Cobh Cyclist heading for Tour de France

Tom Butler, Michael O Driscoll, Bill Kelleher, & Tom Moore

On 14th July Michael O Driscoll, Tom Moore, Bill Kelleher & Tom Butler four members of the Cobh/Ballymore Leisure Cycling club will participate in The Etape du Tour in France. L’Étape du Tour (French for ‘Stage of the Tour’) is an organised mass participation cyclosportive event that allows amateur cyclists to race over the same route as a Tour de France stage. This year chosen stage is Stage 16  –  Pau to  Bagners De Luchon in the Pyrenees Mountains. It is  200km long and includes the fearsome loop that includes four iconic climbs – the Col d?Aubisque (1,709m), Col du Tourmalet (2,114m), Col d?Aspin (1,489m) and Col de Peyresourde (1,569m). 10.000 cyclists take part from fifty different countries and the stage gets the full trimmings of the Tour,  Police escorts, Feed stations Closed roads, Electronic timing.  TV coverage etc.  Best of luck to the four lads in this historic challenge.

The Ballymore cycling club recently held a very successful Leahy Cup race on the Ballymore /Cow Cross circuit and the county hill climbing championship were held in Cuskinny. The club is also very keen to develop the leisure and sportive side of cycling round the island. If anyone would like to get involved there is a group cycle planned most Wednesday evenings from the ferry at 6.30 or contact Kevin at  086 8056009  or Cathal at 086 8581863 for more information.