Cycling Ireland reveals all teams in full for World Road Champs

Dan Martin and Nicolas Roche are in the Irish team for the elite men's race at the World Road Championships with Philip Deignan. Roche will also ride the time trial in Spain in two weeks (Photo: Sirotti)

Cycling Ireland has revealed the Irish squads for the World Road Cycling Championships that start in Ponferrada, Spain, on Sunday week.

As expected. Dan Martin (Garmin Sharp), Nicolas Roche (Tinkoff-Sax0) and Philip Deignan make up the elite men's team for the road race, with Roche the sole rider picked for the time trial despite Ireland being eligible to enter two men into the contest.

Sam Bennett of NetApp-Endura, who was third on a stage of the Tour of Britain today, is the reserve for the road race.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the selection, Olivia Dillon (Colavita) is the only elite woman named for the Worlds. She rides the road race only, with no women being entered into the time trial.

This is despite Ireland being eligible for enter a team into the road race and two riders in the TT.

In the U23 grade, the An Post-Chainreaction trio of Ryan Mullen, Conor Dunne and Jack Wilson get the nod for the road race, with Mullen also to ride the TT. Wilson crashed at the Tour of Britain today and while he finished the stage he came down hard and it is unclear if he has any serious injuries.

Ryan Mullen is in great form and is a good bet for a medal for Ireland in the U23 time trial in Spain in two weeks.

Eoin McCarthy of the Belgian based Terra Footwear is the U23 reserve for the road race.

As in the case of the elite women, Cycling Ireland has not filled the full quota for the U23 team. While the three-man road race quota has been filled, Ireland was eligible to enter two riders in the TT but has opted for just one.

Already picked for the road race, Conor Dunne is a noted tester. Daniel Stewart (Antrim East Audi) is also very good against the watch, is already a road international and has been racing in France of late.

In the junior ranks a very strong five man team has been name for the road race. It includes Eddie Dunbar (O'Leary's Stone Kanturk), Daire Feeley (Domamon Dynamos), Dylan O’Brien (O'Leary's Stone Kanturk), Michael O’Loughlin (Nicolas Roche PT) and Stephen Shanahan (Limerick CC).

Craig McAuley (Nicolas Roche PT) is named as reserve for the race with O'Loughlin and Mark Downey (Nicolas Roche PT) named for the junior time trial.

In the women's junior ranks, European Track Championships silver medalist Josie Knight is Ireland's only representative. She rides the time trial and road race.

Last year both Mel Spath and Olivia Dillon rode the Worlds in Florence, but this time Dillon is the only elite woman in the Irish team (Photo: Sean Rowe)