Timmy Barry was first to master Ireland's newest blue ribbon classic, but can his former protégé turned rival Damien Shaw outwit him in Nenagh on Sunday? Above, Barry leads Shaw home for an Aquablue 1-2 in Nenagh two years ago.
The Gas Networks Ireland Visit Nenagh.ie Classic is down for decision this Sunday with a stellar line-up and gruelling parcours set to make it an extremely testing afternoon.
Since its inauguration in 2012 the race has gained notoriety as being a real test of endurance and a wearing-down process that always produces a worthy winner.
Timmy Barry won back to back titles in 2012 with Dan Morrissey-Speedy Spokes and 2013 with Aquablue while Damien Shaw retained the trophy last year in what was a 1-2-3 for the Cork-based team.
But the latter has since left to help form a superbly strong Team ASEA squad and alongside partner in crime Bryan McCrystal they’ll be two of the most-watched men this Sunday.
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There’s a bumper entry for the event and with the country’s showpiece stage race, the An Post Rás, less than a month away Sunday’s outing will be a highly aggressive and keenly-contested affair.
Sean Hahessy of Fitscience has been in or around the podium in recent weeks. Could he take the biggest win of his career in Nenagh this weekend? (Photo with thanks to Joe Murphy)
Of those most likely to go close, Sean Hahessy (Fitscience) is a rider who is going well and due a big win.
The former Carrick Wheelers man was second to Páidi O’Brien (Osbourne Meats-McCarthy Cycles) in his home race last month while he was third in Fermoy last weekend.
He rode a very good Kerry Group Rás Mumhan for the Irish national team and helped overall winner Sean McKenna in no small way, so he should be there or thereabouts.
Another who is getting better with every race is Strata3-VeloRevolution rider Stephen Murray and a win cannot be far away for him.
He was runner-up in Fermoy to O'Brien on Sunday, was also a runner-up to the aforementioned McKenna in Dungarvan a week before Easter while in Kerry he finished eighth overall.
Bryan McCrystal looks a good bet for a top result in Nenagh this weekend and with a strong ASEA squad they could really do something special. (Photo: Brendan Slattery)
That indicates he’s right on form and after finishing fifth in Nenagh last year he can justifiably target the podium, or higher.
Team ASEA will have their full eight-man team down and any one of them can win.
Fraser Duncan and Chris Reilly are going very well at the moment, while Roger Aiken and Ali Macaulay can take victory. Expect them to be in every move.
Páidi O’Brien needs no introduction and he’s a banker to be in the decisive escape. Aquablue’s Sean Lacey is another who rarely misses a trick and they’ll bring a full deck this weekend.
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Sean McKenna rode the Nations Cup in France on the Irish team on Wednesday so should be back in the saddle at home this weekend.
Eoin Morton has been going very well of late and could land a massive one this weekend (Photo: Sean Rowe)
UCD CC man Eoin Morton was 10th last year and the course is definitely one that suits him; hard and hilly. He's another who cannot be discounted.
As well as the domestic riders there’s the eight-man Dutch NWVG team returning once more and they won’t be making the journey to Ireland to make up the numbers. The race is 160 kilometres long and there are a number of punishing climbs.
The first comes after 13 kilometres and reaches a maximum gradient of 10 per cent so that is likely to split the field early on.
There’s another ramp after 41 kilometres and that goes as high as 12 per cent so even at that point the race could be sewn up, or at least the decisive splits will be made.
Around the halfway point comes the steepest section of the race with a climb reaching 21 per cent at Chapel Hill.
The team time trial in Nenagh has been a great event in recent years and should be hard fought tomorrow, Saturday.
There are a staggering four more climbs reaching maximum gradients of 16 per cent so it’s fair to say that whoever wins will need to bring his climbing legs. The race is the latest of the revamped National Road Series.
The ever-popular team time-trial is on Saturday's agenda once more and that will take place on the old N7, which is now one of the longest cycling lanes in Ireland between Five Alley and Birdhill. The total distance of the team test is 28.3km.
Race headquarters for Sunday is the Abbey Court Hotel on the Dublin Road in Nenagh, with sign-on open from 8.30am. Entry on the day is €20.
There will also be an opportunity for families to come out and participate in a family fun cycle; a 45-minute route on fabulous refurbished cycling paths around the town is on offer.
Over 200 cyclists took part in the Family Fun Cycle in 2014 and efforts are being made to grow the number of participants this year. That event is hosted by the North Tipperary Sports Partnership.
Sunday's Race Program
- 11am: A4 Race (80k)
- 11.15am: Women's Race (80k)
- 11.30am: A+,A1,A2 Race (160k)
- 12.05pm: A3 race (113k)
For more information on the race, possible vantage points and viewing times click here
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