M. Donnelly Junior Tour of Ireland - NE

Ireland, August 5-10, 2003

2002 results Stage List Preview Past winners

The Stages

Stage 1 - August 5: Wateford ITT, 1 mile
Stage 2 - August 6: Waterford - Dungarvan, 60 miles
Stage 3 - August 7: Waterford - Thomastown, 64 miles
Stage 4 - August 8: Carrick on Suir Circuit, 54 miles
Stage 5 - August 9: Clonmel - Lismore, 60 miles
Stage 6 - August 10: Waterford - Fiddown, 50.2 miles

Good line-up for M. Donnelly Junior Tour

By Shane Stokes

A strong international field of riders has been confirmed for the tough 5 day event, with three squads from France, three from the Netherlands, two from South Africa, one from the USA plus teams from the UK all travelling to Ireland to take part in the six day stage race. The English and Welsh national teams are part of this UK entry, as are five regional teams.

"There will be a good line-up for the Junior Tour," said race organiser Alice Sherratt. "It should be a great race."

The 2003 contest will be held in the environs of County Waterford, the M. Donnelly Junior Tour having made the move last year due to traffic congestion in the Dublin area. "We were very happy with the way things turned out last year", said Sherratt. "The move worked very well for us. The local support is great and the assistance of the Waterford Institute of Technology makes things much easier for us, in terms of food and accommodation. There is a very good atmosphere and the racing itself is great".

The M. Donnelly Junior Tour will begin in Waterford with a one-mile hilly time trial on Tuesday, August fifth. It continues the following day with an undulating 62 mile stage out around Dungarvan, while on day three the riders will cover 63 miles to Enniscorthy. Stage four will be probably be the hardest leg of the race, with four laps of a very hilly 14 mile circuit at Carrick on Suir likely to splinter the field.

The following day the riders will dispute a 66 mile stage which starts and finishes in Clonmel and takes in the climb of the Vee. Then the final day of racing will take the riders on a two-lap, 40 mile road race which concludes on the Quays in Waterford city.

"There are some great teams coming this year and we have a good route planned. We are all looking forward to what should be a really great race", she concludes.

Past winners

1978 Martin Earley (Ire)
1979 Eddie Keehan (Ire)
1980 Paul McCormack (Ire)
1981 Gary Thompson (Ire)
1982 Aiden Harrison (Ire)
1983 Stephen Spratt (Ire)
1984 Nigel Simpson (GBr)
1985 Ian Chivers (Ire)
1986 Andrew Moss (Ire)
1987 Richard O'Gorman (Ire)
1988 Richard Groenendal (Ned)
1989 Mark Dawes (GBr)
1990 Peter Daly (Ire)
1991 Thomas Evans (Ire)
1992 Michael Fitzgerald (Ire)
1993 Simon Coughlin (Ire)
1994 Aiden Duff (Ire)
1995 Anthony Aspel (GBr)
1996 Barry Twohig (Ire)
1997 Alain Van Katwijk (Ned)
1998 Mark Scanlon (Ire)
1999 Brian Ahern (Ire)
2000 Kieran Page (GBr)
2001 Philippe Tesson (Fra)
2002 Nicolas Roche (Ire)