Little sleep on menu for cyclists

The Race Around Ireland starts this Sunday from Trim, County Meath. It’s due to arrive in Lurgan late on Sunday night and continue to Moira at around midnight.

Last year’s winner cycled 2,200km in less than four days taking only two hours sleep. Christoph Strasser had one 40 minute and four 20 minute sleeps for the entire race. This strategy allowed him to finish the gruelling event inside four days. He ate no solid foods, just liquids for the whole event.

A recent book published about the 50 most gruelling events in the world had Race Around Ireland as one of the toughest.

It is a World Cup Ultra Distance Cycling event where cyclists have to finish a 2,200km loop of the country in less than five days.

Once the clock starts in Trim it doesn’t stop until they arrive back in Navan.

Bunch riding is not allowed and there are no planned rest stops. There are no road closures and no professional riders are permitted.

Riders must follow the rules of the road. If they break a rule they pick up a penalty point, six points and they get disqualified.

We’re told hallucinations are common.

Riders raise funds for many different charities and in the last six years have raised over half a million euro for these charities

You can follow the route on our 24hour tracking on www.RaceAroundIreland.com