Michael O’Loughlin shows his delight at taking victory on stage 5 of the Junior Tour of Ireland last year. Just behind him is the eventual race winner and fellow national team rider Eddie Dunbar (Photo: Stephen McMahon – Sportsfile)
By Brian Canty
The route for this year’s Scott Bicycles Junior Tour of Ireland shows a number of changes to last year’s.
Though three of the six stages are the same as 12 months ago, there are changes to other stages that could alter how things play out.
Stage one is a very much ‘as you were’; a 6.2-kilometre time-trial starting in Ennis and heading out the Kiladysert road to the finish line in Drumquin.
Last year it was Team Ireland rider Michael O’Loughlin who set the best time and a year older this time around he should be there or thereabouts again.
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Stage two is an absolute brute featuring five climbs during the 109-kilometre run around the Burren.
This is a change from last year as it's shortened by seven kilometres but there are three more climbs.
Starting in Ennis, the riders head north for Corrofin, Killinaboy, Ballyvaughan, Fanore, Doolin and up over the category one climb of Castle Hill after 66 kilometres before heading back into Ennis.
Last year, Eddie Dunbar romped to one of his best ever wins when he crossed the line solo with almost three minutes to spare on the bunch. He would take the yellow jersey and never relinquish it thereafter.
There are plenty of climbs and other testing sections to put the Junior Tour field under pressure next month (Photo: Stephen McMahon - Sportsfile)
The third stage is completely changed from last year and instead of starting in Ennis and finishing in Ennistymon the riders will roll out of the village of Mountshannon 43 kilometres from Ennis and conclude the day in Whitegate.
It’s only 97 kilometres in length but it’s a very hilly day with two categorised ascents; one outside Scarriff after eight kilometres and another at Maghera after 43km.
The fourth stage starts in Ennis again and is similar to stage three from last year, though the finish is in Lisdoonvarna.
It’s the ‘Wild Atlantic Way’ stage and if the wind blows in off the sea it’s going to make for hellish conditions for at least 60 of the 113 kilometres.
Heading west from Ennis, the riders crest the cat 3 climb at Inch and the cat 2 of the Hand.
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But the fun will really start when they swing north up along the coast via Miltown Malbay, Quilty, Spanish Point, Lahinch and over the cat 2 climb at the Cliffs of Moher and the cat 3 at Doolin.
A crosswind for that coastal section could wreak havoc, and if that wasn’t bad enough there’s the cat 1 climb of the Corkscrew Hill to contend with less than 10 kilometres from the finish.
It’s reasonable to assume that anyone intending to win the race will need to exert themselves on this climb and indeed, this stage.
Dunbar took off on stage 2 and pulled out a massive gap that secured for him the stage win and yellow jersey (Photo: www.jimmymcelroy.com – follow Jimmy on Facebook and Twitter)
The penultimate stage takes the riders just over 100 kilometres from Ennis to the cat one summit finish atop Gallows Hill.
This is another cracking stage and should leave no one in any doubt about who the strongest men in the race are.
Prior to the final showdown on Gallows Hill which saw O’Loughlin win last year from his Irish teammate Dunbar, there’s a couple of tricky cat 2 climbs at Maghera and Sallybank before the riders tackle the cat 1 Windy Gap after 85 kilometres.
The Windy Gap was only deemed a cat 2 last year but it's since been 'promoted' to cat 1 status.
The final ramp up to Gallows Hill is less than two kilometres but it’s sure to shape the general classification.
The final day sees the riders battle it out on the shortest road stage of the week, with seven laps of a 10-kilometre course to be negotiated.
From Ennis the route takes the peloton out to Ballyea, Clonroadbeg and back into Ennis.
It should be a cracking race, with a very international field set to compete over 505 very testing kilometres.
The event will once again be headquartered in Treacy’s West County Hotel, Ennis, Co Clare, and entries are now open at Juniortourofireland.com.
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