Cycle Facilities
- Check in opens at 7:30am
- All Routes begin at 9:00am
- Route support will cease at 3:00pm
Please aim to arrive at the venue no later than 8:30am to allow for check in & preparation. A light breakfast will be served.
All routes will be signed and marshalled to ensure an easy and stress-free cycling experience. There will be medical and mechanical facilities on stand-by, ready to assist anybody in difficulty. The 2 longer routes will each have an attended resting point, with toilet facilities and refreshments available.
Route 1 - 13km - (The Short Route)
Start Time: 9:00am - Ages: 10+
First up is the short 13k route. Ideal for novices. An exciting development this year is the opening of this route to youngsters aged 10+ (Adult supervision is necessary) .A nice leisurely spin that will take about 45 minutes to complete. This is unchanged from last year. Heads north out of Ashbourne, turns left and heads for Ratoath where it turns left again and completes the loop back to Ashbourne.The pace will be regulated at about 20 km/h.
Route 2 - 50km - (The Middle Route)
Start Time: 9:00am - Ages: 16+
Ok. Let's get this straight. This is closer to 48km, but I happen to like round numbers, so I'm calling it 50km. For complaints, please click here.
The route heads south out of Ashbourne to the Ward Cross, where we'll take a left for St Margaret's. Then we'll head North towards Ballyboughal, where we'll stop for a rest & refreshments. The second half of the course has a few demanding hills (just to keep it interesting). Once we reach Garristown, we'll point our wheels southward again and head back towards Ashbourne.
Route 3 - 110km - (The Long Route)
Start Time: 9:00am - Ages: 16+
Last, but not least; the long route. 110 glorious kilometres.
This course is largely unchanged from 2016, with the exception of a new location for the food stop, which will be reverted to the superb facility of Senechalstown GAA Club. This course has been designed with a mind to those preparing for the Ring of Kerry cycle and now incorporates some seriously hilly terrain.
The route heads south out of Ashbourne to the Ward Cross, where we'll take a left for St Margaret's. Then we'll head North through Ballyboughal, Naul, Duleek & Donore. We'll cross the N2 near Slane and start south; snaking towards Tara. We'll then head down the Skreen road and into Ratoath village, before looping back to Ashbourne.
Warning: This is an exceptionally difficult course with a gain of over 800 metres and it contains 3x Category 5 climbs. This route is only recommended for experienced cyclists.
