Bluegrass EnduroTour - Ballyhoura: Report

Check out this report from the Bluegrass Enduro tour in Ballyhoura, Ireland that took place last weekend along with loads of awesome photos from Matt Wragg.

All the ingredients which go to make the Bluegrass Enduro Tour such a unique series were once again present at Ballyhoura:

• Blind racing.
• No lift.
• Exceptional trails.
• Impeccable organisation.
• Brilliant atmosphere.

There are enduro races, and there is the Bluegrass Enduro Tour.

This week-end, the Bluegrass Enduro Tour International brought 150 MTB enthusiasts to Ireland for the 4th stage of its 2013 International series. After Castelbuono in Sicily - Italy, Mollau in Alsace – France and Kinlochleven in the Highlands – Scotland, once again there was a total change of scenery!??

On Saturday afternoon, it was time for the 2 stages of the prologue, a 12 km ride towards the back of Kilfinane, the local village steeped in traditional Irish heritage and known for a good pint of Guinness. The sky, which had been cloudy in the morning, cleared up and the temperature rised to 25°C. Hard to think of a more enjoyable warm up.

The next day sunshine welcomed the competitors right from the start of the first liaison set for 10.00 am.

The 28km route took the riders away from the event centre and into the wilds of the Limerick Mountains for 5 more timed stages. Lunch was set-up right after stage 3 and before the two most demanding stages of the whole week-end. Ballyhoura is home to some of the most natural bike trails in Ireland, the final stop for the Bluegrass Enduro Tour offered a mix of terrain and stages up to 8 minutes long with a good physical test in all the stages.

After a long day on the trails it was Greg Callaghan who took the overall win with 27’20” of timed stages in front of Jonathon Maunsell (28’50”) and Scott Wallace (29’30”) also 1st Junior.

Leah Maunsell (33’55”) took the win in the women category with Eidin Clery 2nd (35’31”) and Michelle Muldoon 3rd (36’54”). In the Series Overall raking

Link to full results

Link to Matt Wragg's photos

Some of the comments that were posted on Facebook afterwards:

Great mix of trails, something for everyone and challenging both technically and physically. Delighted to finish 9th overall in a great company of savage riders!

Savage event... great weather and great bunch of bikers out there on the mountain.....

Great weekend of racing.

Well done Niall and gang, thanks for the best weekend of racing....loved every minute of it!

Absolutely BRILLIANT weekend! loved every minute of it. If you weren't there you should be gutted! fantastic atmosphere, fantastic stages, just fantastic all round!

Fantastic day on the bike, conditions were great and the trails were flying. Thanks to all for the hard work, it really showed. Great weekend.

Thanks to the people of kilfinane . Who shared there beautiful village with us today... Great setting inspired a super chilled atmosphere.. thank you for welcoming us into your village…