.
After that, with the Rás completed, there is still plenty of racing on in June but the calendar does not look as busy.
There is no racing pencilled in for the weekend of June 27th and 28th, though one presumes the National Road Race Championships will fall on those dates and that details are likely not confirmed yet.
There is also no mention of the other road title races or the national criterium championships.
One hopes at date is set for the latter early in the season to give the title the respect it deserves, and riders the opportunity to prepare.
This year it was squeezed in in last minute fashion, though a great promotion was eventually put on in Mondello Park, Kildare.
Similarly, the National Hill Climb Championships were on, then off, on and off again this year until they finally fell off the calendar and were lost for the year.
Like the criterium championships, hopefully the hill test will be planned well in advance.
Peter Hawkins leads Robin Kelly on his way to the Irish criterium title in Mondello Park in September (Photo: Toby Watson)
There is also no mention of the long mooted Classic League in the calendar, tough all of the big races that would naturally fall under its umbrella are pencilled in.
So hopefully Cycling Ireland will bring the league together this time around.
The Kenmare Kermesse on August 22nd is another new race. Down for decision on a Saturday night in one of the country’s busiest towns, it should create a great atmosphere.
On the subject of circuit races, it’s welcome news that the weeknights are loaded with league races and criterium events; the Bikeworx Series returning yet again while Corkagh Park will host the women every second Tuesday throughout June, July and August.
Ryan Sherlock on his way to gold at the National Hill Climb Championships two years ago. The event was lost this year (Photo: Denis Cummins)
Late in the season are big ones like the Suir Valley Three-Day on the August Bank Holiday Weekend.
The National Track Championships will keep plenty of riders in shape right up until the last weekend of August, as will the Charleville Two-Day in early September.
Once again it’s the Laragh Classic which will bring the curtain down on the road racing year on September 13th.
We look forward to keeping you up to date with every pedal stroke throughout 2015.
Cycling Ireland’s calendar, which is provisional, can be viewed by clicking here.