We are all now under starters orders in the run up to the Christmas break and the New Year, but thankfully the ladies and gents who make up our season will be out pounding the roads. And then again it is the last minute shopping that needs to be addressed.
Emyvale CC McQuaid Tyres plus Bray Wheelers pioneers of the the break with the tradition back in the 70’s will be hoping for support from club members in particular and those from other clubs to support their respective events this SUNDAY. Plus you have only eight days to get that special piece of cycling equipment from the EuroBaby EuroCycles stores. But on Sunday, the pioneers of competition at Christmas started way in the early ’70’s.
Prior to that, it would indeed be a sacrilege to go racing at Christmas. Well, the Bray Wheelers under the batons of Joe Loughman and Paddy Martin both sadly have moved on and it would not surprise me that they orchestrating training runs in the heavens above! Down on this terrain, Joe and Paddy came up with a brainwave of more or less breaking the ice before the serious side of training started on the first day of January.
Tomorrow they are hosting there Annual Christmas race/fancy dress fun cycle, sign on is at 10am from the Bray Wheelers club house, on Schools Road in Bray, with race start at 11am. Its starting at Kilmacanogue, down the N11, turning at Delgany junction, and back to Kilmacanogue, 10km.
The event is very much a fun event and all cyclists are welcome (all abilities and all ages, members and non members). Refreshments will be served in the club house after the event. With prizes for best costumes as well. All friends and family are welcome.
Its a two-up time trial, over 10km, where teams of two (or sometimes more), guess their time for completing the course. The winning team finishes closest to their predicted time. So its not the fastest time that wins!
The pair came up with a apt name of the “Gentleman’s Grand Prix.” Steady on lads it is not a massed start but a time trial and by the way it will be over a distance of 10 miles, not kilometers. Who would have heard of that measurement back in the early 70’s.
It took a lot of discussion and persuasion to get the idea past the post that it would be a two up time trial and that the individuals would have to nominate their times. And so started a unique event that would change the face of competition in the off season.
The initial turnout was a respectable 41 pairs and by a strange coincidence. No! I don’t recall the winners. The highest number ever to participate in the event was in the mid-eighties when 91 teams participated, but then it became fashionable for other clubs to have their unique races.
Still to this day, the event creates a great awareness. The numbers are still very respectable, and the format has not changed one iota, save miles for kilometers after all we are in the EU. Still, after all these years, Philip O’Brien one of most respected commissaries and a former national road race champion, lines up. The same Phil first road the event with Jimmy Doyle, but in latter years members, his sons Ed and Philip teamed up with the maestro.
Nowadays it is the grandchild en who tend to partner him. This Sunday his eight year old grand daughter Eve will no doubt test the grand daddy of them all. Who knows Eve and Phil may just nominate the correct timing for their journey along the Wicklow Road. Its starting at Kilmacanogue, down the N11, turning at Delgany junction, and back to Kilmacanogue, 10km.
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PAUL DAN HEALION – Acknowledgment
The family of Paul Dan Healion, August 16th 2009, mother Mary, sisters Emma, Niamh, Nora, brothers Damien and Kevin, together with extended family will always remember and are most appreciative of all those who sympathised with and supported them during their recent tragic loss. Thank you to all of his outstanding friends, especially those who visited our home, sent mass cards, letters and tributes – our sincere and heartfelt thanks.
A special thanks to Kevin and Bercan who bravely sang at his mass and to the cycling community whose support has been immense throughout. As it would be impossible to thank everyone individually for their words of comfort and encouragement, we hope this acknowledgement will be accepted by all with our sincere appreciation.
Forever loved and greatly missed we all take solace from our own happy memories of Paul Dan, the charming one, the funny one – our star.
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Murphy Plant & Agri Hire Mulled Wine Hill Climb
Emyvale CC McQuaid Tyres
The Club will be promoting their annual hill climb on the Golden Heights Toneyclea on Sunday.
Competitors are requested to be at the registration area at 9.30am at the Leisure Centre in Emyvale on Sunday. The Entry Fee for Senior & Leisure riders is €5.00. And Underage riders €3.00.Depart from the Centre at 10am for this hill climb is in conjunction with our normal Sunday Morning run. The club would like all riders young and old. “Male and Female” to support this event.
There is a very nice trophy for the overall winner who has the best time on the morning plus good prize money for 2nd 3rd and 4th. The overall winner will get the polka dot jersey which will be presented on the Night of our Dinner Dance.
All Club Members Young and Old are requested to make a special Effort to partake in this enjoyable event which is one of the last ‘Acts of the Year’ in the club Calendar. This Hill Climb is always well supported by club members. Outside clubs are also invited to attend and partake part in the Event.
The ladies, Annmarie and Kathleen, will pack an extra punch with a strong Mix of Wine plumping at the Top of the Golden Heights. An added Bonus of Mince Pies and traditional Christmas Carols on the Gramophone.
So come along everybody and leave the Recession Blues behind You and get into the Christmas Spirit (not literally) on the Morning.
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Club Licences: 2010
Regarding the club Licences for the coming season of 2010. it was agreed at the AGM that a date in early January be set, so that all club Members should have their ‘Monies’ and application forms handed into George’s shop or Annemarie so that your application can be processed. There is and increase in licences fee’s for 2010 coming down the track. The chairman would like every member to make a special effort to get this matter done and dusted on the said date. All applications have to go in together. Anybody not complying with this date will have to apply them self.
It is important that request is heeded as the club do not want to hold the other member’s licences up due to the lack of interest by other members.
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STILL SOME XMAS SHOPPING TO DO? WHY NOT SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS
With eight days of shopping left! Are you still stumped on what to get the cyclists in your life for Christmas? The EuroBaby EuroCycles stores are a must. Ah! That just reminds me that I have to pay a visit to the William Street branch. myself I have neglected to kit myself out with lights.
As my grand daughter Mae would say ’silly billy grand dad with no lights on your Felt machine.’ Or maybe this might just what you are looking for? An Indoor Trainer, so you could pound away in the comfort of your TV to keep your cycling fitness all winter.
So, the festive sesaon is well and truly upon us when in theory all people are equal and good humoured.
It has been a good news week for the Killorglin Credit Union Cycling Club and for the sponsor of the Junior Tour, Martin Donnely, to my sponsors of the web page Eurobaby Eurocycles, but more about that anon plus the latest news about the ‘individual pursuit’ viz-a-vie the Olympics which ties in comfortably with the third round of the World Cup Track Cycling Championships in Columbia.
But first off we go to the announcement by the Killorglin Credit Union Cycling Club who got an early Christmas pressie yesterday with the announcement that Ras Mumhan will be sponsored by the Kerry Group.
Admittedly, from being on site last year with the organising club, they left no stone unturned to deliver the premium advantage which a sponsor is entitled to. On the strength of that, the Concannons, Mary and Miceal plus of course the inimitable Tadgh Moriarty know their work along with the people behind the scenes was endorsed with this announcement and I have no doubt over the Chrismas a glass will be raised.
Continue Reading »
In its first year the ‘Development Program’ exposed many Junior and Under 23 riders to top level domestic racing in a team environment. Some collected stage wins in various stage races nationwide but more importantly all went away with vital experience gained which they would not have been exposed to if competing individually or even not at all. The National Development program will continue for 2010. A training camp for any Junior and Under 23 riders.
In these hard times, Dan through his negociating skills got a fantasti deal with the 4 star Charleville Park Hotel of €50 for 2 nights B&B plus 2 evening meals. The weekend will be aimed towards selecting the panels for both squads for the 2010 season.
One of the main items on the agenda will be that Ireland.inc does not miss the boat when it comes to representation at world level.
Last September at the World Cycling Championships in Mendriso, Switzerland it was noticeable that that no under-23’s were on the start line. They did not contest the requisite number of events to get ranking points and thus were marked absent. Nobody in authority has shed light for the real reason for not making the grid. In my opinion it is a book passing mechanism within the cycling organisation.
To make matters worse this particular season, we had riches in abundance in the under-23’s with the likes of Sam Bennett, Sean Downey and Philip Lavery. And who knows what grants will be awarded for competition, so maybe with the ‘worlds’ in Melbourne we will marked absent again.
In the junior section we had our best competitors for the Martin Donnelly Junior Tour also maked absent.
Dan Curtin who’ll conduct the course is eager that there are no slip ups for the coming season.
It may hidden in the bowels of my copy this week, but it has surfaced again and no doubt will keep been revisited and that is the failure to have an under-23 team at the World Cycling Championships in Mendriso, Switzerland last September. And to make matters worse the High Performance Director Phil Leigh announces to all and sundry that the trio of Nicholas Roche, Philip Deignan and Daniel Martin should be de listed from the carding system. Did he think that statement through? Still the good news is that the Mid West Road Club in Longford is preparing for a birthday party…..there is a get together for the juniors and under-23 in Charleville (where they built a station for the cheese)……Round four of the Connacht Mountainbike League is in Newport…..Could it happen here in Dublin?…….finally that man in the West is the news again with the promotion of the Sean Kelly Hamper Race in Westport, Joe McGuire.
“Where it began….the Kelly/Roche/Early/Kimmage and the McGowans of Mullingar era was my introduction to cyling…and now 20 yeares on I am very involved with the Mid West Road Club in Longford who may produce a star worthy of Kelly and the lads, but if it does not we will not lose in any sleep about it”, so said Donal Madden
The love affair or call it what you like began last January and now we aged. Similiar to the horses who automatically add another year to their age, likewise Mid West Road Club in Longford will be celebrating their first year as members of Cycling Ireland. Plus there are proud and stand high with the developments in the last 12 months.
Well with a logo ‘it doesn’t have to be the latest lightweight machine and don’t be put off by some people togged out in expensive looking gear’.
And how did it all start? You have to go back to the days of the Mulingar CC and the McGowans who were heavily involved in the club. Father Seamus and son Tommy were highly regarded in cycling circles at national level. Seamus was a member of the governing biody for cycling in Ireland and also a commissarie and Tommy was the competitor who raced all the country in between his studies at DCU.
Talking with Donal Madden about his involvement in the sport and the development of this club in Longford.
“Well with a logo like We stress it doesn’t have to be the latest lightweight machine and don’t be put off by some people togged out in expensive looking gear.
“Mid West Road Club in Longford have started a campaign locally and afar to increase their membership. They are open to new members and potential members who are always welcome on their club run. The membership covers the counties of Longford, Roscommon, Leitrim and Cavan but we’re not fussy we’ll welcome anyone from anywhere
In its first year the Development Program exposed many Junior and Under 23 riders to top level domestic racing in a team environment. Some collected stage wins in various stage races nationwide but more importantly all went away with vital experience gained which they would not have been exposed to if competing individually or even not at all. The National Development program will continue for 2010. A training camp for any Junior and Under 23 riders will take place in Charleville, Co. Cork on the 5th & 6th December 2009. A great deal has been agreed with the 4 star Charleville Park Hotel of €50 for 2 nights B&B plus 2 evening meals. This weekend will be aimed towards selecting the panels for both squads for the 2010 season. Further queries contact Dan @ 087-2304365 You can Download the Application form Here www.irishcycling.com
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Connacht MTB League
The Connacht MTB League enters Round 4 this Sunday. The venue is Shramoor, Newport, Co. Mayo.Round four of the All races sign on from 11am Youth race 12noon, Seniors 1pm Contact Martin @0872226260 or Darren 0872307821
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Could it happen here in DUBLIN
Boris and Ken – as well as those kind folk at the City of London – have put in loads of cycle lanes for those of us who choose to save the planet on our way into work.
But vans keep parking in them, which means I have to swerve out into the middle of the road and hope that I don’t get clipped by a taxi.
The law, as I understand it, is that vans can stop to unload, but they are supposed to only spend a few minutes doing so.
In the City, they appear to be given rather more leeway than other parts of town which, if you are on two wheels, makes life more difficult.
My entire route is based on avoiding right turns where possible and I am not too keen on having to swerve around obstacles on what I thought was supposed to be “my bit of road”.
At the very least this has underlined how difficult it is to allocate road space and the only way in which our cities will work is if we share it.
Touch wood, my basic cowardice means that I have managed to avoid any road rage incidents during my embryonic cycling career.
But given the open warfare which seems to prevail on the capital’s streets I fear it is only a matter of time.
Motorists have, to date, been as good as gold. The only stroppy person I have come across to date has been another cyclist.
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Mention, Westport, Co. Mayo and one name crops up. None other than Joe McGuire of Mayo Wheelers. -end- |
Tesco is seeking restitution of the overpaid monies following the error by its finance team.
The supermarket chain should have paid Universal Cycles, a subsidiary of Sports Direct which is controlled by Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley, £984 for six Muddy Fox Suspension Bikes but paid £984,000 instead.
Universal, an Essex-based company majority-owned by Sports Direct, has paid back £863,000 but Tesco claims it is holding on to more than £121,000 in outstanding funds, sources said.
It has launched legal action at the High Court to recover the remaining money, legal costs and a further £1,783 – the sum the retailer claims it is owed in interest at 8% a year.
The error was made on August 13 and Universal was asked to repay it 15 days later. Universal then repaid some of the funds on September 29, but £121,412 is outstanding, sources said.
It is understood a meeting will be held between the two parties in a bid to resolve the dispute out of court.
A Tesco spokesman declined to comment on the ongoing case.
Not surprising. Continue Reading »
They’re called Taylor Phinney, Cameron Meyer, Eilzabeth Armistead, Josephine Tomic, Morgan Keisky, Leigh Howard, Grégory Baugé. They come from the United States, Australia, Great Britain and France. They are World Champions. But, above all, they are all very young!
The 2009 UCI Track Cycling World Championships, which took place in the magnificent setting of the new velodrome in Pruszkow, Poland, was marked by an extremely important shift of power between the generations. This can be seen as a turning point compared with the principal events of these last years – particularly the Beijing Olympic Games – where the British dominated almost all the specialties.
Apart from the absence of Chris Hoy, Bradley Wiggins and Rebecca Romero, which certainly contributed to restoring a greater balance in the different disciplines, a “new wave” of track cyclists progressively imposed itself as the days went by, providing an intense sporting spectacle of the highest quality.
For example, we witnessed Taylor Phinney’s winning performance against Jack Bobridge – who is also just 19 years old – in the pursuit, and the success of Cameron Meyer – 21 years old – in the points race. Both the American and the Australian should now be considered among the strongest and most all-round athletes on the circuit. The titles that they won in Pruszkow represent just the beginning of their careers in the Elite category after numerous victories as Juniors.
The new king of the sprint, Grégory Baugé, is also still very young. At 24 years old, he won his fourth consecutive gold medal in the teams’ event before earning, for the first time, the rainbow jersey in the individual competition. His closest rivals – the Malaysian Aziz Awang, who has just turned 21, and his compatriot Kévin Sireau – can also look ahead with confidence to their future in this specialty, where Great Britain does not appear able to guarantee a successor for Hoy.
New Women’s world record
In the Women’s competition, the 2009 UCI Track Cycling World Championships were marked by the exploit of the Lithuanian Simona Krupeckaite, who established a new world record in the 500 metres. As for Victoria Pendleton, she met with some difficulties and left Poland with only one of the four gold medals that she was aiming for. After dominating the sprint events in Manchester and Beijing, she had to make do with the individual sprint title while conceding unexpected defeats: in the 500 metres where she finished third, but also in the keirin, won by the Chinese athlete Guo Shuang, and in the team sprint, which went to Australia.
Track cycling, a universal discipline
In total, 18 of the 38 countries participating in these championships placed at least one athlete on the podium, and 11 of them had the privilege of seeing one of their representatives on the highest step. This new geographical distribution, with riders from four continents sharing the 19 titles, is a very positive aspect of the overall result of these World Championships.
Indeed, the exploits of the following nations confirm the universality of track cycling. Germany celebrated the victories of Maximilian Lévy in the keirin and Stefan Nimke in the kilometer. Denmark has now truly launched the 2010 edition in Copenhagen thanks to its victories in the Madison and the team pursuit. Giorgia Bronzini, having already won the World Cup, gave Italy a gold medal in the points race. Malaysia, Cuba, China, Canada and Belgium also left Poland with extremely positive results, demonstrating that the new Olympic cycle has got under way with encouraging prospects in view.
Cycling Australia is pleased to confirm the final make up of the’Toshiba Cyclones’ Australian team to contest the UCI Track Cycling World Championships being staged in Pruszkow, Poland from 25 to 29 March 2009.
The team has been finalised after evaluation during a training camp in Adelaide with 16 riders confirmed in the final team. The team will depart Adelaide for Poland on Thursday 19 March.
‘Toshiba Cyclones’ – 2009 UCI Track Cycling World Championships
* Ashlee Ankudinoff (Menai NSW, 20.08.1990
* Jack Bobridge (Evaston Gardens SA, 13.07.1989)
* Rohan Dennis (Vale Park SA, 28.05.1990)
* Dan Ellils (Ngunnawal, ACT 07.10.1988)
* Belinda Goss (Nook, TAS, 06.01.1984)
* Leigh Howard (Waurn Ponds, VIC 18.10.1989)
* Sarah Kent (Duncraig WA, 10.02.1990)
* Anna Meares (Gracemere, QLD 21.09.1983)
* Kaarle McCulloch (Gymea Bay, NSW 20.01.1988)
* Cameron Meyer (Helena Valley WA, 11.01.1988)
* Travis Meyer (Helena Valley WA 08.06.1989)
* Jason Niblett (Horsham, VIC 18.02.1983)
* Glenn O’Shea (Eaglehawk, VIC 14.06.1989)
* Shane Perkins (Hughesdale VIC, 30.12.1986)
* Scott Sunderland (Hillarys, WA 16.03.1988)
* Josephine Tomic (Perth WA, 09.06.1989)
Lance Armstrong encourages world leaders, cancer organizations and advocates to commit to making cancer a global priority
San Diego, CA – February 22, 2009 – The Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF) announced today that the premiere LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Summit will take place Aug. 24-26, 2009 in Dublin, Ireland immediately following LAF founder and chairman, cancer survivor and champion cyclist Lance Armstrong’s participation in the Tour of Ireland, Aug. 19-23. As the landmark event of the LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Campaign, the Summit will make the case for acting urgently to address the global cancer burden and introduce new commitments to cancer control by bringing together world leaders, corporations, non-governmental organizations and advocates in an unprecedented show of solidarity. The announcement comes on the final day of the Amgen Tour of California, where Armstrong was competing in his second race in his return to professional cycling and against the worldwide threat of cancer. Continue Reading »
Sacramento, Calif.
February 12, 2009
Lance Armstrong (USA)
Astana
“I think we’ve made it very clear from the beginning that there are two parts to my comeback. One is the race – the reason we’ll be on the start line on Saturday – but more important really is the thought and the idea and the initiative to take Livestrong around the world.”
On the start of the 2009 season:
“We were blessed to have amazing launch in Australia, and I don’t just mean the team, but the foundation as well, and I hope we can carry that momentum through California and Europe for the rest of the year.”
On his return from retirement:
“I’ve been trying to stay reasonably fit; it’s comforting to know that I’m not the oldest guy in the race. I’ve been at this a long time and it has been an interesting 17 years. I think as far as the science of older athletes goes, performance doesn’t drop off, the mind drops off. I’ve had a couple of breaks and my mind is fresh. Let’s do it one more time. I feel strong. At 37, I feel just as strong as I did at 27.” Continue Reading »
Kuala Lumpur – Le Tour de Langkawi has become famous in the world of cycling for the spectacular sprints that have concluded many stages since the inception of the race back in 1996. The 14th edition starting in Putrajaya on February 9th should be no exception in the history as the 120 men field features many top sprinters once again. The course is likely to generate up to five bunch sprint finishes.
There will be new faces at the winners’ protocol since Ruben Bongiorno from Argentina is the only former sprint winner on the start list this year. The CSF rider last imposed himself at Le Tour de Langkawi in 2006 and didn’t show the best of himself since then, therefore he will be back in the role of the underdog while Mattia Gavazzi, Aurélien Clerc and Chris Sutton will be the hot favourites.
Gavazzi is the new fast man brought to Malaysia by legendary team manager Gianni Savio of Diquigiovanni-Androni. Last week the Italian started his season with a win in stage 1 of the Tour of San Luis in Argentina. “He’s got a great capacity of acceleration in the finale”, Savio described. “Normally I would have lined up Alberto Loddo again at LTdL, but he was diagnosed with two kidney stones. He’s fine now but he couldn’t train properly, so Gavazzi is his replacement.” Loddo has been the most successful sprinter at Le Tour de Langkawi in the past two years with 6 stage wins, 5 in 2007 with Diquigiovanni, 1 in 2008 with Tinkoff prior to returning to Savio’s team.
Last year’s Milo green jersey winner Aurélien Clerc will be back in action after switching from Bouygues Telecom to Ag2r-La Mondiale. The Swiss rider stated that this time around he doesn’t want to be just the most regular sprinter for scoring points but he’d actually prefer to grab at least one stage win. Continue Reading »
Latest Posts- Merry Christmas
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- Track World Championships : Youth in power !
- ‘Toshiba Cyclones’ for World Championships
- LIVESTRONG™ Global Cancer Summit to be held in Dublin, Ireland in August
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- Watch out for Gavazzi!
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- Hoy prioritises gold over record
- Scotland lift life ban on Millar
- Cycling shake-up hits British duo
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- I will not be leader - Armstrong
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Jef Ong
tomycampbell