Ben Healy headlines this road Worlds team after his epic bronze last year but there are other world class riders in here who can medal, of that there is no doubt (Photo: Zac Williams-SWpix.com)
With the UCI World Road Championships now just around the corner, Cycling Ireland has announced the 12-rider Irish team that will take on the road race and TT world title events in Montreal.
Headlining this team is Ben Healy, the EF Education-EasyPost rider who took bronze in the elite men’s road race in Rwanda last year on the hardest course for many years.
Healy has made clear his love for the Worlds, saying it is the one race he really wants to win before his career is over years from now.
But aside from the elite men’s team, we also have teams picked for the U23 men’s road race and TT, the junior women’s road race and TT and the junior men’s road race and TT.
There are no U23 or elite women’s selections being sent this year, with the very selective – hilly – course not suited to our top women.
Emer Heverin after her European title win on the track in Germany last month. She’s had a season for the ages and there is more to come, on track and road, in the weeks ahead (Photo: Tommaso Pelagalli-Sprint Cycling Agency)
The lack of female elite and U23 representation is the case even though we now have a group – a deep selection pool – of very talented female professionals for the first time in Irish cycling history.
However, as strong as our female riders are now, they are a group of athletes better suited to classics-style racing, and sprinting, rather than climbers’ courses. And some of our younger road riders are perhaps just a season or two off gaining selection for the Worlds.
In the men’s road race, Healy will be supported by a very strong team in the shape of Ryan Mullen (NSN Cycling), Jamie Meehan (Cofidis) and Darren Rafferty.
And Mullen, the national champion in the TT and a really valuable experienced road captain for Team Ireland, will also ride the TT for Ireland at these Worlds.
Ryan Mullen goes into these Worlds as a huge asset for Healy and has a wealth of experience to share will all members of this squad (Photo: Xavier Pereyron)
In the U23 men’s road race, again Ireland is blessed with a really strong group that is suited to this course.
Adam Rafferty and David Gaffney (Hagens Berman Jayco) are selected, alongside Seth Dunwoody (Bahrain Victorious Devo) and Liam O’Brien (Lidl Trek Future Racing).
That’s a top quality foursome and it is especially good to to see O’Brien in this team. A lot of Irish cycling people will really want to see him in green again and to cheer him on.
On their day, this U23 team has chances of a medal in both the road race and the TT. Dunwoody and Rafferty will represent Ireland in the U23 TT.
Seth Dunwoody (above), Adam Rafferty, Liam O’Brien and David Gaffney – an incredible U23 team for these Worlds (Photo: Caroline Kerley)
In the junior ranks, Emer Heverin (CAMS-Majaco) has been selected to ride both the road race and the TT. Having stepped into international racing – track and road – for the first time this season she has excelled.
And now the teenager from Belfast goes in at the very deep end – in the road race and TT – in a great position. She knows she has the level to compete internationally but is under no pressure, even though she won a European track title last month.
In the junior road race, Ireland has a very strong trio going to Canada to take on the best in the world title road race and TT events.
National road race champion Freddie Winkley (Harrogate Nova Race Team) gets the nod alongside Junior Tour of Ireland winner Rían McCrystal (Cannibal B Victorious) and the impressive Hugh Óg Mulhearne (AS Villemur Cyclisme).
All three ride the road race while Winkley, who will be making his Team Ireland debut, and McCrystal will also ride the TT.
More to come.