Pauline Sugrue Auctineers Ras Mumhan 2008

2005 Race Report

2007 Race Report

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Four brave souls set out for Ireland to ride the 2008 Pauline Sugrue Auctioneers Ras Mumhan Easter stage race with the weekend's weather forecast ringing in their ears, "Strong winds, rain, sleet, snow". The earliest easter for 100 years was going to have a big impact on the racing. Along with team manager, Richard Pearman, the team was Chris and Simon MacNamara (both Wildside RT), Toby Neave (Southdown Velo) and myself, Gary Dodd (Sigma Sport RT). We have all ridden the "Big" FBD Insurance Ras before so we knew what to expect from "from the gun" Irish racing, although Chris and Simon hadn't ridden the Easter race before, they had a pretty good idea what to expect. My first obstacle was the 4 hour ferry crossing and although rougher than I was used to, I made it through without a repeat of the 2006 incident.

After a Chinese meal at Dungarvon on Thursday night, everyone awoke next morning to blue skies but very strong winds. As we drove to the start town of Killorglin, County Kerry, the mountains reared up, the skies clouded over, the temperature dropped and you guessed it, it started to rain. After finding our digs were the same as last year in John Mangan's farmhouse about 3 miles out of town, we got ready for the afternoon race.

Stage 1 Killorglin to Killorglin Friday 21st March

We knew it would be a tail wind start, we knew it was raining and we knew it would be fast, but it was still a shock to be hammering along at 35mph from the gun! I hadn't really thought about the racing, but within 10 seconds I had remembered what Irish racing was like. Everyone wanted to be in the early break as we hurtled down the road to Killarney. Chris had a go off the front in a group and just as it was coming back on a rise, two guys sprinted ahead as I was just getting to the front. I thought might as well keep it going and soon I was going across with 2 "passengers" on my wheel. It was only a short gap, so I kept going and soon we had a nice move, going through and off. Turned left before Killarney on a main road and we kept it going over some evil drags. First time check, our group of 10 had 43 seconds as we hit the first KOM on the main road. The road began to turn and for a few miles it was almost block headwind. The bunch slowed to "piano" speed at this point with Chris and Simon complaining afterwards that it was the coldest they have been on a bike! It was a bit warmer up front as we drove into the headwind and the lead went up to over 2 minutes.

We turned onto a narrow road to begin the run in the last KOM. This was quite a hard hill, about a mile long with a nice rest in the middle until someone attacked. We stayed together to the right turn at the top went it started to level out, but a gap opened up and 4 of us were tailed off over the top as we started a long descent on a good road. I was suffering but managed a few turns on the downhill. After Milltown there is a very hard ramp that I was swinging on but I survived to leave the last few miles running down to Killorglin. The front group were still in sight (just!) and we swung right over the bridge and up the short steep climb to the finish line. My legs failed to respond to the sprint command and I came third in my group, but still within a minute of the winner.

Chris was not far behind in a chasing group that got away on the hill. Toby and Simon were about another minute back in what could be said was the bunch.

1st Ciaran Power Pezula Racing 43.7 miles in 1.38'50"

7th Gary Dodd @ 55"

19th Chris MacNamara @ 2'17"

29th Toby Neave @ 3'41"

40th Simon MacNamara @3'41"

Surrey League 6th team overall

Stage 2 Cahersiveen to Cahersiveen Saturday 22^nd

Today was the big stage with plenty of climbs and a lap of Valentia Island which I remembered from the year before. The stage started at noon and that gave the rainy weather a chance to push off, and it did! We had a 25 mile drive along the coast to Cahersiveen and although a bitter cold wind, the sky had big patches of blue. The neutralised section was memorable for a block headwind on the road out of town then we turned right and started when a group in the back seat of the lead car had a nice gap straight away. It was carnage as we all tried to close it down. Within 4 miles we hit the first climb and I’m sure it wasn’t pretty at the back. A small group managed to stay away but we were all holding steady in the bunch and I’m sure there were plenty suffering off the back.

Constant twists and turns, with very strong winds made staying near the front essential. After about 30 miles a tailwind section split the bunch with a big group going off the front. Chris and I were in it, but there were plenty sitting at the back. We turned onto the Island and could see a group chasing at about 30 seconds. Simon was in it and although motivated, couldn’t quite close us down over the big climb. Over the top our group of 25 pulled away and we set about trying to pull back the leaders who had an amazing two minutes! Back onto the mainland it was a hard time for me and Chris as we both seemed to be doing double turns as there were plenty sitting on. Chris got a mouthful as he sat up on a descent, from the guys that were sitting on! Couple of big climbs later and we eventually caught the last of the breakaway after he lost time after going off course. He must have been pretty annoyed as lost nearly all his lead. The next 20 miles of dead road, horrible side wind thinned down our group. Chris and I were still pulling turns but then Power’s Pezula team put us all in the right hand gutter and I’m afraid to say I cracked. I pulled out of the line but the 3 guys behind had nothing left either! The gap opened up and we were on our own. Chris was still in the front and riding smoothly as ever.

After a gel, I felt like a racer again and kept our group going over the last two climbs. I actually felt quite good for the last 10 miles but we still lost nearly 4 minutes. Chris said Power’s team really drove it to the finish and he just missed a split at the end to finish 7^th a few seconds down.

Simon had a pretty hard day, after staying with his small chasing group all the way to the finish. Toby cracked a bit and ended up on his own between groups for most of the second half of the stage.

1st Cameron Jennings Pezula Racing 82 miles in 3.17'49"

7th Chris MacNamara @ 4"

11th Gary Dodd @ 3’55"

19th Simon MacNamara @11'13"

60th Toby Neave @ 22'24"

Overall GC after Stage 2

1st Ciaran Power Pezula Racing 4.56’31”

9th Chris MacNamara @ 2’29"

10th Gary Dodd @ 4’59"

24th Simon MacNamara @15'02"

61st Toby Neave @ 26'13"

Surrey League 2nd team overall

Stage 3 Waterville to Waterville Sunday 23^rd

Again, the weather was nice to us! With stories of snow from the Easter 3 day back in Surrey, we had a cold strong wind with big blue bits in the sky. Another leisurely noon start but a longer drive this time, but no real rush in the morning. This is the stage we were warned to have a 25 sprocket and we all duly changed our cassettes. After a neutralised ride out of town only to scream back in with a roaring tailwind we hit the first climb straight away. It was pretty long and pretty views over the sea with a long descent. There were some grippy, windy sections where it threatened to split so we all tried to stay near the front. Just as Toby tried an attack we hit a climb where it all hit the fan. Chris was almost the last to get across to the front as I started to blow. Simon came to the rescue in a big group and it all came together on the downhill. But about half the bunch had gone, but that didn’t really matter as we hit a very narrow road on the big climb of the day. Grass in the middle and gravel on either side as we wound up the lower slopes. Chris and I stayed near the front and I remember thinking “this isn’t too bad” as we hit the steep bends at the top. The 25 sprocket was engaged but gaps opened and the full force of the wind hit us over the top. That gap became 30 seconds as Simon and I chased down the other side. It wasn’t as bad as the upside there was no grass in the middle but still the odd patch of gravel. Simon had been in the wars recently with a couple of crashes so I was forced to keep us in contact with the chase group. As the road levelled out the front (with Chris in it) was about 30 seconds ahead of us. An Irish Post guy punctured and I remember thinking “that’s not a good place to puncture” when my front went flat round the next corner. No cars for 2-3 minutes as they couldn’t pass on the narrow climb. Pezula car gave me a wheel as the bunch went past with all the cars. Richard’s car helped me get back to a group of 4 off the back of the bunch. Went to the front and soon I was on my own with Derek from the Pez team as we chased down the cars and the bunch just before the last climb of the day reared up. We took it steady going up but we still pushed it on the downhill, but seeing two riders walking with smashed bikes made me slow down a bit. I was sitting in as the Cycleways team hammered it for the last 15 miles. Thanks boys, I only lost 7 and half minutes!

Chris was in great form again getting another 7^th in the second half of the front group, but was kicking himself for missing the split. Ride of the day was Simon coming in with the remnants of the chasers only about another minute down. As we waited at the finish, Richard turned up with bad news that Toby had crashed on the big descent. The broom wagon turned up with his bike said Toby had gone direct to hospital. It was a quiet drive back as it all sunk in.

The bad news about Toby got worse as Richard saw him in Tralee hospital that night. He had a  suspected broken vertebra in his back. He had crashed on his own then got back up but severe back pain stopped him. Race Doctor then got the ambulance to take him to hospital about 15 miles from our house.

1st Ciaran Power Pezula Racing 63 miles in 2.36'05"

7th Chris MacNamara @ 1’51"

18th Simon MacNamara @ 3'08"

33rd Gary Dodd @ 7’27"

DNF Toby Neave

Overall GC after Stage 3

1st Ciaran Power Pezula Racing 7.32’31”

8th Chris MacNamara @ 4’25"

13th Gary Dodd @ 12’31"

18th Simon MacNamara @18'15"

Surrey League still 2nd team overall with 5 minutes over next team

Stage 4 Killorglin to Killorglin Stage Monday 24th

Rain the next morning wasn’t welcome but at least we could still ride while Toby was in a hospital bed. More news that a couple of vertebra had been damaged and he might be off work for weeks! Toby had gone very well on this final stage last year and I he had hoped to do the same again. It was certainly right up his street with two 6 mile straights of either block head or tail wind. The Pezula team kept it together but let a group get ahead, but you could tell they were just banging their heads against a brick wall. Rain was gradually easing but the roads were still wet.

Coming into the town for the short finishing circuits I took my gillet off, showing the Surrey League jersey off the first time in the race! Simon did the same and it was great to be riding through an impressive crowd lining the steep finish area. I told Chris and Simon to move up as the drag after the finish is normally pretty full on. They did what they were told leaving me at the back as it really stretched out. After a lap I was moving up and with a lap to go got clear with Brian Kenneally through the finish. We had a few seconds but after the drag it was all over and I was pedalling squares as a group of about 15 came past. Somehow I hung on the back until we came to the last turn. This is basically a 90 degree corner at the bottom of the hill with less than 100m to the finish. I came out of the corner in 10^th and passed a few guys on the line. I was going for our usual 7^th but misjudged it and came 6^th! Chris was in the group but Simon had punctured and spent the last few laps on his own trying to limit our losses to keep our 2^nd on team GC. 

1st Ciaran Power Pezula Racing 63miles in 2.22'41"

6th Gary Dodd @ st

15th Chris MacNamara @ st

47th Simon MacNamara @2'10"

Final Overall GC

1st Ciaran Power Pezula Racing 9.55’12”

8th Chris MacNamara @ 4’25"

13th Gary Dodd @ 12’31"

20th Simon MacNamara @20'15"

Surrey League finished 2nd team overall out of 16 teams! We had a top 8 finish in every stage (in the money every day!) and Chris’ excellent 8^th overall showed we had a big impact on the race.

Big thanks to Richard Pearman for really looking after us and doing everything to help Toby out. Thanks to Simon and Richard for each driving over 1000 miles! Thanks to the race organisers for the racing and the free meals in the evenings and especially John Mangan for letting us stay at his house. Everyone on the team and the Surrey League wish Toby a quick recovery and hope he’s back soon giving us a hard time at Dunsfold.

If you fancy a challenge next Easter, talk to Glyn or Keith and you may be joining the Surrey League team in Ireland. There is a real buzz around the race, people stand on the side of the road and actually cheer you on! Start and finishes are all in towns with large crowds. Racing is hard and fast but everyone seems to find a group they are comfortable (well nearly!) with.

The Team

Richard Pearman
Team Manager

Chris McNamara

Gary Dodd

Simon McNamara

Toby Neave