Welcome to...

CelticXtreme

      ...Irelands First Multi Stage Adventure Mountain Bike Race

              ...a 400+ km, multi day, cross country, mountain bike event

                 ...taking place in the South West of Ireland - June 2010.

We love all things MTB but we admit that some bits are closer to our hearts in CelticXtreme... Riding all sorts of terrain in a day - fire road, country lanes, sheep trails, rocky technical double track, mountain side, farm roads, singletrack... Never seeing the same trail twice on a ride... Big epic days out - when you get home cursing the day you first saw a bike - but knowing you will do it all again tomorrow!

For the CelticXtreme team & event director Brian Galvin this race route combines over 20 years of MTB exploring in the Southwest of Ireland with many great racing experiences in events such as the Ballyhoura Beast, Transalp, Grand Raid, Transrockies & time spent helping organise a variety of triathlon, adventure & MTB events over the years.

Our goal in CelticXtreme has been to create a long distance multistage mtb race in Ireland which will encompass a wide range of testing offroad terrain. This race is organised by mountain bikers for mountain bikers: The trails & terrain chosen require a proficient level of technical riding skills & a high level of endurance based fitness. Riders will need basic navigational skill & the ability to carry out their own running repairs while completing each stage in a reasonably allotted time.

Racing will take place over a 6 day period, with each marathon stage inflicting the ultimate in mountain biking pain & pleasure. Race across a landscape steeped in mythology, through ancient forests, past medieval castles, forts & monasteries - the breathtaking scenery of the West of Ireland will unfold around you as you lose yourself in the sweet singletrack & blast down rocky downhills.

The race starts deep in the heart of Munster, under the shadow of the Galtee Mountains just South of the Rock of Cashel. Racing begins on the acclaimed flowing single track of Coillte's Ballyhoura Mountain Park, these trails were designed & built by trail building pioneer Daffyd Davis... The route then wends its way Southwards stopping in Mallow overnight & briefly following Lance Armstrong’s tracks in the 2009 Tour of Ireland, before launching into the rugged valleys & forests of the Boggeragh & Dhoire na Saggart Mountains enroute to the majestic McGillycuddy Reeks & the shores of the Alantic Ocean. The race finish & end party is in Sneem, this picturesque town sits on the shores of Kenmare bay on the Ring of Kerry amidst the foothills of Corran Tuathail & Ireland's highest mountains.

This epic endurance event is open to keen mountain bikers of all levels... from elite racers & competitive amateurs... to weekend warriors, who want to test their endurance against some of Irelands best MTB terrain... but also to those(more relaxed members of the mtb congregation) who aim to finish each stage in a reasonable time & enjoy every single minute of it!

Our team will be hanging in there to welcome you home at the end of every stage... no matter whether you are first or last! Each day while you race the crew will be busy taking care of your food, baggage transfer & accommodation arrangements.

Overnight locations are some of Ireland's best... Host towns such as Kenmare, Gougane Barra, Sneem... are world renowned travel destinations in their own right, where you can take it easy & catch up with other riders & race crew, while recovering from a day of extreme trail riding Irish style. 

 

The Dirt Tour - Ireland 2010