Tour hero Kelly backs event’s return
The race, run in association with Fáilte Ireland, will get under way in Kilkenny on August 22 and end in Dublin on August 26.
And guaranteeing the success of the event will be many of the those who were involved with the old International Classic which ended 22 years ago after bringing professional cycling to the cities, towns and byways of the country during a golden era for the sport.
Sean Kelly was back in the familiar surroundings of Dublin Castle yesterday as Paul Keeley of Fáilte Ireland hosted the launch of the event. And Kelly — the man who dominated the classics for so long that they had to change the scoring system to dislodge him — pledged his support.
It is fitting that the race should visit his native Carrick-on-Suir on the first stage which will take the peloton from Kilkenny to Cork.
Alan Rushton, a Dublin-born cycling fanatic who, along with former three-time Tour of Ireland winner, Pat McQuaid, was responsible for bringing the Tour de France to Ireland, is back at the helm.
McQuaid, now President of the UCI, the world governing body for cycling, was absent yesterday due to official business in Copenhagen but his son, Darach, joins Rushton in producing the extravaganza.
The race headquarters will be the beautiful Lyrath Estate Hotel in Kilkenny and after the start outside Kilkenny Castle, Stage One will take the riders through Clonmel, over the Vee, through Carrick-on-Suir, Lismore, Midleton and on to Cork for two laps of the Patrick’s Hill circuit.
The most spectacular stage will begin in Clonakilty and will cross the Healy Pass en route to the finish in Kenmare.
Tralee will host the start the next day when the stage will pass through Ballyheigue, Ballybunion, Foynes, Limerick and Killaloe for a finish in Ennis.
The West of Ireland will get wall to wall coverage when the fourth stage will start and end in Galway — passing through Oughterard, Lenaun, Louisburgh, Westport, Cong and Headford and this 212km stage could well decide the overall winner before the final stage from Athlone to Dublin.
The race will be watched on coast to coast tv in the USA and will be broadcast on stations in Europe, Britain, South Africa, Australia and Japan.
Sean Kelly said: “I remember when the International Classic started back in the 1980’s; Stephen Roche, Paul Kimmage, Martin Earley and myself could not believe the crowds that turned out to watch and the widespread exposure it got. It was mind blowing back then,” he said.
“I know a lot of young people came into the sport as a result but then when the event disappeared from the calendar there was a decline in numbers.
“We have a lot of cyclists out there who will be participating — the likes Ciaran Power, Paul Griffin, David McCann, Philip Deignan, David O’Loughlin, Nicolas Roche and Mark Scanlon — and I think people can identify with them.”
