Written by: Myles McCorry

The 2008 tour of Ireland was a fantastic affair. Top line pros, housed in camper vans rather than big team buses, meant super access to the riders- for fans and the journalists. The latter numbered on your one hand. The finish line photos were a joy. Loads of elbowroom and laughs. Cav took three stages and Marco Pinotti completed the Columbia/highroad sweep, with the glorious, deserved overall. Just a great 5 days.

This weekend sees the 2009 race shortened to just three days yet still promises to be the best yet in the three-year history of the event. Mark Cavendish (Columbia HTC) growing popularity from his growing palmares will dual for headlines with the self styled top dog in cycling Lance Armstrong (Astana). The addition of these two riders has left the journalist this year to nearly outnumber the riders.

The draw of Lance and the media interest that follows has meant I have been demoted to a ‘green’ photograph vest. A lower order (quite rightly) of being to that of the Graham Watson’s and the Cor Vos cameramen: They will be dressed in the red vest (Oohhh, I’d love a red vest). This red bib signifies all area access and are most likely bullet /fire proof and irresistible to women.

Regardless, I am still excited about the 2.1 national tour. MY national tour. No need for a budget airlines flight and a night or two in a cheap hotel/back of hire car to cover=2 0an event. The tour of Ireland is MY home race. I can drive from home and stay with friends. The organizers say ‘hello, welcome fellow Irish man” rather than ‘What do you, you man of foreign voice and questionable footwear.’ This weekend the pros are coming to me. The green vest dint to my pride is lost in excitement.

Lance is bringing a good support crew of Yaroslav Popovych, Slovenian time trial champion Janez Brajkovic, Jésus Hernández, Haimar Zubeldia, Jose Luis Rubiera and Michael Schär. Each one could win and one wonders would He (capital ‘H” for Lance!) let the super domestic of Popovych get some long awaited awards.

Stuart O’Grady will raise the roof in Ireland this weekend, as the Ausie, Paris-Roubaix winner is a superstar in the green isle. He has Karsten Kroon and Kurt Asle Arvesen to chase for Saxo bank glory Me, I will cheer for everyone. Sure, I would love to see young Irish lad Philip Deignan (Cervelo TT) win. Yes, I would love to see the every youthful Russell Downing (CandiTV-Marshall’s Pasta team) beat Cav in the first stage, (which will come down to a gallop) and sure if my mate Ronan mc Loughlin An Post/Sean Kelly took a flyer and a peloton take a wrong turn it would give him the dream win of his career. The Pro tour team strength will mean all my fantasies are quashed, but it will not be dull. Niko Eeckhout (An Post /Sean Kelly) the ex Belgium champion can beat Boonan; he can best Cav- I know it. Hope he does.

The three-day race kicks off from the scenic and stupidly expensive Ritz Carlton Hotel in Powerscourt, and travels 196km to finish in the main street of to Waterford. Stage two begins in Clonmel and travels another 196 kilometres Killarney. The climbs on route mean that the sprinters won’t have it all their own way. The ‘Vee’ climb is a mile straight up. I have suffered many times over it and am usually ‘in the cars’ by half distance. So we hope the final shake up on stage two into the tourist tack and fantastic scenery of Killarney, there will be just a few riders fighting for glory.
The final stage on Sunday August 23 185 kilometres, from Bantry to Cork is where Pinotti won the event last year. The 3 lap finishing circuit tackles the Cat 1, St. Patrick’s Hill climb. Not so much steep-but more “they ride up this!”

It is a fantastic circuit, which will please crowds, fans, photographers (even the green bib-ed ones), everyone really except a rider over 78kg, of which there are very few. Last year big Magnus Backstedt hit the climb just once and abandoned with just 15km to the finish line.

Looking at the start list although is a sad affair too. Paul Hellion’s name sits third in the Irish national squads selection. Paul died in a20 car crash on Sunday past. He was a gentleman with a great engine. A track and road star, who came into his own against the clock. RIP.

I have sold my car to stay at the beautiful hotel, which the race departs on Friday morning. I will wear my second league, green vest and pretend it is better because it is Irish green. I will concentrate in the racing, and only take a picture and write about Lance if he is racing.

My friend Paul’s death will leave a shadow over the bike racing, but the pros have come to me once again; and I’m energized.