Road races for masters riders only will be promoted for the first time - outside the remit of the IVCA - in the build-up to the National Masters Road Championships in Co Monaghan in August.
The events are being organised after the consultation process leading to the Road Working Group report on reforming Irish road racing identified the need to cater for the large number of masters riders with competition licences.
The working group process was aimed at halting the slip in Cycling Ireland membership numbers, and racing members. It was also created to ensure riders who were already licence holders raced more often, and did so deeper into the season.
And as there were a very large number of masters riders among the membership, Cycling Ireland said earlier this year it wanted to see masters-only races run, with that pledge now acted up.
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Each of the four races planned will be individual events, rather than run off in a linked series. The fact Cycling Ireland has acted so quickly, with the first events being promoted around the country this season, will be welcomed by many masters riders.
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The events also offer a very useful building process towards the the National Championships in late August. The four dates and venues for the new races, and for the champs, are:
- July 13th | Limerick
- July 26th | Dungarvan
- August 1st | Enniskillen
- August 16th | Athenry
- August 24th | Monaghan National Champs
The first event of four will be a criterium hosted by Greenmount Cycling Academy, which hosted a very successful National Criterium Championships earlier this year.
The second event will be hosted by Dungarvan Cycling Club with the third hosted by Lakeland CC in Fermanagh followed by Galway Bay CC running the last of the races pre-champs in Athenry.
We'll bring you more news on each event, and entry details, when it becomes available in the weeks ahead.
The Masters National Road Championships - TTs and road races - will be promoted by Emyvale CC in Co Monaghan, with the TTs and road races on August 23rd and 24th.
