Caleb McGreevy (VC Glendale) is set to race for a leading French team next season as he takes his first steps into junior racing. He becomes the latest Irish junior to jump straight from the U16 ranks into an international junior team as the development of young athletes in the sport gathers pace.
McGreevy won the U16 boy's Irish title at the National Cyclocross Championships in Ballinasloe, Co Galway, back in January despite a late crash, and resulting mechanical, forcing him to run to the finish line with his bike.
His progress continued during the road race season - and included 2nd in the TT and 3rd in the road race and criterium at the National Youth Championships - while also making the national team for the European Youth Olympics.
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McGreevy put in a fantastic performance at the Youth Olympics in the boys five-lap race – which took an hour – and finished in 8th place, from a truly international 32-rider field of the best U16 off road riders in Europe.
He will compete next year for U19 Academy Région Sud powered by Giant, the top French junior team that included Ireland's junior TT silver medal winner at the recent European Road Championships, Conor Murphy, as well as promising prospects Cameron Henry and Adam Ward.
As part of the team, McGreevy should have access to a full schedule of European racing, including major UCI-ranked events.
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The team this year rode races up to and including Ain Bugey Valromey Tour (2.1), which is regarded as one of the most prestigious and hardest junior stage races in European racing.
This year, the team's riders included Britain's Harry Hudson, who won the junior men's road race at the UCI World Championships in Rwanda.
Past riders include Maxime Decomble (Equipe continentale Groupama-FDJ), who led Tour de l'Avenir for four stages this year, took bronze in the U23 TT at the Worlds and also won U23 Paris Tours last weekend.
Runner-up to Decomble at U23 Paris-Tours on Sunday, Kiwi Reef Roberts (Equipe continentale Groupama-FDJ), was also part of the French junior team last season.
The riders on 19 Academy Région Sud powered by Giant often compete in the team's colours for selected races while racing for their domestic teams in other events.
Murphy, for example, raced for Caldwell Cycles at home this year while new junior world champion raced for Harrogate Nova Race Team in many events, home and abroad, this year.
