Galway Bay Cycling Club riders find going tough

STEPHEN GLENNON

FOUR riders from Galway Bay Cycling Club are among the 170 competitors covering a distance of 1219 kilometres for this year’s 2010 FBD Insurance RÁS which is currently underwaySalthill’s Ruaidhrí Geraghty, Tirrellan native Paul Giblin, Oughterard’s Donal Kelly and Ennis man Eoghan Considine, who now resides in Ballinderreen, are among the participants in Ireland’s biggest cycling event. A fifth rider from the club, Eoghan Clifford, was also due to take part, but, disappointingly, had to pull out before the race due to a virus.

Cyclists from Germany, Belgium, Australia, Sweden, New Zealand, Austria, Japan, Spain, Britain, Wales and the United States are also participating in the week-long event with the peloton visiting Co. Galway on Tuesday.

Between them, the Galway Bay quartet has already pedalled thousands of miles of road this year, training and racing all over the country in preparation for this event, despite difficult weather and road conditions.

However, Geraghty, who is competing in his second RAS alongside Considine, says nothing could have prepared them for the opening couple of days racing, when they encountered soaring hot temperatures. “The heat was a killer,” says the Salthill rider, “ and then, on the second day, we had that bad crash that you probably heard about.

“That said, for us, to ride in this race is a honour. It has not only taken a big team effort, but it has also been a huge club effort,” adds Geraghty.

The eight day race began in Dunboyne, Co Meath, last Sunday, travelling the 149km to Dundalk; the following day the route took riders to Carrick On Shannon (155km); on Tuesday they arrived in Oughterard (171km); from there to Tipperary (169km); Seskin Hill, Carrick On Suir (157km) on Thursday; Gorey (127km) on (Friday); Kilcullen (151km) on Saturday; and a finish in Skerries (140km) on Sunday.

Galway businesses such as St. Anthony's Credit Union, Higgins Motorpark, Nigel's Cycles, and Health & Fitness Ireland, have provided support to the four Galway men, from basic funding to support vehicles, bike equipment, and nutrition supplies.

For more, read this week's Connacht Tribune.