Cycling Ireland's tight budget reduces U23 and junior Euro Road Champs team

Cycling Ireland has decided to limit the number of riders for the U23 and junior European Road Championships this week in favour of a bigger allocation for the World Championships in the US in September (Photo: Sean Rowe)

Cycling Ireland has said it hopes to send “as many juniors and U23s as possible” to the World Road Championships in September, though numbers for the Europeans have been reduced as a result.

It is sending a smaller team than eligible, and fewer riders than last year, to the European Championships in Estonia this week because its budget is under pressure.

High performance coach Brian Nugent said the federation was permitted to send six juniors and six U23s to Estonia, adding the bigger priority is the World Championships.

Last year nine male riders were selected for the Europeans - five U23s and four juniors - and no female team.

This time around, there are seven males - four U23s and three juniors; a reduction of two riders on 12 months ago and five off the maximum 12 permitted.

However, Ciara Doogan has been selected for both the junior women's road race and time trial.

She put in the best ride of the combined male and female Irish team at the junior and U23 European Track Championships last month with 5th in the points race in Athens.

While Eddie Dunbar will likely be team leader for the U23 road race in Estonia, Ryan Mullen goes into the U23 TT as a hot favourite for gold.

It will also be interesting to see how Michael O'Loughlin performs in both the junior road race and TT.

He took 8th in the TT at the World Championships last year and has already won a prestigious test in the Nations Cup this season.

The classy Ryan Mullen goes into the U23 TT at the European Championships in Estonia this week as a hot favourite for gold.

“We can send six of each (to the road Europeans), but I want to send as many as possible to USA,” Nugent said.

“So to do that we need to keep some money in reserve; it’s the opposite situation to the track,” he continued.

“There, we send more to the Europeans and less to Worlds. But for the road Worlds, I’d like more juniors and U23s if possible.

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“Denmark has some exceptional juniors capable of winning in Estonia but they’ll be holding them back for the Worlds. It’s not unusual.”

Obviously numbers going to America will depend on how many riders Ireland qualifies.

Nugent is optimistic Ireland will have a similar allocation of men to last year; five juniors for the road race and two for the TT along with three U23s for the road race and two for the race against the clock.

Whether any junior women will be selected has not been revealed.

Unlike the European Championships, nations must qualify for the U23 road race at the World Championships, though all nations are guaranteed two riders for the TT.