Visit Nenagh-DMG’s Richard Hooton on the attack in Ras Mumhan (Photo: Pat Doherty)
By Brian Canty
Though less than a year in existence, the Visit Nenagh-Team DMG cycling club has already made a significant impression on the domestic scene and this Sunday will hold its inaugural club race; an event team founder René Van Dam describes as a ‘Continental style classic.’
The biggest teams in the country are due to descend on the area for what is expected to be one of the longest and hardest one-day races of the 2012 calendar. Van Dam has warned those coming down to expect a tough encounter.
“It’s a scenic route, put it that way,” he says.
“I used my knowledge as a cyclist to choose the best routes for the three races and they are challenging, with rolling roads. We wanted a route that was good for spectators, with international-style climbs. These sharp, steep little climbs like you’d see in the Tour of Flanders are ideal because that makes it attractive for spectators to watch but also for riders to make a real impact.”
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The club is the brainchild of Dutch-native Van Dam and local rider Mick Butler. Though they wanted to have the club racing last year, financial backing fell through and plans were put on the back-burner.
But when they approached the Mayor of Nenagh, she backed their proposal and together they sought local sponsorship and then went about hand-picking some of the most promising riders in Munster to form the team.
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“It was easy selling the idea to the town because Nenagh is one of the main cycling hubs in the country,” said Van Dam.
“We have the north Tipperary cycling routes and the N7 cycle path between Limerick and Nenagh and that will help us develop cycling in general. So one compliments the other.”
“We use the team as a promotional tool for the town and have loads more in the pipeline but it all depends on the funding and feedback from this weekend. It’s very important that it runs off smoothly so we can build on it.”
The Routes In Detail
The Classic, 154 km in length, is as close to an Ardennes Classic you’re going to get in Ireland. It has six short categorized climbs with Chapel in Birdhill at 21 per cent maximum gradient, the most severe. Riders also have to climb Portroe from the easy side, with a max of 10 per cent, Shallee nine per cent, Slate Quarries nine per cent and Lacken Hill 11 per cent. The last climb of the race is Bigpark, with a maximum gradient of 16 per cent and is situated just 15km from the finish. The race is one big loop and has a variety of different types of roads and stunning scenery. It also uses almost all of the dedicated cycle path between Nenagh and Limerick. Even though it only has six categorised climbs there is very little flat road to be found on the circuit.
The A3/Junior/Vets/Women category will race for 102km, with four categorised climbs. They will ride the same final 75 kilometers as the main race, including the climbs over the Slate Quarries, Lacken Hill and Bigpark.
The A4 race is 55km and will be held in the morning with one categorised climb and a very fast return to Nenagh via the N7 Cycle Path.
Start and finish will be on the Dublin Road at the Abbey Court Hotel.
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