Competition will be intense to get on the Irish team for the Youth Olympics and some new faces are expected to emerge.
The first of four selection races which will decide the Irish team for the European Youth Olympic Festival in Georgia at the end of July takes place this Saturday in Westport, Co Mayo.
The format is a 10-kilometre time-trial which doubles as a stage of the ever-popular Rás Maigh Eo.
The remaining three events include:
- The CicliSport Grand Prix on Saturday March 28th in Cookstown – promoted by East Tyrone CC.
- The opening road stage of Rás na nÓg in Drogheda – promoted by Drogheda Wheelers - on Saturday, April 18th.
- The second stage of the Kanturk Two-Day on Saturday, May 2nd, promoted by O'Leary's Stone Kanturk CC.
The latter event is a time-trial, while the second and third events are both road stages.
Gearing used by the riders will be monitored by the commissaires on the day and cannot exceed 52x16.
Qualification for the Irish team is open to both boys and girls born in 1999 and 2000.
The competition is expected to be fierce because the maximum number of riders Ireland can send is six - three boys and three girls.
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The first of four selection races which will decide the Irish team for the European Youth Olympic Festival in Georgia at the end of July takes place this Saturday in Westport, Co. Mayo. Riders born in 1999 or 2000 are invited to compete (Photo: Maura Lynch Moriarty)
However, selector Martin O’Loughlin has warned that if the selection committee – which includes Nicola McKiverigan and Cycling Ireland’s chief executive Geoff Liffey - deem the riders not up to the standard, less than the quota will be sent.
Among the boys, the competition looks set to be intense between Harvey Barnes, PJ Doogan, Conor Gallagher, Conor Halvey, Tom Knight, Luke Smith, Ronan Tuomey and Adam Ward and others.
And in the girls contest, Orla Desmond, Amanda Gallagher, Shauna McFadden, Molly McLarnon are just some of those who should challenge. But as was the case with Josie Knight in 2013, often a new talent emerges when selection is on offer.
Knight, despite still being a teenager is now an established member of the national elite track squad with a number of World Championships (track and road) and Track World Cup events under her belt.
This Saturday’s event will be held on the Louisburgh Road in County Mayo, starting at Lecanvey Village at a point which is 10km from Westport on a straight road in.
Sign-on at the car park in Lecanvey opens at from 2:30pm with first rider off at 15:30pm.
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