Steep climbs, hard TT and quality field for Tour of North
The Tour of the North is one of the country's big stage races. And with a 120-rider field and very hard course, it is set to serve up a feast of racing (Photo: Jim Halferty)
By Brian Canty
The Tour of the North starts tomorrow and the promoters, the Northern Ireland Cycling Federation Promotions Group, believe they have assembled one of their strongest ever fields.
It’s a bold statement given the riders and teams that have graced the race over the years. But a look at the list of names set to start the event shows there is merit in that claim.
Road stages on Saturday and Monday sandwich a time-trial and another road stage on Sunday.
There are three former winners - including Peter Hawkins (Cycling Ulster) - in the race and they’ll need to be close to their best again if they are to contend once more.
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With 10 categorised climbs on the course over the three days, there is a combined elevation gain of 3,600 metres.
It’s not savagely hard in that respect but on exposed roads along the Antrim coast it promises to be one hell of a contest.
There’s also a fine prize fund of almost €4,300 (£3,645) and that should provide all the motivation necessary for what is a quality line-up.
Tomorrow’s opening stage is 122 kilometres and it starts and finishes in Ballymena with a rollout at 12 noon.
It’s a stage that should lend to exciting racing with opportunities for climbers on the two ascents of the eight-kilometre Glenarriffe climb.
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Stage 2 on Easter Sunday morning is a six-kilometre time trial that climbs to 250 metres - for 200m elevation difference.
Riders will start by their race number with only the first 3 on GC going at the end in reverse order.
The course hits 12 per cent in the first mile of the stage before easing back slightly and into more of a power climb.
If that hasn’t shaken up the race then the afternoon stage – a 110-kilometre, five-lap contest with a climb each lap - should damage.
Roll-out is at 2pm and it will be neutralised out of the town for five kilometres to the Maine river bridge on the Whitesides road.
The race will then complete five laps of a 16-kilometre circuit. The key point will be the Rougery climb which maxes out at 14 per cent.
After lap five the race will then commence the five-kilometre fast run-into the finish at the Maine bridge.
Easter Monday’s final stage is another testing 116-kilometre journey starting and finishing in Ballymena.
A hard start sees the race climb up a five-kilometre drag and that will most certainly see a break get away.
The two big climbs come at 46 and 60 kilometres, respectively, but once over them it's a fast run to the finish on the Fenaghy road at Galgorm.
Men to watch at Tour of the North
There are teams from Scotland, the UK, Ireland and even France this year.
Some of those likely to contend include Ed Clemens (Spirit Bikes), Darnell Moore (Caldwell Cycles Omagh), Lindsay Watson (Cycling Ulster), Conor McCann (The Belgian Project) and David Watson (The Bike House).
There is also an Irish junior team comprised of Harvey Barnes, Xeno Young, Ronan Tuomey, Tom Knight and Conor Halvey. Glenn Kinning (Kinning Cycles) and Javan Nulty (North Down CC) are also in the field and can make their mark.
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