Start list and preview for Ballinrobe Two Day; new format & route makes event much tougher

Ryan Sherlock and wife Mel Spath on the way to wiping everyone's eye on the opening stage last year; but gone are the handicaps that made their coup possible.

The handicaps that have helped shape the outcome of the Ballinrobe Two Day in recent years have been scrapped for the ninth running of the event this weekend in Co Mayo.

This year both road stages will take the form of massed starts; with the A1, A2, A3 and junior riders all together.

Last year national women’s road race champion Mel Spath broke away from the limit group on her own, mopping up all of the climbers’ primes on stage 1.

She was then joined by husband Ryan Sherlock, who dropped the scratch group and teamed up with his wife at the head of affairs, with both staying clear to the finish where Spath took the stage.

They put 1:50 into a chase group and the following morning Sherlock took the time trial to move into yellow.

However, when UK rider Mark Perry gave him the slip on the final stage, a Sunday afternoon road stage, he took the final yellow jersey at Sherlock’s expense.

This weekend in the Western Lakes CC promoted event, on the opening 110km stage tomorrow the riders will face the cat 1 climb of Lally’s Mountain in the first 30km of racing, where the differences on power and fitness in the field will become clear very quickly.

There are then four further categorised climbs over the remaining 80km before the finish back in Ballinrobe.

Out in front and chasing down the clock, Mark Perry (Dirt Wheels Cycles CC) on his way to winning the Ballinrobe Two Day last year (Photo: Conor McKeown)

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On Sunday morning, the riders face a 5km hill climb time trial on Lally’s Mountain again with the first off at 8.30am.

And on the final stage on Sunday afternoon, the field must negotiate 60km; some 50km over a loop featuring some undulating terrain taking in Clonbur, Cloughbrack, Corrnamona and the outskirts of Cong.

The riders then return to Ballinrobe where they will complete three laps of a finishing circuit – with primes - before the race draws to a close.

While the race is not open to A4 riders, the new Ballinrobe GP is being run on Sunday for the category that will follow the same route as the final leg of the stage race.

The weekend’s racing is sponsored by Marrey Bikes. As well as the overall, mountains and sprints jersey, there is also a jersey for the most aggressive rider and the A2 and A3 category. There is a total prize fund of €2,000.

Ballinrobe Two Day, Co Mayo

Sat & Sun, August 9th and 10th

Provisional start list