IRELAND IS set to become home to an annual international cycling event which organisers say could attract thousands of participants and visitors and bring in as much as €10 million in revenue.
The Sky Ride Étape Hibernia, which will take place over a 128km course in Clare in August, was launched in Spanish Point in the west of the county yesterday.
Organised by sports, entertainment and media company IMG, in partnership with television company Sky, Fáilte Ireland, Shannon Development, the Shannon Region Conference and Sports Bureau and Clare County Council, Étape Hibernia will be the Republic’s first “closed-road” cycle event.
It is anticipated that the event will attract 2,000 entrants this year from throughout Ireland and abroad, bringing significant economic benefit to the local economy.
The event, which is being marketed internationally and nationally and will be open to cyclists of all standards, will start and finish in Ennis and travel through Clare, taking in part of the county’s spectacular coastline.
It is hoped the number of participants will increase to as many as 5,000 over the next five years.
At the launch yesterday, Jo Dytch of IMG said the popularity and growth in road cycling was very exciting.
“Along with our partners, we are looking to lead the way in providing a prestige event for cycling in Ireland and to establish a major fixture on the Irish sporting calendar, delivering a significant boost to the local economy.
Fáilte Ireland’s head of business and sports tourism, Keith McCormack, said that as well as bringing in visitors and revenue, the event would provide an excellent opportunity to showcase the Shannon region as both a cycling destination and a tourism “must- see” in general.