Most road race promotions will now combine the C1 and C2 categories into one race - which can be run on a handicapped format. The change has arisen following a six-week review of reforms introduced to road racing this year by Cycling Ireland on foot of recommendations from the 'road working group'.
Last year there were four senior categories - A1, A2, A3 and A4 - but this year that has been changed to three categories; C1, C2 and C3. Cycling Ireland also directed clubs hosting events to promote three separate races, one for each category.
While the review has concluded there was now strong engagement by riders for mid tier racing, the numbers competing at C1 level have been more modest. As a result, the C1 and C2 categories are to be combined and will race against each other for most events.
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The combined C1-C2 races are to be run at "regional" race promotions. However, racing numbers have been higher at "national" level events, resulting in C1s and C2s continuing to race in separate events. Cycling Ireland has indicated the combined races will be run until numbers in the C1 category grow.
That C1 category growth is expected to occur organically as more juniors are upgraded to C1 as the season progresses. The Cycling Ireland review has found some 30 juniors - who began the season as C3s or C2s - have already been up upgraded due to their results in the first six weeks of the campaign.
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A number of other changes are also proposed, with Cycling Ireland planning to move quickly. The national governing body is set to tweak planned road racing promotions, as well as seeking to put in place additional events, through this season rather than waiting until next year. The planned changes include:
- All regional events to have combined C1-C2 races - either mass start or handicap - and a separate C3 until the numbers in the C1 category reach 250. There were 195 riders in the C1 category at present.
- Weekends with four and five race promotions have seen lower number of average field at each race, with feedback suggesting riders have difficulty riding two races on the same weekend. Cycling Ireland is to engage with race promoters to reduce weekend clashes.
- Masters only series - of five or six events - to be put in place for later this year, running from July to September and leading up to the National Masters Championships.
- Cycling Ireland plans to further engage with the Women’s Commission on improving female experience and participation at races, though numbers have remained broadly in line with last year.
Overall, number of riders with racing licences has increased again this year, by 18 per cent - which is the first increasing for four years; a very welcome development. That increase is a sign the scene may have begun to recover after a sharp declines following the pandemic, perhaps reinforced by the post-pandemic spike in inflation.
The report by the Road Working Group, formed in 2023, was published last summer. The creation of the group was aimed at increasing road racing numbers and race quality. The group is comprised of racers, coaches, race promoters including: Jennifer Bates, Matteo Cigala, Cathal Dillane, Niall Doggett, Vincent Gleeson, Orla Hendron, Drew McKinley, Stephen O’Shea and Aaron Wallace.
One key insight of its 2024 report was that in 2017 there were 3,249 racing cyclists in Ireland, which was the peak over the last decade. While numbers then declined in 2018 and 2019, there was then a large drop; from 2,771 in 2019 to 2,197 in 2020 and 1,861 in 2021.
Those very significant declines in racing numbers in 2020 and 2021 were very likely driven by the pandemic, when racing was halted or curtailed for long periods, with uncertainty around the scene enduring for a long time.
Once that uncertainty, and general pandemic gloom, lifted, numbers rebounded a little in 2022, with an increase to 2,261. However, that bounce was short-lived as racing licence holder numbers dropped to 2,137 in 2023 and again last year, to 1,947, though that has now increased to 18 per cent.
