Dean Harvey's form on the road this year, and his dominant run in the domestic cyclocross season in recent months, have clearly not gone unnoticed as he has been snapped up by Trinity Racing for next year.
The 19-year-old will get a full schedule of international road races in the UK and Continental Europe through 2023 with the team. Furthermore, Trinity Racing has an established off-road record - in both MTB and cyclocross - which will suit Harvey's versatility.
Harvey, who rode for Spellman Dublin Port this year and was previously with VC Glendale, follows other Irish riders into the Continental-level Trinity Racing team, which is owned by Irish cycling agent and former international road rider Andrew McQuaid.
Kevin McCambridge competed in Trinity Racing colours this year while Matthew Devins has raced for McQuaid's outfit for the last two season. Fellow Irish riders Ben Healy and Finley Newmark have also competed with the team. Healy has since moved on to WorldTour level with EF Education EasyPost while Newmark has been riding off-road endurance events for the last year.
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Harvey moves to the team at an ideal time in his career, as the impact of Covid-19 on the international U23 scene should be completely resolved next season, and with a successful first year at U23-elite level already under his belt.
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He competed in the road Worlds and Europeans for Ireland as a junior last year and made the U23 team for the road Europeans this year. He was also selected for the U23 cyclocross Worlds in the US last season. On the road this year he rode Flèche du Sud (2.2) on the Irish team, placing 7th on the final stage. He also made the national team for Tour de l'Avenir, riding in support of eventual 4th placed overall Archie Ryan.
Harvey was on the Irish team for Rás Tailteann and won the climbers' classification, while also impressively winning the Shay Elliott Memorial solo this year. There were other wins in 2022, including in the Annaclone GP, Rás Maigheo, the Fit Studio NI Kirkstown Series and the Eddie Crory Memorial as well as top 10 finishes on all stages at Rás Mumhan on the way to 4th overall.
Arguably his best performance of the season was 4th in the combined U23-elite road race at the National Road Championships in Kanturk in June. He was one of the main animators of that race, going in the early breakaway, and had the legs to stay in the mix until the finish for 4th and U23 gold.
While he was a leading junior last year, topping the Cycling Ireland rankings, his rate of progress has continued at pace through this year, on the road and in cyclocross. And in Trinity Racing he has found a team with a racing schedule that should really aid him in stepping up again through 2023.
Before he gets underway on the road next year with Trinity, Harvey will be competing in the green of Ireland at the UCI Cyclocross World Cup in Dublin next weekend. He may also get a ride in the U23 race at the Cyclocross World Championships in the Netherlands in February, if an Irish team is selected for the title race.
