Newbridge GP races cancelled: The cancellation means there is no racing in either Leinster or Connacht on St Patrick's Day but two events in both Munster and Ulster. Above, Darragh O'Mahony winning the main event at the Newbridge GP last year (Photo: Sean Rowe)
Newbridge GP set for St Patrick's Day is cancelled
The St Patrick’s Day racing options have become a little thinner with news the Newbridge GP has been cancelled.
Usually held in early March, it had been on the calendar for St Patrick’s Day this time around.
However, promoting club Newbridge CC has revealed the race was rescheduled after it missed the application date for its preferred date.
As a result, Cycling Ireland allocated it the new March 17th date; a Saturday and about one week later than the event is normally held.
The race has been included in the racing calendar but the club has said it has been cancelled.
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It vented its frustration and said with St Patrick’s Day parades and other festivities planned in the Newbridge area, holding racing there on the day was not possible.
“Unfortunately we were pushed into a new date by Cycling Ireland,” a club statement said.
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It conceded missing the deadline to apply to hold the race on its preferred date was its own fault. But it added the Newbridge GP races have run for 20 years.
And last year though one of the organisers had suffered a very tragic bereavement the racing still went ahead three weeks later.
“We could not be alerted by a simple text to give us the opportunity to re-submit,” it added of what it saw as a lack of contact with the club by Cycling Ireland.
The club apologised for the inconvenience caused. It was hopeful the races would return next year.
“We had wanted our original date at the start of March but we could not be accommodated,” it said.
“And due to Patrick's Day parades we could not possibly run this event. Hopefully we will get our long standing date in March 2019 back to have the next Newbridge GP event.”
No racing in Leinster
The fixture normally involves separate races for all senior categories. Its cancellation means there will be two races in Ulster and two in Munster that day, but no racing in Leinster or Connacht.
In Ulster North Pole Cycling Club is running the St Patrick’s Day Road Race. And Clann Eireann hosts the Derrymacash GP.
In Munster Carrick Wheelers is running the Bobby Power Memorial. And Tralee Lee Strand CC holds the Billy Nolan Cup TT.
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