The second round of the Munster League was hosted by St.Finbarrs CC, who were back again in the spectacular venue of Fota House and Gardens. In between the sounds of grinding gears, squelching mud, and heavy breathing, were the screeches of the Monkeys who were wondering what all the commotion was about.
Starting off the day in spectacular style was the underage racing. U6’s, u8’s, and u10’s produced very competive racing on a twisty but fast circuit through the woods. The noise from the crowd cheering them on would rival any pro race, and some serious battles ensued across all age groups! Next up was the u14 race, and this would be a real battle. Over 2 laps of the main circuit, riders experienced real cx conditions. Showing a clean pair of heels was Shane Galvin who took a strong solo win. A real battle took place for the remaining podium places between Conor Scully and Patrick O’Loughlin. For most of the race they could not be separated, but on the final lap Conor opened a gap and would not be caught. O’Loughlin held on for a fine 3rd place. Annie Roche took the honours in the girls race, who rode very well and was less than a minute off 3rd place. The u12’s went straight after, and took on 1 lap of the main course. This was a real challenge for all competitors but one they all completed. Patrick Galvin repeated his older brothers win, taking a solo victory in what was a carbon copy performance. Cillian O’Shea finished in a fine second place, with Harrison Syms rounding out the podium in his debut cx race. The u16 race was the final underage race of the day and they raced over 3 laps. Eoin Birchall, who was making his return to the sport, showed no signs of rust and took the win by nearly a minute, catching many of the B riders in the process. David McCarthy produced a spectacular final lap to land on the second step of the podium, ahead of Sabien Kulcynski in 3rd. The B race opened up the senior racing, and this proved to be a Cork vs Kerry battle. Hugh Power (Bandon CC) took a fine win ahead of Killarney duo Michael O’Connor and Ken O’Sullivan. All three are now promoted to the A race for the rest of the league. The A race and the Ladies A race were the main event and they did not disappoint. All was to play for in the men's event as not only was the race win on offer, but the leaders jersey was also up for grabs due to Zippy Doyle not racing this one.. After a frantic start Kevin Keane (unattached) and Tim O’Regan (Aqua Blue) established themselves on the front of the race with the host club’s St.Finbarrs rider Richie Barry alone in 3rd. The top two spots would remain the same, but a strong chasing Conor Kissane (Killarney) and Trevor Woods (aquablue) would close the gap to Richie with a lap remaining. Trevor won this battle taking 3rd and with it the league lead, 2 points ahead of Richie Maes (Killarney) and 8 ahead of Richie Barry (St.Finbarrs). Kevin Keane repeated his victory of last year with a very strong performance winning by 40 seconds over Tim O’Regan, with Woods another 30 seconds back. The Ladies A race also had huge implications for the League. League leader Lisa Staplebrook (Kenmare) took to the line knowing that simply finishing would be enough to retain her lead, but of course she wanted more than this. Challenging her for the win was Fiona Meade (Blarney), and Agnieska Wozniak. Meade would take the win in her debut cx race this season, with Staplebrook finishing a strong second, and Wozniak in 3rd. This means Staplebrook extends her league lead to 34 points, but Meade has a race to make up, which keeps her right in contention.
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Entry to CrossBarrs at Fota is open a week and already it is filling up! There are two ways to pay; First is via the go cardless system on the Cycling Ireland member site. You simply log in to your account, select CrossBarrs under the events section, select the race you wish to ride, then add that to your cart. When you check out, click on the pay via bank button, then enter your IBAN. Ignore the pay by card, as due to an ongoing tech issue, it is not linked to our stripe account and you will not be able to pay.
It's been a while since we posted but now that September is well and truly here it can only mean one thing. CYCLOCROSS SEASON. We're one race in and after a reasonably successful start in Kilternan, our focus now turns to the return of the highly successful Munster League. Round one is in Ennis on the 8th of October and you can enter by clicking on the button below this post. Crossbarrs at Fota is back this year on the 15th and promises to be bigger and better than last year. Fota is an excellent venue for cross and you can easily make it a family day out by visiting the renowned wildlife park after the race! Work has already begun on the course and it looks as if it will be in great shape by the time the race comes around. All categories will be catered for. U12's, U14's, U16's, A and B senior races will be online entry only (opening on the 25th of september). U6's, U8's, and U10's can enter on the day. After our race comes a new addition to the calendar in Clonmel on the 22nd, followed by Mallow on the 29th. The league then takes one week off before returning to Cork and the new venue of Tramore Valley Park on the 12th of November hosted by Deronde. Upperchurch Drombane return on the 26th of November to host round 6 and this race also doubles up as the Munster Championship race. The league will culminate in Killarney on the 3rd of December where the final battle will take place. Take a look below at the highlights of last years Crossbarrs event. This years entry will open next Monday 25th of September! Click link below the video to enter Round 1 Ennis A newcomers guide to multi day racingStage racing is a big part of the Irish Cycling calendar. Only last week, the An Post Rás was tearing around the roads of Ireland on it's magnificent 8 day adventure. However, while it may be the biggest, it is not the only stage race, and there are plenty to choose from no matter what your level. But for those who have yet to compete in a multi stage race, the thought of racing one day after another can be daunting. Here at the Barrs we have raced many stage races (including a couple of Rásanna), so here are our tips on both surviving and competing in Stage Races.
Us Roadies (we'll be back to friendly cx riders in September) are a competitive bunch (pardon the pun......). We are always looking for more speed and more power. We have each week carefully planned in order to achieve this. But for what reason? There are only a finite number of races each season and unless we are the dominant rider in our category, raising our arms in triumph is incredibly difficult. So much so that many a strong rider has yet to win an open race. So what do most of us aim for? (besides raising our arms in glory). To begin with we simply want to be competitive within our category. Can we stay in the bunch? Can we be a part of the race? Can we make the break? Can we grab a result and get our name listed on the report Stickybottle? As you get stronger and become competitive within our category, we ultimately aim for one thing; The Upgrade. Whether it be from A4 to A3, A3 to A2, or A2 to A1, we all aim for higher. Getting upgraded shows that we have achieved consistently and are now ready for the next level. But how can you achieve this upgrade? First off you must plan your season and set realistic targets. Pick races that suit your skillset and plan your training around these races. Do you need a few races to get up to speed after your Winter training or will you be sharp and ready to go from race one? Once you have picked out your target races then you can really focus on performing to the best of your ability. Use your head. The strongest rider doesn't always win. Actually the smartest rider will win more often than the strongest one. Take note of who appears strong in the race. They can be your allies as you attempt to infiltrate the winning move. You will very rarely succeed in a lone effort off the front of the bunch so using others to help you in this effort. You also need to be aware of the dynamic of the race. While early breakaways may not succeed as everyone is fresh and as strong as each other (particularly in A4/A3 races), as the race goes on fatigue becomes a factor. Notice if the chase becomes laboured, and if moves take a little longer to come back. This is your time to make your move to go in a breakaway that goes all the way to the line. Train specifically to the demands of your category. If you are an A4 racing is usually between 60-80k and usually less than 2 hours long. This means regular 4 hour rides while neglecting shorter more intense sessions are useless to you. While you might be stronger than everyone in training after 3 hours, this means nothing after 90 minutes as you charge to the line. Likewise if you've been upgraded then training like you did when you were in the category below probably won't cut it. Finally enjoy your racing. If you are strong enough that being upgraded is a realistic target then it means you are fit and performing. Enjoy the thrill of racing and being in the front. You are a rider that influences the dynamic of a race and that is something to be proud of. If you are strong and you use your head, then that upgrade will come. With the road season already underway (and the barrs have a couple of races under their belts already), here are our tips on how to prepare for a road race.
3.On the morning of the race arrive to the sign on with plenty of time to spare. This will allow you to relax as you set up your bike and get changed. It will also give ample time for a warm up as well as ironing out any last minute mechanicals (which of course there won't be because you will have followed point 1!). 4.Enjoy the race! Racing is an exciting adrenaline rush and we allow our competitive juices take over. Follow your plan and race as well as you can. If you have the training done, then results are sure to follow!Road racing is possibly the purest form of cycling. It's a mix of strength, skill, brains, and a little bit of luck. If you are new to the sport it might take a while to get used to the dynamic of the bunch, the speeds, and the tactics of racing. After a few races you will begin to get more comfortable in the bunch and you will become more relaxed. Also be sure to ask your more experienced clubmates about the tactics of racing. Often it is the smartest wins the race, not the strongest! Cycling is a wonderful sport. However, when your focus is on training for the upcoming season, sometimes it is easy to forget to look away from your Garmin and take note of your surroundings. The pure joy of riding a bike is that sense of a adventure. You can go anywhere. Speed along narrow country roads or push yourself to your limit as you climb high mountains. Our passion even pushes us to take cycling holidays. Some for pre season warm weather training, others to take in the iconic roads of France, Italy or Spain. Everytime we step over our two wheeled, finely tuned machine, we can go on an adventure. It is this joy of riding a bicycle that got each and every one of us hooked on the sport initially. We only began to get a bit faster after that. Be sure to take note of your surroundings each and every ride. Feel the breeze in your face, the speed as you pedal through the countryside, and the effort as you push yourself up that hard climb. Remind yourself this is why you started, this is why you ride your bike.
Keep this in mind every time you feel a bit tired of training, or when the numbers mightn't be telling you what you want to know. Remember why you started and get back to basics. Allow your bike to take you somewhere brilliant. Bring that sense of adventure and excitement back into your training. #wheredoesyourbiketakeyou P.S. Reminder you can now follow us on instagram @st.finbarrscc and of course on Facebook! Pockets filled, 2 big bottles, and a morning that promises a fine day. There is a sense of excitement as you're riding out to meet the group. How many will be out? Who will be out? Where will we go? You arrive to see a gang of 10 ready to go. You roll out like a professional outfit (we can pretend for one day only anyway!) heading into the West Cork countryside. The speed is kept high but the effort remains steady. Hard when you're at the front, easing off as you move back through the group, then back around to the front again. A left turn just before Macroom brings you, and the group, quite literally into bandit country. The Kilmichael Monument is a reminder of the famous ambush led by Tom Barry against the British Army. There is no such danger today as the riders speed down the hill further into the wilderness. As the group turns right to Dunmanway, you realise this will really be a long one, almost an epic. Zipping through Bandon, Crossbarry, and Ballinhassig, you speed closer to home. You are running on fumes but the scent of the Sunday roast keeps you speeding along the river bank and back to where you started. You analyse your garmin. 4hrs 20, 140km, and 32kph average means that was serious training spin. But more than that, it was an adventure.
With the advancement of coaching science, and specific training plans, long group rides are becoming less of a necessity. However they are the basis for a strong, healthy cycling community. While more efficient and specific training plans are great (and we strongly advocate them!), don't forget the pure joy and adventure of a long ride! Don't forget we are now on instagram @st.finbarrscc! It's the New Year and the post Christmas blues have been and gone. It's no longer acceptable to have chocolate for breakfast or a late afternoon beer. However, it is the time of year where goals are set for the coming road season which is only 7 weeks away. It can be easy to panic at this time of year, dive in headfirst, and up both training volume and intensity. Doing this can only end badly. At best you crack, and bad eating and drinking habits come back with avengeance. At worst you put the bike back in the shed and dust it down in April when the sun makes an appearance.
If you're planning on racing early season, no doubt you've been training consistently for the last 2-3 months. The question now is how do you fine tune your training in order to reach the season in good condition? If we had a definitive answer to this we would be very rich indeed, however using our years of training and racing, we have come up with the following guidelines.
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St.Finbarrs Cycling ClubEst. 1938 Archives
October 2017
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