The National Criterium Championships is set to be held in Dublin City Centre next month, with no fewer than nine races planned
The National Criterium Championships are set to be an eight-race bonanza this year, with the events being held in Dublin city centre. It will be run by Leinster Promotion Group, which will be supported by UCD Cycling Club and Dublin Bay Cycling Club.
What can only be described as a one-day festival of racing is being held on May 17th and forms part of Dublin City Council's offering for National Bike Week.
It will be the first time big time criterium racing is held in the city centre since the long defunct Halfords Series held a round in the Irish capital. It took in Temple Bar and was won by Dan Martin, way back in 2010.
At the upcoming National Criterium Championships there are races for masters, juveniles and seniors, and even a Brompton race. However, some of the events will be run as the Dublin Bay Cycling Grand Prix and will be non-championship races, all held in the Grand Canal Dock area.
Advertisement
Related News
The event will be based in the Bike Week event village in Grand Canal Square, with the start adjacent on Hanover Quay. There will be toilets, first aid and vendors available there.
The full schedule is as follows:
- 10:00am Road Closed
- 10:15am Masters support race (45 minutes plus 3 laps)
- 11:15am Paracycling and Family cycle
- 12:00 noon U12 Boys and Girls support race (5 laps)
- 12:20pm U14 and U16 Girls support race (15 minutes plus 3 laps)
- 12:45pm Open Practice
- 1pm Women’s National Criterium Championship (1hr plus 5 laps)
- 2:20pm Brompton Race
- 2:45pm Open Practice
- 3pm U14 Boys support race (15 minutes plus 3 laps)
- 3:30pm U16 Boys support race (25 minutes plus 3 laps)
- 4:05pm Open Practice
- 4:20pm Men's National Criterium Championship (1hr plus 5 laps)
- 6pm Road re-opens
The men's championship race is for junior, senior and masters riders. There will also be a team category, though it will only be awarded if at least three teams, of three riders, enter the race.
The women's championship race is also for senior, junior and masters riders, and the same stipulation applies to the awarding of a team national title prize - gold medals - for the winners; three teams must enter.
All races will start from the junction of Hanover Quay and Blood Stoney Road. Riders will be corralled on the right side of Hanover Quay before being let onto the course. The corral will open 10 minutes before the scheduled race starts.
There will be a neutralised 1⅔ laps, until riders pass through the finish line for the second time. Riders will not stop on the finish line. There will be no gridding.
