At the top of Challenge 6 – Seskin Hill the route goes right onto the N25 and this is where this article continues…
The route continues along the N25 beside Waterford’s famous Comeragh Mountain Range for about 15km until it takes a right at Mahon Bridge for Challenge 7 – Mahon Falls.
Mahon Falls is a long tough climb as it is almost 5km in length and has an average gradient of 7%, with the last couple of hundred metres being over 15% gradient.
After turning right and then right again off the N25 the climb begins gradually for the first kilometre before the steepness increases. After about 2km you take a right, signposted Mahon Falls and the climbing continues for about another kilometre until you get to a stretch of road known as the ‘Magic Road’.
The Magic Road is famous for its ability to allow cars (and hopefully bikes on this occasion) to roll uphill. All I can say is try it out for yourself!
As already mentioned, the top of Mahon Falls is quite steep and at this stage of the day the pain is certainly going to be to the fore at this second last challenge of the day. As you reach the summit and cross the cattle grid, be prepared for a very dangerous descent where extreme caution is needed, especially on a couple of tricky left-handers that are easy to over shoot.
The route descends for about 2km until it comes to a junction where it takes a left, followed by a hidden right at a junction about 400m later. It is important to take this turn right as failure to do so will leave you descending into cyclists climbing Challenge 7 (presuming of course that you’re close to the front of the field!). This Ardennes like road continues for about another 2km before you take a left and continue along a quiet road that will return you to Mahon Bridge where you take a right.
The route then goes straight at the next junction crossing the N25 and heads for the beautiful village of Kilmacthomas. The route follows this road for about 8km until you swing left at a Y junction about a kilometre outside Kilmacthomas. The route then continues through Kilmacthomas and follows the road again for about 6km passing through the small village of Newtown until it reaches a crossroads known locally as Carroll’s Cross.
The route stays left here again at Carroll’s Cross and continues along beside a scenic reservoir before dropping down into the village of Portlaw and again caution is needed on this descent.
The route then takes a left and left again at a roundabout in the village of Portlaw and Challenge 8 – Curraghmore is less than a kilometre away.
Challenge 8 – Curraghmore is a challenge that is unique to our sportive. This section of our sportive is a road that is a cross between the Strada Bianca of the 2010 Giro Italia and the cobbles of the Paris-Roubaix.
As the old sayings goes, a picture tells a thousand words, so I’ll leave my pics and videos do the talking for this part of the sportive.
Entrance Gate!
The beginning!
Lord Waterford’s Place!
The Middle!
The Finale!
Carrick Gate and Exit!
After Curraghmore the route takes a right in the direction of Carrick-on-Suir and the route climbs slightly before flattening out and then dropping down into the valley and taking a well-deserved break back at the Swan GAA Club where you set out from many miles ago and you will then have completed the late Bobby Power’s Carrick Wheelers Challenge Sportive – Ireland’s Toughest Sportive Challenge!
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