Eoin McCarthy joins the Irish team this weekend – pictured here by Pat Doherty at Ras Mumhan
Cycling Ireland has announced a five-strong Irish development team made up of two U23 riders and three juniors for the Tour of Ulster this weekend.
The U23 riders selected are Fermoy’s Eoin McCarthy and last year’s Cyclist of the Year Stephen Clancy of the Dan Morrissey-Speedy Spokes outfit.
Accompanying them will be three strong juniors – Daniel Stewart (Audi East Antrim), Ryan Mullen (Planet X) and Shaun Rigley (South Dublin CC).
McCarthy is a first year U23 rider who has been combining preparing for his leaving cert this year with racing at home and away for the Belgian ASFRA Racing Team. He was most recently 19th on GC at the Kerry Group Ras Mumhan.
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Clancy has perhaps had a slower start to the season than many would have expected, but he appears to be coming into some good form and as a second-year U23 has been identified with having much potential to develop.
Mullen is the strongest of the three juniors selected. He won the A3 race at the Visit Nenagh Classic a couple of weeks ago with a near-race long breakaway, much of it spent on his own.
Stewart has already tasted victory in the senior bunch this year and he was with Mullen up the road in Nenagh last month before he faded a little and Mullen went on on his own to win. The teenager is a good galloper and would undoubtedly love to take something from this weekend.
Rigley is another second year junior who has been performing well this season, picking up a string of prizes. He crashed in Nenagh two weeks ago but did not suffer any long term damage.
Cycling Ireland development coach Frank O’Leary said the team would be riding in Ulster under strict instructions each day, with an emphasis on riding as a unit and positioning themselves well throughout to ensure they do not miss big splits.
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“It’s definitely not just a case of putting them into it to see how they do,” he said.
“We said all along that this would be a hard race and that the juniors we picked would be second-year with a couple of U23 riders as well.”
The field is 100-strong, with racing getting underway with an 88 mile road stage on Saturday. The second stage is 67 mile on Sunday, followed by a two-mile time trial that evening. The race concludes on Monday with a 77 mile road stage (see full details below).
We’ll have more on this in the next few days.
The Route
Stage one starts from Dungannon Leisure Centre on Saturday, the 5th May 2012 at approximately 11.30am, with the ceremonial flag being raised by the Lord Mayor Kenneth Reid. The stage will travel through Dungannon, Cookstown, Pomaroy, Carrickmore Ballygawley, Fintona, Sionfinn, Fivemiletown. Clogher, Augher, Aughnacloy, Eglish and finishing in Dungannon Park, at around 3.15pm, covering 88 miles.
Stage two will leave from Dungannon leisure Centre on Sunday, the 6th May 2012 at approximately 9.45am. The stage will travel through Dungannon, Cookstown, Lough Fee, Moneyneany, Ballyronan, Stewartstown, Bush Village and finishing on the Killyman Road in Dungannon at around 12.30pm ,covering sixty six miles.
Stage three is a short time trail of two miles, just off the Moy Road roundabout, on Sunday evening, the 6th May 2012. The first rider will start at 4.30pm and the stage will finish at 6.30pm.
Stage four leaves from Dungannon Rugby Club on Monday, the 7th May 2012 at 9.45am. The stage starts at the Cohannon Inn, off the Tamnamore roundabout and will proceed for eleven laps of a 6.7 mile figure of eight circuit, finishing on the Killyman Road at approximately 1pm.
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