Cycle classic comes to Nenagh this weekend
One of the biggest fixtures of the year on the local events calendar comes to town this weekend with the staging of the sixth annual Visit Nenagh cycle classic.
Some 450 cyclists from all over the country – and one team from Holland – will converge on Nenagh for a series of races on Sunday. There will also be time trials on the old N7 (R445) on Saturday.
The classic will be televised, with Eir Sport choosing Visit Nenagh as its inaugural race to screen in the national series. It will also be screened worldwide on Bike Channel, with highlights being shown on TG4 at home.
The Visit Nenagh Classic has grown from strength to strength since its inception in 2012, when 200 riders took part. Main organiser, local cyclist Rene van Dam, described the event as a major boon for the local economy in that it attracts a large volume of visitors to Nenagh and has put the town on the global cycling map.
Launching the event at the Abbey Court Hotel last Friday, Mr van Dam – himself a former cycling champion – fully expected that the likes of Nicholas Roche would be taking part in the Nenagh classic when it celebrates its tenth anniversary. He encouraged people to go out and enjoy the races, pointing out that there are many good vantage points to catch the action from, among them Coum above Portroe, Ballinahinch, Dolla, Templederry, and of course the euphoric town centre finish on Pearse St, always a highlight of the Visit Nenagh Classic.
North Tipperary Wheelers – celebrating their 30th anniversary – are this year's race hosts and have helped organise around 80 volunteers to steward various junctions along the 169km route. Riders will depart from the Abbey Court on Sunday at intervals from 10.30am. There will also be a women's section and a family cycle on the day. Registration for the family cycle is at 10am on Sunday at Pearse Street; families will depart at 11am for a 9km cycle using Nenagh's cycle routes on the bypass. Note that road closures will be in effect in the Nenagh area this Sunday; visit Tipperary Co Council's website for details.
See this week's Nenagh Guardian for route maps.