*Conor Hennebry (left), Grace Young (centre) and Dillon Corkery (right) are named for Ireland to take on the pros in France in a couple of weeks time*

Cycling Ireland has named two Irish teams – a men’s and women’s selection – to take on the European pro riders at the Kreiz Breizh Elites stage races in France next month.

Selection criteria were published in
advanced and were weighted towards performance in the National Road Series.

It means the federation has selected two
line-ups comprised almost exclusively of home-based riders, the only time of
the year that occurs for elite riders.

The current leaders of the men’s and women’s series, James Curry and Grace Young, are selected.

Curry, who took over the series lead at the recent Mullingar GP is on the team with the man he took that lead from, Conor Hennebry; team mates at Dan Morrissey-MIG-Pactimo.

Imogen Cotter Rás na mBan — *Imogen Cotter is in the women's team after a great national champs*

Darragh O'Mahony Normandie — *Darragh O'Mahony is the new U23 Irish road race champion*

*Katharine Smyth put in an epic performance at the nationals and she'll be in the Irish jersey in France (Photo: Caroline Kerley)*

Curry and Hennebry are joined by U23 Irish road race champion Darragh O’Mahony (CC Nogent-sur-Oise) and three men who had also represented Ireland in the past at junior or U23 level.

That trio is comprised of BioRacer-DHL-FRS riders Luke Smith, Dillon Corkery as well as Strata 3-VeloRevolution’s Liam Curley.

As well as Young on the women’s team,
track international and Europeans medal winner on the boards Lydia Gurley (Aercoach)
is selected.

Related News

Lara Gillespie attacks Dolomite stage as Giro hits high mountains

Video - Italy's hero Balsamo mobbed mid-stage during Giro TT

She is joined by one of the revelations of the season, and a woman who did one of the best riders of the recent national championships to take elite road race silver, Imogen Cotter (S-Bikes Bodhi Cycling).

The team is completed by three very experienced riders; international Lauren Creamer (Team Brotherton Cycles) among them.

The newly crowned national criterium champion Ellen McDermott (Team Boompods) is also named.

And completing the team is Katharine Smyth, the Ballymena Road Club rider who took a fantastic elite bronze and masters gold at the national road race championships.

The women’s Kreiz Breizh Elites two-day
stage race begins on Thursday, August 1 in Callac.

Meanwhile, the men’s four-day race gets
underway a day later with a time trial in Ploumagoar.

Both races will feature pro teams, with
the men’s race set to include teams at ProContinental and Continental levels.