A SUMMIT finish, a town centre start, and a history spanning six decades will make Round 3 of the Cycling Ireland Men’s National Road Series a race for this ages in Wicklow this Sunday.


The 60th Shay Elliott Memorial Race, sponsored by New Ireland Assurance and run by Bray Wheelers CC, commemorates the extraordinary Dublin cyclist who became the first Irish man to pull on the Tour de France’s yellow, leader’s jersey back in 1963.


Staged on the hilly County Wicklow roads he trained on, the 152km epic will begin on Bray main street, hitting the day’s toughest climb, Glenmalure, after 116km. The climb up from Glenmalure to Shay Elliott’s remembrance stone is the deciding test, with the summit finish coming some 30km later on Djouce.


Last year it was won by Tyrone man Marc Potts, but the Neon Velo rider will this year be racing in England at the Lincoln Grand Prix, leaving the door open for a National Road Series rider to score.


U23 star Darragh O’Mahony (O’Leary Stone Kanturk) leads the NRS table by three points, after winning Round 1 in Carlow and finishing in the points at the Nenagh Classic.


Chasing him is Nenagh Classic winner Mark Dowling, racing for Strata 3 VeloRevolution this year, hotly-tipped An Post Ras hope Matteo Cigala and fellow U23 Mark O’Callaghan - both riding for the Aqua Blue Academy. Just nine points separate the top four in the table, and Sunday’s winner will grab 40.


Sign on opens at 8.30am on Sunday in the Bray Wheelers Clubhouse, where a Shay Elliott memorabilia display will be on show. The race will roll-out at 11am to head down Bray’s main street and out into the hills for 152km.


Spectators heading to the main climb at Glenmalure are advised to arrive before 12.25pm to ensure a good viewing spot. The supporting race is set to pass first, containing Ireland’s leading junior riders, with the National Road Series event expecting to follow after 1.30pm.


Arrival at the finish on Djouce is estimated at 2.48pm.


Full 60th Shay Elliott Memorial Race route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/12624145


Last 10 Shay Elliott Memorial Race winners*

Year

Winner

Team

Rider’s County

2016

Marc Potts

Neon Velo

Tyrone

2015

Martin Irvine

Madison Genesis

Down

2014

Damian Shaw

Aqua Blue

Westmeath

2013

Conor Murphy

Eurocycles

Monaghan

2012

Philip Lavery

NODE4 Giordana

Dublin

2011

Timmy Barry

The Edge CC

Cork

2010

Dan Craven

Rapha Condor

(Namibia)

2009

Matt Cronshaw

Rapha Condor

(England)

2008

David O’Loughlin

Pezula Racing

Mayo

2007

Malcolm Elliott

Team Pinarello

(England)