Planning for your 2024 ŠKODA Tour de Conamara
The ŠKODA Tour de Conamara will take place on Saturday 25th May starting and finishing in Clifden, Co. Galway. The 140km event starts at 9.30am and the 80km starts at 10.30am.
YOUR REGISTRATION FORM IS YOUR ID FOR SIGN ON
To sign on for the event and collect your event ID you must bring the confirmation of registration form that you received by email when you registered. You can bring this on your mobile device to be scanned in.
If you cant find your email with registration details login to your eventmaster account using the email address you would have signed up with.
You must bring your registration details and present it at the event sign on, digitally or printed (Friday or Saturday in Galway and Clifden) in order to collect your event ID.
Your form will be used for scanning you into the event and is designed to speed up the registration process for cyclists. Please do not leave looking for your registration until the day before or day of the event to check as the team will all be on site and not be in a position to answer your queries.
Transfers closed on on April 30th and cyclists were provided with a window from Jan 1st to April 30th to arrange a transfer
PREPARATION IS KEY
The majority of technical issues / bike failures happen in the first 20-30km of the event. This is because cyclists do not check their bikes or simply pump their tyres. Avoid the hassle of a mechanical issue by getting your bike looked at or simply pumping your wheels. Don’t forget to bring spare tubes for your wheels. Bike mechanics are located at each feed station. There are a number of roving bike mechanics that will try and sort out any issue on the route but you may be brought to a feed station if additional work is required.
EVENT START TIMES
• The 140km cycle starts at 9.30am
• The 80km cycle starts at 10.30 am
• Both cycles start from the courtyard of the Clifden Station House Hotel.
• If you are cycling in the 80km event please do not enter the start area with your bike until the 140km cyclists depart at 9.30am.
• Please leave plenty of time to get to the event sign on as there will be a lot of traffic on the access roads to Clifden.
EVENT SIGN ON
There will be three options for participants to sign on for the event. At sign on you will receive your event ID (and jersey if you added one to your registration). You must display your event ID to gain access to the feed stations and avail of on route supports. You will need your event wristband to get the BBQ at the end of the event.
Sign On – The Night Before – Friday 24th May
Galway City – Between 3.30pm and 7.30pm at Monaghan’s ŠKODA garage on the Tuam Road, Galway City
Clifden – Between 4.00pm and 9.00pm at the event office directly beside the Clifden Station House Hotel
Sign On – The Day of the Event. Saturday 25th May
Event sign on starts at 7.30am on the morning of the event. The event office is located in the Hotel Theatre directly beside the Clifden Station House Hotel.
YOU MUST BRING YOUR EVENT TICKET THAT WILL BE SCANNED TO ALLOW YOU ACCESS TO THE SIGN ON AREA. This was sent to you when you registered and includes a bar code for scanning. You will also have to sign this form before you arrive. Sign it when you print it and avoid delays.
- What you will receive when you sign on for the event:
- You will receive your ŠKODA Tour de Conamara event pack and SKODA cycling gift. If you purchased an event jersey at registration you can collect it at Sign – on.
- You will also receive your event identification that you must wear in order to access the Feed Stations and gain access to the event start area. (You will replace a bike tag and wristband) You must present your ID wristband at the end of the cycle in order to get your BBQ burger at the Clifden Station House Hotel.
- Event safety guidelines.
We created a system for cyclists to transfer entries to other cyclists up to April 30th. If cyclists take part in the event under a different name without transferring they are not covered by the event or entitled to access any event facilities. Transferring of names and alerting us to this was facilitated until April 30th in order that the event organisers has all cyclists information and contact details in the case of emergencies and for safety.
LEAVE NO TRACE: The event operates under a Leave Non Trace litter policy. Please respect the Connemara countryside and its residents and bring home your litter. Please do not litter the area with gel sachets, empty bottles or food wrappings etc. We are committed to improving our environmental practices each year which includes reducing levels of packaging, printed materials and use of plastic.
EVENT INSURANCE – DAY LICENCE OR MEMBERSHIP OF CYCLING IRELAND
If you have registered as a Cycling Ireland member and no longer are a member of Cycling Ireland you must take out day licence to participate in the event. If you do not take out a day license or renew your membership of Cycling Ireland you cannot participate in the event. You must be covered under Cycling Ireland. You are not covered to participate in the event by any other sports organisation membership e.g. Triathlon Ireland, British Cycling etc.
EVENT IDENTIFICATION
When you sign on for the ŠKODA Tour de Conamara you will receive two forms of event identification
1. Bike Event ID – to be attached to your seat post – without this bike ID you will not be able to enter the start area or avail or on route services / supports and food stops.
2. Event wristband with bar code and event number – You must wear this event wristband in order to cycle. This will contain the event emergency numbers. These will be colour coded based on the event you are cycling i.e. 140km or 80km. You will need to display your event number to access the food and refuel stops on the routes.
CAR PARKING:
There are a number of dedicated event Car Parks including the Clifden Commercial Mart and Clifden Community School on the Galway entrance to the town directly after the Gardai Station.
Please do not park on Church grounds in Clifden or in commercial retail car parks (LIDL or ALDI). Please respect the residents of Clifden and commercial premises in the town.
EVENT SAFETY:
NB: The ŠKODA Tour de Conamara is not a closed road event and you must adhere to the normal rules of the road.
• Cycling on the route is maximum of two a breast.
• The event is a sportive and not a race and you are responsible for your own safety and the safety of others on the road.
• Your will receive an event map and key safety details at event sign on.
• The routes selected for the ŠKODA Tour de Conamara are generally quiet roads but you will encounter some main road junctions. Be please aware of traffic on all roads.
• ŠKODA marked directional signs will be placed throughout the route and marshals will be evident throughout the route. Please remember marshals are only there to assist. You must check for oncoming traffic at all junctions
• All participants will be provided with an emergency contact number in the case of an emergency on the route. Please note this is not a number for bike repairs.
• You are responsible for taking part in the event on a safe and suitable bike. Participants are responsible for their own bike maintenance. There is limited mechanical support system will be in place and will sweep throughout the route. Don’t ruin your enjoyment of your day by turning up on a bike that has not been checked.
• Please ensure you have spare tubes in the event of a puncture and do not rely on the emergency number for help with changing punctures etc.
• No earphones permitted
• No tri bars permitted
FEED STATIONS
If you register for the 140km you cannot access the 80km feed station which is only stocked with refreshments for those who registered for the 80km. Carna is the first dedicated food stop for the 140km which comes 10km after the Cashel feed station.
140km FEED STATIONS:
The feed stations for the 140km route are located at
1. Carna Community Centre (at 50km)
2. Maam Valley Community Centre (at 90km)
3. Water hydration station at Kylemore (at 120km)
80km FEED STATIONS:
The feed stations for the 80km route are located at the Cashel Community Centre (located at 39km) plus a refuel station at Kylemore (60km).
Please note that if you do not avail of the first stop at Cashel Community Centre, it will be 60km before you reach the Hydration station. The hydration station is a water break and not a feed station.
We recommend you also bring also your own supply of cycling gels, bars and drinks.
FIRST AID:
Ambulances and roving paramedics will be available all day, should anyone require medical assistance it will be administered in the fastest possible time-frame. Please call the emergency contact number provided on the day for medical emergencies.
The route is numbered in zones marked out every 20km. Please take note of the zones in case you need to report an emergency.
SIGNAGE
The 140km and 80km routes are marked out with distinctive ŠKODA directional signage.
WHAT TO BRING:
Your bike must be in good working order to cycle either the 140km or 80km routes
– Helmet
– Water bottle (s)
– Spare tubes and a Puncture repair kit
– Mobile phone with credit
– Emergency money & ID
– Energy snacks
– Wind / Rainproof top – Participants must be aware that weather conditions in this area can change and you should bring appropriate clothing to keep warm in any adverse weather.
– Sunblock – we hope you will need plenty of this.
AFTER THE EVENT
After you cross the finish line you will receive your well earned 2024 ŠKODA Tour de Conamara finishers medal. There will be a presentation area for some pictures and this year you will receive a well earned BBQ at the ŠKODA BBQ pit. You will have to present your event wristband in order to claim your well earned burger. No ID band, no burger. (one burger per cyclist)
PHOTOGRAPHY
There will be on-route photographers capturing pictures of as many cyclists taking part in the event as possible. The event cannot guarantee that all cyclists will be photographed but will be doing our best. This year all cyclists can use their bike number on their bike tag to access personalised event pictures. You will be sent a link to access this.
A number of images will be uploaded to our Facebook page after the event. You must place your event bike tag on the front of the bike and not cover it with brake cables. If you do the photographers cannot see the code that allows you see pictures of the event when you finish.
SHOWERS:
Showers will be provided at Clifden Community School and at the Clifden Station House Hotel.
Please be aware that these facilities have a maximum capacity and you may be directed to one or other.
REMEMBER NO HELMET NO CYCLE – this will be strictly enforced
PUNCTURES Please ensure you can change a puncture and bring spare tubes. It may be some time before support can arrive to a spot where a cyclist may have picked up a puncture so please ensure you can change your own wheel or cycle with someone that will assist you to avoid long delays that will impact on your enjoyment of the day.
FINALLY
We hope you have a great day on what we believe is Ireland’s most scenic cycling sportive around set against the amazing backdrop Connemara and the Wild Atlantic Way.