Clann Eireann CC Tour of Armagh 2015 – cancelled

It is with regret that Clann Eireann CC has reluctantly taken the decision to cancel the 2015 Tour of Armagh (Sunday 02 August).

The Tour of Armagh, first run in 1961, has been a stalwart feature of the Irish racing calendar for the last 50-plus years, but as we all know, ‘change’ is one of life’s inevitabilities. The decision by the race organising committee was made all the more difficult given last year’s cancellation also. The club had hoped that the advent of the national league series and the potential for the Tour of Armagh to be included in that series, might have provided a much needed boost to senior racing numbers in the latter part of the season. Unfortunately it was not possible for the Tour of Armagh to be included in the National League Series in 2015. The club hopes that the National League Series will provide the necessary impetus to revitalise and restructure the wider national racing calendar.

As one of the few remaining ‘big loop’ races on the Ulster racing scene, the Tour of Armagh creates its own set of unique challenges in terms of race logistics. Many of the resources that need to be deployed to safely run a race such as the Tour of Armagh – including police and volunteers – are already stretched and the race organising committee do not believe it would be responsible to squander such a resource.

Clann Eireann Cycling Club has a longstanding history of supporting and developing youth cycling in the Lurgan area; in recent years the club has also deployed more effort into charitable fundraising. The club has decided that given the changing face of Irish cycling and the current state of senior racing that over the next number of years they will focus efforts on continuing to support youth cycling and developing partnerships with local charities such as Marie Curie and PIPS. The club are promoting the PIPS Charity Cycle (The Lanes of the Lough) on Sunday 02 September with the option of two routes (17 & 52 miles) – more details on the club’s website (www.clanncc.net).

Via Press Release
Psted by Marian Lamb