Mark Downey (Banbridge CC) leads the national youth team in Scotland
Cycling Ireland’s new ‘FBD Ireland Talent Team 2020’ programme has yielded its first international selection, with a team of schoolboy riders named for the Youth Tour of Scotland this weekend.
The four riders selected are: Mark Downey (Banbridge CC), Declan Mulholland (Clann Eireann), Michael O’Loughlin (Iverk Produce Carrick Wheelers) and Aaron Swan (TCR Racing).
Downey will captain the team and has prepared for the upcoming Scottish event by getting permission to ride some A3 events in the North. Meanwhile, Mulholland, O’Loughlin and Swan have all been in good form already this season, taking wins in Aghagallon, Fermoy and Bohermeen respectively despite being first years in the U16 age group.
The Scottish race takes place near Perth and involves four stages. The first is this Friday when the riders take in an individual time trial of 1.8km in the morning. That’s followed in the afternoon by stage two, a 4.5km team time trial.
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On Saturday afternoon the riders take in a flat 75km stage, with the race rounding off on Sunday with a hilly 50km stage.
As well as the Irish team, the 100-strong field is made up of club and regional selections from Scotland, England and Wales for what is the first year of the event.
The ‘FBD Ireland Talent Team 2020’ concept was unveiled last October by Cycling Ireland. It aims aim to engage talented youths with the national set-up and nurture them through to international level at junior ranks. The team going to Scotland is drawn from a larger panel of underage riders previously named by Cycling Ireland.
The team this weekend is to be managed by Martin O’Loughlin assisted by Joe Hahessy.
If you come back to us over the weekend we’ll tell you how the riders got on.
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