There's no gentle introductory opening stage at this weekend's Tour of Ulster, with the race organisers serving up the big stuff first; seen here, Conor Murphy and Greg Swinand away on the final stage last year (Photo: Marian Lamb - Cycling Ulster)
By Brian Canty
Race director at this weekend’s Tour of Ulster, Aidan Higgins is expecting one of the most open contests in the race’s recent history.
There are three former winners down to start - defending champion Joe Fenlon, 1997 winner Stephen O’Sullivan, and 1999 winner Ciarán Power - and Higgins believes any number of those riding this year could win given the strength in depth in the field.
“We’ve a full start list and about 30 on the waiting list and it’s another good quality field again this year,” he said.
Advertisement
“Teams are coming from all over the country for it, similar to last year. It’s an all Irish field with some big hitters in there like the DID Dunboyne team, UCD CC, Aquablue and a few up and coming guys so it’ll be hard to call.”
Higgins also believes he has selected a course “that will really separate the men from the boys” and give those with designs on riding the An Post Rás ideal preparation.
“Stage 1 is just short of 100 miles starting and finishing in Maghera, with an awful lot of climbing involved,” he says.
“It’s a rolly stage with three cat 3 climbs and three sprint primes and given it’s the longest stage of any race so far this year I think there will be big splits.
Related News
“The big stage then is Sunday’s stage 2 and it’s a cracking stage. It’s around 80 miles long and goes right up through the Sperrin Mountains.
“There are three cat 1 climbs and one section of road that reaches 20 per cent. There’s also a cat 2 and a cat 3 and probably the hardest part is after 70 miles when the race goes over the Glenshane Pass the long way which is about six miles.
“Anyone who is feeling it before that will be in trouble there because there’s still a bit to travel to the finish. There’s also three sprint hotspots to contend for.”
Monday’s stage 3 is a 76-mile circuit race with a cat 2 climb each time and KOH points on offer up to five laps.
“I wouldn’t say Monday is flat; it’s rolly, it takes in a short sharp climb, it’s a cat 2 this year and there’ll be KOH points on laps one, three and five and primes for the points’ jersey on laps two and four as well as the finish line,” said Higgins.
The race will roll out from Walsh’s Hotel in Maghera, Co Derry at 11.50am tomorrow, Saturday, and is expected back in the town sometime around 4pm.
Sunday’s leg gets underway from Maghera at the same time, with the first rider expected home around 2.45pm.
Monday’s final stage starts an hour earlier, at 10.50am, in Maghera and will be over by around 2pm.
Total prize fund for the whole weekend exceeds €4,000 or £3,300 and there are prizes for the top 10 on each stage and overall, as well as top three in the KOH competition, the points competition, the team classification and the best U23.
Topics
