Dylan O'Brien's plans to ride for the Irish junior team in Germany this weekend have been scrapped and his chances of making the European Championships have been dealt a blow, though are far from over. His illness sees another great talent in the shape of Craig McAuley get a late call up for the Irish team. O'Brien is seen above on his way to stage and overall victory at the Tour of Connacht earlier this season (Photo: James Wright Photography)
By Brian Canty
Dylan O’Brien’s chances of selection for the European Road Race Championships are under threat after the O’Leary’s Stone Kanturk rider came down with a chest infection in the last week.
His illness comes at an unfortunate time as the Irish junior team is this weekend riding the three-day, four-stage, Trofeo Karlsberg in Germany as preparation for the Euros.
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O’Brien’s withdrawal means a late call-up for Craig McAuley of the Nicolas Roche Performance Team.
Regarded as one of the best in a very strong crop of juniors at present, McAuley joins team leader Eddie Dunbar and Michael O’Loughlin, Daire Feeley and Stephen Shanahan in the national squad for the German showdown.
“I was getting a head cold last week and Neil Delahaye wanted me to go to the doctor,” O’Brien said, referring to Cycling Ireland’s development coach.
“The doctor told me I have a lower chest infection and I’m on antibiotics for the next 10 days. I’ll be on the bike alright but just steady until I finish the antibiotics and I’ll horse into the training then again.
“I’m a bit sickened to miss this weekend. I was in good form so I just hope it doesn’t hamper my Euro chances. I was off the bike Monday to Wednesday and went back on it yesterday. So we’ll just have to wait and see.”
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A very talented and tidy rider, Craig McAuley (leading) has been drafted into the Irish team for the race in Germany this weekend as the juniors build towards the European Road Race Championships in Switzerland from July 9th to 13th.
His forced exit will come as a blow to Dunbar too, as O’Brien is the most experienced of the others in the team. He has always been a tried and tested ally of Dunbar, as well as bagging his own very strong results at home and abroad.
The Irish team is due to race this afternoon in the opening stage in Germany; a 98 kilometre trek from Ludweiler to Grobrosseln which has a lumpy route but no huge climbs.
Tomorrow, Saturday, sees them tackle split stages with a 79km circuit race in Hamburg in the morning followed by an 8.8km individual time-trial in the evening.
Sunday’s final stage is a 100km road race, starting and finishing in the town of Niedergeilbach, located right down on the border with France.
We’ll keep you up to date with their progress over the weekend.
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