Irish Eyes: Ben Delaney’s Tour of Ireland gallery

Ben Delaney, VeloNews' Editor in Chief, is a master wordsman, but, by his own description, a Cat. 5 photographer (apologies to our Cat. 5 readers ...). Nevertheless, overcome by the beauty and the sheer Irishness of the countryside on the first day of the Tour of Ireland, the chief sent in this gallery with some behind-the-scenes views of the race. The lad'll be going pro in no time.

Published

By Ben Delaney

Irish Eyes: American MC Dave Towle is co-announcing the race

Irish Eyes: American MC Dave Towle is co-announcing the race

Photo: Ben Delaney

Ben Delaney, VeloNews‘ Editor in Chief, is a master wordsman, but, by his own description, a Cat. 5 photographer (apologies to our Cat. 5 readers …).

Nevertheless, overcome by the beauty and the sheer Irishness of the countryside on the first day of the Tour of Ireland, the chief sent in this gallery with some behind-the-scenes views of the race.

The lad’ll be going pro in no time.

Photo Gallery

  • Irish Eyes: American MC Dave Towle is co-announcing the race
  • Irish Eyes: Irish squad Pezula preps for stage 1 in front of one of U2’s Dublin recording studios.
  • Irish Eyes: Irishman and former longtime Navigators rider Cirian Power gets a rubdown before the stage.
  • Irish Eyes: Columbia’s Marco Pinotti, Pezula’s David O’Louglin and Garmin-Chipotle’s Dan Martin squabble for a bike.
  • Irish Eyes: But then settled their differences
  • Irish Eyes: Garmin’s David Millar and some friends have a pre-race warm-up.
  • Irish Eyes: Riders hit the Cat. 1 Mount Leinster (climbing up to the far right) 100km into the stage.
  • Irish Eyes: The peloton climbs the Cat. 1 Mount Leinster, which is covered in peat and purple heather.
  • Irish Eyes: Who needs carbon? A bike atop Mount Leinster.
  • Irish Eyes: Internal routing: Another Mount Leinster mount.
  • Irish Eyes: Columbia rode the front all day, and for good reason.
  • Irish Eyes: Gravity: It's the law. Pezula’s Martyn Irvine comes off the break.
  • Irish Eyes: Kids at the first intermediate sprint in Roundwood, many wearing the green T-shirts of team and race sponsor An Post
  • Irish Eyes: Take a number: Sean “King” Kelly (left) with some fans, and Cavendish’s bike.
  • Irish Eyes: What's in a number? The bike of Mark Cavendish.
  • Irish Eyes: A few fans climbed up the backside of the Mount.

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