The selection of Irish teams, or not, for major cyclocross championships has been a controversial subject at times in recent years. No national team was selected for the recent European Championships so we asked Cycling Ireland why that was the case (Photo: Martine Verfaillie)
Cycling Ireland on why no Irish team in Euro 'Cross Champs
There has been a boom in cyclocross on the domestic scene in recent years. And more and more of the best riders are travelling abroad to compete.
The bigger numbers in races and the progress of some of our young riders have all raised expectations that Irish teams will be selected for major championships.
And in recent years Ireland has, at times, had small numbers in the elite, U23 and junior races at the Worlds and Europeans.
Last year, for example, some of our best young riders were picked for the Europeans.
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But when the Worlds came around at the start of 2017 it was decided no Irish riders would be sent.
The logic set out at the time by Cycling Ireland was that being the best in Ireland was not enough to gain selection. Instead, riders needed to go abroad and pit themselves against international opposition.
However, the decision was not well received. And in the end Cycling Ireland decided to sent a team with one rider; junior JB Murphy.
David Conroy was also offered a berth in the U23 race. However, he had initially been told he was not being picked. And while that decision was reversed, it came very late for him.
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He felt the notice was so short that he would not do himself justice and so he decided not to go.
Since then we’ve had another busy cyclocross season on the home front. And some of our riders have also competed abroad very regularly.
It was therefore a disappointment to see no Irish riders were selected for the European Cyclocross Championships in the Czech Republic last month.
We asked Cycling Ireland what the basis for that decision was. Stickybottle also queried whether the lack of a team at the Euros had any implications for Irish representation at the Worlds; in Valkenburg in six weeks.
Cycling Ireland sent our query on to Andy Layhe of the Off Road Commission. He responded with the following:
“The main reason (for not sending an Irish team to the Europeans) was that I preferred riders to focus on National Trophy and World Cup events,” he said.
“Tabor is logistically difficult to get to in terms of gear and equipment for cyclocross.
“I felt 2017 budget was, and is, better spent on getting additional experts, coaches and pro riders over to educate the national development squad to prepare them for the bigger races.”
One of those events was the visit to Ireland in recent weeks by the Belgian national coach.
Layhe continued by saying there definitely would be an Irish team at the Worlds. Not only that, but a major preparation race was also pencilled in; a welcome development.
“Our biggest squad of riders ever will compete at the 2018 World Championships,” Layhe said.
“And (we) will prepare by riding the Hoogerheide World Cup the week before.
“Looking ahead, I am working on a longer term development plan for cyclocross which I hope will put us ahead in terms of race allocation and experience for younger riders.”
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