Always a great race, numbers entered into the Gorey Three Day this weekend have fallen sharply. The field is far smaller than previous years but the action will still be all-out (Photo: Sean Rowe)
Having had 200 riders in the field in recent years, numbers in the Gorey Three Day this weekend have fallen off significantly.
Some 104 riders have entered into the race, which features four stages over three days.
In 2015 and 2016 some 200 riders entered. That fell off last year to 155 entrants. But this year numbers are down again.
It means the field is close to half of what it was just two years ago. The start list has been released today by promoting club Irish Road Club.
The reason for the drop in numbers is not immediately clear. The start of the season was two weeks later this year, after Cycling Ireland made a rule change banning racing before the start of March.
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Added to that, the first weekend of the racing season was called off due to snow. It meant there was very little racing available to prepare, which may have dissuaded some riders from entering.
Other race organisers have also reported some fall off in numbers, though not as sharply as for the Gorey Three Day.
Numbers in the Tour of the North and Kerry Group Rás are the same this weekend as they were 12 months ago; some 115 and 190 riders respectively.
The TT stage, on Easter Sunday morning, has also been reintroduced into the Gorey Three Day. This may have discouraged some riders from entering, though that is also not clear.
The opening stage on Saturday is 103km. It starts in Blessington and finishes in Gorey via the Craanford climbers’ prime towards the end of the stage.
Sunday morning is a 6.4km TT, from Clough on the Enniscorthy road back into Gorey. Later in the day there is a 96.4km road stage over four laps of the usual 24.1km circuit starting at 3pm.
The final stage on Monday begins at noon in Gorey and takes the riders 85km back into Blessington.
Mar 31-April 2: Gorey Three Day
Rider start list
1 McDonald John Waterford Racing Team
2 Gater,Keith Waterford Racing Team
3 Smith,Paul Waterford Racing Team
4 Murphy,Brian Waterford Racing Team
5 O'Brien,David Waterford Racing Team
6 Finn Mick Waterford Racing Team
7 Merriman,Kieran Waterford Racing Team
8 Merriman,Danny Waterford Racing Team
9 O'Reilly,John Waterford Racing Team
10 Kenny,Rhys Comeragh
11 Kenny,Jason Comeragh
12 O'Sullivan,Ciaran Comeragh
13 Walsh,Tomas Comeragh
14 O'Donovan,Luke Comeragh
15 Charters,Ronan Comeragh
16 O'Byrne,Martin Comeragh
17 Walsh,Paudie Comeragh
18 O'Dwyer,Noel Comeragh
19 Dillon,Aaron Comeragh
20 Ennett,Brian Comeragh
21 Pedan,George Mellow Velo Bicycle Carte
22 McCambridge,Kevin Mellow Velo Bicycle Carte
23 Gilmore,Curtis Mellow Velo Bicycle Carte
24 Graham,Daniel Mellow Velo Bicycle Carte
25 Furman,Lukas Murphy Survey Kilcullen C
26 Regan,Fear Murphy Survey Kilcullen C
27 Devine,Christopher Murphy Survey Kilcullen C
28 Bracken Colm Murphy Survey Kilcullen C
29 McNamara,Derry Dolmen CC
30 Lyons,Stephen Dolmen CC
31 Harrington ,P Dolmen CC
32 Noble,Paul Wexford Wheelers
33 Stafford,Michael Wexford Wheelers
34 White,Philip Wexford Wheelers
35 Farrell,Andrew Wexford Wheelers
36 Farrell,Conor Lakeside Wheelers
37 Boyne,John Lakeside Wheelers
38 Wade,Aaron Lakeside Wheelers
39 O'Sullivan,David Sports Room Racing
40 Keogh,Cian Sports Room Racing
41 Maloney,Declan Sports Room Racing
42 Higgins,Shane Sports Room Racing
43 Smith,Mark Sports Room Racing
44 Murnane,Sean Sports Room Racing
45 Mulleady,Joe Yates Country CC
46 Devins,Mich Yates Country CC
47 Cahoon,Ciaran Clann Eireann CC
48 Kelly,Joseph Naas CC
49 O'Keeffe,Ross Athy Wheelers
50 Gahan,Anthony Limerick CC
51 Dillon,Colm Limerick CC
52 Swift,Paul St. Tiernans CC
53 Byrne,Paul Gorey CC
54 Coleman,Conor Panduit Carrick Wheelers
55 Keown,Nathan North Down CC
56 Taylor,Dylan AAA
57 Baker,Shane Usher Irish RC
58 Rinnicks,Richie Usher Irish RC
59 Bracken,Sean Usher Irish RC
60 Byrne,Jonathan Usher Irish RC
61 Travers Dami Dungarvan CC
62 Forristal,Paul Scott Orwell
63 Hickey,Alan Scott Orwell
64 O'Higgins,Cahir Scott Orwell
65 O'Neill,Ken Scott Orwell
66 Mihai,Paveliu Scott Orwell
67 Hanley,Michael Scott Orwell
68 O'Neill,Paul Scott Orwell
69 McIlroy,Daniel Scott Orwell
70 O'Toole,Callum Scott Orwell
71 Davitt,Darren Slipstream
72 Dunne Brendar Slipstream
73 O'Connor,Tom Team Munster
74 Murphy,Denis Team Munster
75 Hodges,Neil Team Munster
76 Coleman,Conor Team Munster
77 Gilman,Stephen Team Munster
78 Sheehan,Pat Team Munster
79 Lynch,Sean Team Munster
80 O'Hagan,Niall Dunloy CC
81 Mort,Vinny Dunloy CC
82 Gault,Johnny Dunloy CC
83 Simpson,Jurgen Nenagh CC
84 Doogan,P.J. Caldwell Cycles Omagh
85 Bucke,Kenny Murphy Survey Kilcullen C
86 Barclay,Kevin Spokes Racing Team
87 Hughes,Dylan Spokes Racing Team
88 Dent,Alex Spokes Racing Team
89 Howieson Scott Spokes Racing Team
90 Mooney,Oliver Spokes Racing Team
91 Bowan,Morgan Spokes Racing Team
92 Barlow,Ben Spokes Racing Team
93 Priest,John Lucan Cycling Road Club
94 Murtagh,Eugene Lucan Cycling Road Club
95 Callan,Ryan Lucan Cycling Road Club
96 Farrell,Rob Lucan Cycling Road Club
97 Conroy Stever Lucan Cycling Road Club
98 Marron,Daithi Lucan Cycling Road Club
99 Benndorf,Ed Lucan Cycling Road Club
100 Hanley,Liam Lucan Cycling Road Club
101 Thompson,Harry Lucan Cycling Road Club
102 May,Cian Lucan Cycling Road Club
103 Handley,Gavin Lucan Cycling Road Club
104 Dunne,Anthony Lucan Cycling Road Club
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