Meath Cycle Tour 160km start - see Bressie interview
Despite the early morning rain Trim was a hive of activity from 7.30am with cyclists getting ready for the off of the Meath LSP / An Post Meath Heritage Cycle Tour 160-kilometre at Castle St at 8am.
Eamonn Duffy was the lively MC even at that early hour with plenty of U2 and Queen music over the ample PA to blow the cobwebs off the eardrums of the spectators and cyclists.
Eamonn conducted a quick interview with Bressie (see it in our video clip of the start).
The slowest group away was a crew of Dublin firemen who were delayed due to a technical problem with a wheel - apparently.
The event is promoted by Meath Local Sports Partnership, an organisation that was established in 2002 by the Irish Sports Council (now Sport Ireland).
The first cycle event of this kind in Meath was held in 2009.
The event has been an outstanding success with in excess of 3,500 cyclists of all ages and cycling abilities taking part in 2015.
There are four routes in the event for 2016 with the family spin taking place yesterday over an 11-kilometre route and it was open to all over six-years, cyclists under 12 had to be accompanied by an adult and we will have some video of that event on our website later, ut some 1,000 participants headed off from the start yesterday.
CHARITY
The nominated charity for the An Post Meath Heritage Cycle 2016 is “Friends of St. Joseph’s”.
Friends of St. Joseph’s” is a registered charity which raises funds to provide for the comfort of residents in St. Joseph’s Hospital, Trim.
If you would like to support the charity you may do so on today.
Approximately 460 volunteers from right across the community helped out in organising the event.
If you are going to watch the event in Trim later this morning you can catach the start of the 100km event at 9.30am and the 50km event at 10.30am.
Watch out for the Meath Chronicle Live Facebook video link around the starting area.
FOOD AND WATER STOPS 160km
Ryans of Gormanlough, water stop @ 50km
Cormeen community centre, food stop @ 98km
Bawn Inn, Athboy, water stop @ 132km