Preview & Race Details: Big guns go head-to-head at Suir Valley Three Day

Eventual winner in 2011, Connor McConvey tackles the Hill Climb TT last year (Photo: Tipperaryphotos.com)

By Brian Canty

It has well earned its reputation as one of the hardest fought races on the domestic calendar, but another feature that isn’t easy to overlook is just how difficult the Suir Valley Three-Day really is.

Huge time gaps aren’t uncommon and with the race attracting overseas riders again this year, the domestic boys know they’ll need to be on form to put it up to those from the Isle of Man travelling over for the event.

A winners’ list that includes the likes of Connor McConvey, Thomas Martin, David McCann, Ciarán Power and Sean Lacey tells you all you need to know about the type of rider that will be successful in Clonmel this weekend.

The opening stage tomorrow, Saturday, is arguably the most difficult. At 120 kilometres in length it isn’t anything out of the ordinary in terms of distance but the climb of the Vee at the 60 mile mark could be decisive.

Assuming a breakaway hasn’t gone away by the start of the climb, such a situation is unlikely to remain as the road goes upwards for over six miles and should see a select group go clear.

The question then will be; can the remnants of the peloton catch them on the descent or in the 20 or so miles left to race thereafter?

The finish is just outside Clonmel on a slight incline and if Páidi O’Brien is up front at that point, he’ll be hard to beat.

Stage two starts and finishes in Clonmel and takes an anti-clockwise direction via Dungarvan and Carrick-on-Suir and at just over 60 miles isn’t an unholy distance.

But the volume of KOH’s should see massive splits – and early too.

From just after five miles there’s a sharp ramp that climbs to 450 metres in no time, while six miles further on there’s a more demanding effort required with almost three miles of ascending.

From there, the race levels out. There are a few more tricky climbs to negotiate – three of note - but they are more drags, and sheer climbing ability won’t be as crucial here as what awaits in the evening.

Stage three on Sunday evening is the ever-popular hill climb and last year it proved the winning – and losing - of the race when Connor McConvey won the stage, pulled on the yellow jersey and won the overall.

Just over a kilometre in length doesn’t sound like the kind of thing to send shivers down the riders’ spines but with multiple switchbacks, a poor road surface and no let-off for the whole way, a poorly judged effort can be costly.

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The winner will most likely be doing it in between 3:30 and 3:40.

The final stage, on Monday, is the same as last year and from Clonmel the riders will go to Fethard, Killenaule, Littleton, Tipperary, the Glen of Aherlow, Cahir and back to Clonmel.

The stage has just one categorized climb and may see a group get away. The fast technical descent would help any such group pull out a healthy lead.

On flat roads thereafter, it should be a very fast finish and if a group is away it will need to be well organised as a bunch sprint is the most likely outcome.

Last year it was Dan Clifford who won the stage but he is now in France with DID Dunboyne team-mate Mark Dowling. It may be one for the likes of Waterford galloper Robin Kelly.

Sean Lacey is a favourite for the overall and with the backing of a strong team he will be the man to watch. Ryan Sherlock posted an excellent time on the hill climb last year – just four seconds off McConvey and could be in the reckoning while Castlebar’s Paddy Clarke was third overall last year and having been based in Belgium for the season, is sure to have stepped up another level.