Round 04: M1/Ardee/Fane Bridge

After the torture of last week, that left some riders pedalling aimlessly around the Sportsmans Loop asking "Am i finished yet?", we return to a more managable rolling circuit from the M1 (Junction 16), across to Ardee on the N52 and onto Dorians, Castlebellingham and the Fane Bridge.

 

For anyone who took part in or spectated on the IVCA race last Sunday, this is the same route.

 

4 weeks into the season and the chip and armband amnesty is over, please don't ask for an extension. The chip man is there every night and the remaining armbands are in the club van.

If you do not have an armband or chip this week, regardless of finishing first or last, you will not receive any points.

 

We have had to move the finish line for this route and all subsequent Fane Bridge finishes approx 200m further up the road from the actual bridge. 

Any spectators are kindly asked (read what you want into that) to NOT park on the hard shoulder, but instead park on the grass verge allowing clear access on both sides of the road.

 

Over the last 3 weeks, we have received a number of communications from members of the public and An Garda Siochana in relation to rider behaviour (both positive and negative I might add), large numbers of riders in groups and general welfare of all road users.

We are, in a way, a victim or our own success where we have so many riders willing and able to race on a weekly basis, but we also have a duty of care to everyone.

In short, we are having to make some changes to the group structures within both races. With a disproportionate number of riders in Group 4 (52) and Group 3 (45), this constitutes the bulk of the League. In Group 3 case, lower average speeds in Group 1 with such small numbers of riders, lead to large time gaps which results in late finishes to races as evidenced 2 weeks ago on the Greenore Circuit where it was effectively finished in the dark.

In Group 4 case, we must move riders either up or down in order to bring the numbers down.

 

Historically, numbers in Groups 5 and 6 will dwindle as the year goes on, but Group 4 will continue to maintain large numbers of riders.

With these moves, we are at approx between 25 and 35 riders per group.

 

The full groups will be posted later tomorrow...

 

Wind Conditions:

 

Lead marshal this week is Padraic Murphy (+353 86 8243163). All assigned marshals for this week should have received a text this morning (Monday), please confirm your attendance as soon as you can so as to assign locations and make life easier.

 

Sign on is in DKIT, refer to Race Booklet for details; opens at 18:15 and closes at 18:45 sharp. Marshal, please try to arrive earlier than the riders to be allocated marshal locations.

 

Safe riding, and see you all Thursday