Tour of Louth 2019

By David Sloan PRO

With the weather forecast earlier in the week and even the morning of the Tour of Louth, it not looking too good. How wrong we were. With 521 cyclist turning up, full of enthusiasm and getting ready for to challenging themselves for the 50km and 112km routes. Such a ray of colours of the different club jerseys. There were clubs from Dromara CC, Shimna CC, BCC Camlough, Kilmegan VC, Emyvale CC, White River Wheelers, Rushmere Square Wheelers Carrickmacross CC, Ardee CC, Drogheda Wheelers hand many more. The heavy rain for the previous night, the roads were still damp. As 10:00 was approaching, our MC, Damien read out the safety notice and then the counted down for the 112km group and they were off on their venture around County Louth. Ten minutes later, it was the 50km cyclist to get them on their way. Included in this group there were two groups of "Couch to 50km". One from our own Club Cuchulainn Cc under the guidance of Philip Kerley who had been training for the last 9 weeks for this event and our friends in Ardee CC. Great to see you all and hopefully you enjoyed yourselves.

After two hour and with the weather improving, the first of the 50km people arriving back to receive their TOL medals.

The route offered the best of county Louth has to offer with going south to Castlebellingham, Ardee, Talanstown, Louth Village and Knockbridge. Then for the 112km it was on up the steep Jenkinstown hill, the main challenge of the route and to be greeted by our marshells at the Long Women’s Grave for food and water, then on to Omeath and Carlingford and a strong headwind the whole way home.

So with everyone back, they started tucking in Chicken Goujons and sausages with sandwiches along with tea or coffee. There was a great aprés sportives atmosphere in the sunshine outside DKIT Sports Arena.

There has been great feedback, through the facebook and verbal, from the participants saying thanks to our Marshals, all the volunteers at the food stops who help to make this event a great success. Also a big thanks to the Red Cross for being there looking after any injures and also Ray and Karl from the Bike Station for looking after all the maintenance.

Thanks to our sponsors DKIT Sports, The Bike Station, Fyffes, Dunnes Stores.

Also a big thanks to all Cycling Clubs and individuals who took part in this sportive. Hope you all enjoyed it. You will see the photos of the event going up on Facebook and hopefully it will bring back happy memories.

So, roll on Tour of Louth 2020