BCC Camlough Cycling Club

Spring 60 - 15th March 2020, opens at 9am, cycle at 10am St Paul's High School Bessbrook

The Spring Sixty is our early season Sportive which takes place this year on Sunday 15th March 2020, always widely anticipated as it is one of the first of the year. A real Classic! The event helps to raise funds for our chosen charity each year. This years Sponsored Charities/Beneficiaries will be released closer to the event.

The Spring Sixty is always a lively event with some of the local racers (its not a race) looking to test their legs and strength before the racing season gets to full blown stage and the endurance and leisure riders looking to improve on their time last year and in turn getting excited as this is the first local sportive of the year, no matter what type of rider you are you will always be assured of a warm welcome at The Spring Sixty.

The weather has been unpredictable over the years, we have had sunshine, rain, wind or snow and sometimes all of those at the same time although The Spring Sixty has never been about good weather, its about seeing if your winter training has worked or kicking off your leisure season, either way setting your goals and expectations for the year ahead!

The distance is 60k (see what we done there!) over rolling South Armagh and North Louth countryside. We purposely designed the course to be fairly fast and not too challenging no ‘Killer Hills’ to be found here!. The event starts at St Pauls High School Bessbrook at 10.00am sharp and registration will be open at 9am were you can also grab a tea or coffee and have the craic before the off.

The Spring Sixty is a Cycle Sportive and as such the event is open to cyclists of all abilities from novice to advanced. The will be a stop half way through with refreshments to warm you up then onward to the finishing line. Each finisher is treated to a warm welcome and a bespoke commemorative buff at the finish line plus a wholesome hot meal with tea and coffee. The atmosphere is always lively!

This year registration for all riders will be ONLINE ONLY. Early Bird Entry now open at £15 this has been capped at 200 and then full price at £20 for remaining time. Tickets available via Eventbrite by clicking on the tickets tab on the events page (there will be no registration on the day though you will have to collect wristband for food & buff etc). Get your skates on click below and get booked!

For further information keep an eye on the Camlough Cycling Club Facebook Page

What is a Sportive?

First off “It’s not a race”. You’ll hear this said during the riders’ briefing at the start, followed by a smattering of glove muffled sniggers because, as with any sporting event, some people always treat them as a race and everyone knows that.

On a more serious note though, a Sportive is not a race, it is a leisure bike ride over the a specified route sometimes two specified routes and you can ride at whatever pace suits you best, so there is no need to feel under any pressure even if you have not been riding a bike that long. You can feel free to time yourself or your friends if that gives you a bit of extra interest on the day.

Sportives are to cyclists what marathons are for runners - long distance challenges. Most people who run marathons are not racing, they’re just trying to complete the distance. The nice thing about a Cycle Sportive is that its a great social occasion, invariably you will meet and chat with people you have never met before and will probably not meet again until your next Sportive or you might make a life long friend.

BCC Camlough (that's us) will start the event that morning at registration with tea, coffee and water for all entrants at the start line where if you’re early enough you’ll have time for a chat with the other entrants.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or need any advice on entering or preparing for one of our Sportives. Hope to see you there!!

Calendar

About the club

BCC Camlough was set up in 2010 in memory of a well known local girl, Bernardine Quinn, who tragically lost her life to cancer at only 41 years of age. Bernardine was greatly loved by her many friends and family and the fact that the cycling club is named after her is a fitting tribute to her life. The club is a leisure cycle club involved in raising funds for local charities ( To date over £16000.00 has been raised for the hospice, Macmillan nurses and friends of cancer to name but a few) and also in enjoying the social aspect and camaraderie that comes with cycling. The club is open to both male and female members with an ever increasing number of females joining at present.

Why join BCC Camlough and Cycling Ireland?

Cycling is one of the fastest growing and most popular sports right now. By joining Cycling Ireland you are joining a community where not only will you be insured while you cycle, you can enjoy the social and physical benefits of the sport.

Insurance: you will be covered for personal injury and third party damage/liability. This cover extends to training and events.

Physical: Cycling is a non weight bearing sport, which means it is easy on the joints, and recommended by many specialists as a good sport for rehabilitation of injury or sickness while improving your overall well being.

Educational: Cycling Ireland encourages learning and development in its members and runs a series of coaching qualifications.

Social: BCC hosts a major sportive each year in March - The Spring Sixty Sportive.

Clubs: Clubs are one of the greatest assets in Cycling Ireland. Through your club (BCC Camlough) you will learn vital skills and training methods to help you improve as a cyclist

We are a club that goes on a trip or two a year (if we can get away)

Club Kit

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CLUB MEMBERSHIP

Membership of Camlough Cycling Club includes a licence fee to cover insurance through the cycling governing body Cycling Ireland.

There is a small fee for joining Camlough cycling club, to subsidise club activities, for all riders aged 18 or over. There is no fee for riders aged under 18 to join the club. The club will process your Ulster affiliated membership licence for Cycling Ireland.

Please contact the club officers:

Barry Fegan - Club Chairman - feganb1@gmail.com
Nicholas Murray - Club Secretary – murray.nicholas@gmail.com