Wheeling out the routes for international tour

Former world number-one cyclist Sean Kelly attended the launch of the Stage Routes for 2013 International Junior Tour of Ireland cycling race that will be in Clare from July 2 to 7.
The world’s longest junior (U-18) stage event at 500km will once again attract strong international competition with some of the best junior cyclists in the world competing against Ireland’s most promising young cyclists.

Last year’s six-stage event, which was held in Mayo, was won by 17-year-old Colin Joyce of US team Hot Tubes who finished ahead of teammate Curtis White. Stena Line Ireland team member and Newry-native Cormac Clarke, also 17, finished third.

Three of the stages will start and finish in Ennis with the remaining three finishing in Barefield, Cooraclare and Gallows Hill. The race will feature 21 categorised hills consisting of two category one climbs (Castle Hill in Doolin and Gallows Hill in Cratloe), four category two climbs and 15 category three climbs.

The stages incorporate all parts of the county including the Burren, the Lough Derg area, along the Shannon Estuary and some of the county’s main population areas, including Ennis, Kilrush, Ennistymon, Newmarket, Sixmilebridge, Scariff and Killaloe.

Stage one on Tuesday, July 2, involves an 11km individual time trial in Clarecastle. The 118km stage two on Wednesday will begin in Ennis and finish in Barefield, passing through Newmarket-on-Fergus, Sixmilebridge, Truagh, Killaloe, Ogonnolloe, Tuamgraney, Scarriff, Killanena and Crusheen.

Stage three on Thursday will take place over 103km and will start and finish in Ennis passing through Inch, Connolly, The Hand, Miltown Malbay, Spanish Point, Lahinch, Liscannor, Cliffs of Moher, Kilfenora and Corofin.

The 109km stage four on Friday will once again start and finish in the Clare capital and will take cyclists through Corofin, Kilnaboy, the Burren National Park, Ballyvaughan, Black Head, Fanore, Doolin, Castle Hill, Kilshanny and Ennistymon.

Stage five on Saturday, July 6 will see cyclists compete over an 80km route through West Clare. The stage will start in Ennis and finish in Cooraclare and will pass through Kildysart, Labasheeda, Kilmurry McMahon, Kilrush and Kilmihil.

The final stage (stage six) on Sunday will see competitors begin in Ennis and finish on a climb at Gallows Hill in southeast Clare. En route, cyclists will pass through Barefield, Crusheen, Maghera, Tulla, O’Callaghan’s Mills, Broadford, Truagh, Sixmilebridge and Cratloe.

The main sponsor of the 2013 Junior Tour of Ireland is www.thewarehouse.ie, owned by Clare man and sports patron, Martin Donnelly.