THE WICKLOW 200: Cycling's Monster Marathon

"It never rains in Southern California," so goes a line in Albert Hamrnond's song of the same name and the reason is obvious, it's been reserved for the Wicklow 200. In years to come a club may be formed with membership limited to those who on the 2nd of May 1983 completed the second
annual Cycle Reliability Trial which is promoted by the IVCA.
Out of 178 entered, 156 started and 111 finished what is becoming cycling's answer to the Dublin City Marathon. The cycle began at 7 a.m. from a garage at Milltown Bridge, supplied 'courtesy of Allied Irish Finance. There to see us off
on the 125 miles route was the rain and it never left us. In fact it stayed on long. after the last person finished some fifteen hours later.
All the major cycling and touring clubs of
Dublin were represented and two from outside, one from Kerry and another from Monaghan where each man was
sponsored to the tune of £1,000 for charity.
SIMILAR ROUTE
The route was similar to last year leaving out Ashford and went through Enniskerry, Roundwood, Ballyknockan, Manor
Kilbride, Blessington, Ballinabarny Gap, Rathdrum, Roundwood and Enniskerry again and back to Milltown.
There were six control points and refreshments at four of them. They were manned by members of the Civil Defence
and the C.T.c. and others. The route was marked by red arrows on the road and posters on trees.
This is undoubtably the toughest one day event in the Irish cycling calendar with 4 major climbs at Wicklow Gap, Slievemaan, Rathdrum and Roundwood. Probably the killer climb is Slievemaan at 1,500 feet when you have completed 135 kms. As with all events this, while it is a reliability trial, does attract the 'racer' and the competitive edge is added. There are no prizes in this cycle with one exception. But in the early stages the 'racing' men do go
ahead. First home this year was Stephen Curtis of the Loraine Club in a time of 8 hrs. 46 mins.
The Dick O'Brien Perpetual Trophy which goes - to the oldest vet to finish -this year went to Phil Byrne who cycles with the Vets and at 69 years of age is probably too young to turn professional, For the second successive year there were no accidents
and a lot of credit must go to the Civil Defence who keep patrolling the entire route and are on the look out for possible dropouts. This year they were amazed that in the bad weather nobody suffered from hypothermia.
Participants should in general have carried more clothing because Wicklow is very open and exposed.
CERTIFICATE
All 111 cyclists who completed the course did so within the time laid down of fifteen hours and were presented with a certificate stating their deed which had a map of the
course inlaid on it. Unlike last year when only one girl finished, this year saw ten girls finish.
The event will De held next year again but there will be a few changes. it will probably be staged in June around the 10th and possibly at eight a.m. The route this year was 130 miles not 125. Last year the route was closer to 140 miles.

The event will also be better publicised and as it will be a month later more people should have completed more miles
and be fitter. By having the event in June it may discourage some 'racers' whose form since the 200 has not always been as they wished.
Although the weather was bad this year was my second time doing the event. And it showed that the Wicklow 200 Cycle Reliability Trial is here to stay, that the cyclists of Dublin and it's environs want their own cycle marathon and are happy to participate no matter the weather.
THE COURSE AS I TRAVELLED IT
Before I got on my bike I had my cape on and began the long climb from Milltown up to Kilternan. Along the way other cyclists were donning rainwear. From Kilternan it was down to the Scalp and Enniskerry and then out onto the Wexford road and up to the first checkpoint at Kilmacanogue. The field spread itself on the climb up Callary
Hill and the scenic but rain drenched road to Laragh where the field got even thinner as we' began the ascent to the Wicklow gap. The climb gave hope that the rain was going to stop but at the first refreshment and second control point of Granabeg the rain continued.
On around the Blessington Lakes via Ballyknockan, Oldcourt (via the Lake drive), Manor Kilbride and out to Tinode where a cheerful Fred Smith and the third
checkpoint greeted us. The rain eased off to a drizzle as we headed through Blessington and a little later turned off for Donard and Ballinclea where the fourth control point was. It was here I drummed up and got my first and only puncture. When I left the hostel the rain had caught up with me, then
it was up the Ballingabarny Gap and then up again to a height of 1,500 feet at Slievemaan. This is the worst and if you are on your own the loneliest stretch because there is no checkpoint for 34 miles having left Ballinclea and reached the 72 mile mark.
FIT FOR SLEEPING
Down, down, down to Rathdrum and a town sleeping on a day fit only for doirig just that. Having cracked the halfway
barrier it's easy once the hills are behind. From Rathdrum Bridge you do your last climb to Garryduff Crossroads and
seven miles beyond is the final but one control point at Roundwood, The Civil Defence as ever are there. They give
you the confidence that if anything happens at least they are there to help. Having died on Slievemaan it's only a ghost that continues. I drag myself into Roundwood and a little later discover the road to Enniskerry is more river than road and the hail beats in and I'm miserable and through no effort of my own let the bike take me down Callary Hill and into Enniskerry. It is very late when I make my last climb out
and up to Kilternan from where it's all plain sailing/cycling. I arrive at Milltown thirsty and none too proud of my feat.
But·I'll do it again next year
GERARD GRIFFIN
(Lorraine Club)