One of Ireland’s biggest cycling events takes place in Donegal on the August Bank Holiday weekend.
The Errigal International Youth Tour now in it’s fourth year will take place this year from August 1-3 – with over 220 competitors from all over Ireland, the UK and as far away as South Africa and Malta.
The Errigal International Youth Tour has four stages over the three days for boys and girls from ages 10 to 16.
This is the premier youth event on the Irish cycling calendar.
With such a large overseas contingent, The Errigal International Youth Tour is now recognised as one the top cycling event for youths not only nationally but all across Europe and beyond.
Both Cycling Ireland and Cycling Ulster will be represented by their own hand-picked teams and they along with the many other local, national and international riders will be hoping to be in contention for the individual and team prizes throughout the weekend.
With two road races , one Time Trial and a criterium the event offers a variety of stage types each suiting different styles of rider.
Here’s TG4‘s take on last year’s race with Áine Ní Bhreisleáin
https://wwwyoutube.com/watch?v=nfTRbM4SI0I
Stage on Saturday is a Road Race that will roll out from Churchill at 1pm going towards Gartan and will be neutralised for approximately 1km, Category 3/3a race (under-12) will be held over a 9.5 km circuit with the finish on the main street in Churchill. Category 2/2a (under-14) will follow with three laps of the same 9.5 km circuit and Category 1/1a (under-16) completing five laps of the same.
Stage 2 on Sunday morning is a challenging 3.8km individual Time Trial, starting at Larkin’s of Newmills and finishing at Foxhall. Riders will start at one minute intervals and race against the clock. First rider off at 9am.
Stage 3 on Sunday afternoon sees the riders tackle the now famous (or infamous!) Keelogs Stage that everyone looks forward to. This takes the riders on a 9.5km circuit towards Letterkenny turning left to Templedouglas and left again to climb up Keelogs onto the main street in Churchill with the under-12’s completing one lap, the under-14’s completing three laps and the under-16’s completing five laps.
For Stage 4 on Monday morning the competitors will roll out on to a Criterium circuit in the Letterkenny town. The first race begins at 9:30am. This is a fast and furious race type with any lapped riders taken out .This stage is all about speed and bike handling – it promises to again be a great spectacle.
All the stages are spectator friendly, with both road stages around Churchill passing through the village a number of times offering ample opportunities to see the riders.
A number of riders from the local clubs will be hoping to be in contention for podium finishes over the weekend. Errigal’s Odhran Doogan will be in contention for the under-12 race, with his brother PJ, Conor Halvey, Michael McGlynn, Ronan McCann, Tony Toye and David Rankin making a strong under-16 team.
Cora Harkin will contest the under-12 girls race and Jake Ferry recently returned from Australia will go in the very competitive under-14 race where Oisin Doherty (Donegal Bay) and Donal Walsh and Dylan Traynor (AAA) will be aiming for podium placings.
Race Director James Harkin acknowledging that there will be some traffic disruptions, asks that in the interest of the safety of all the riders and race traffic, that drivers in the locality allow a few minutes extra for their journey and follow the instructions and directions of the marshalls and Gardaí.
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