Eventual silver medallist Nicolas Roche tries to drop road champion Matt Brammeier during last year's title race in Clonmel.
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Cuchulainn Cycling Club is now accepting entries for the National Cycling Championships to be held at the end of next month in Co Louth, where road race and time trial titles will be down for decision.
The titles on offer include the elite men’s and elite women’s road race and TT crowns, as well as the veterans’ road crown. The four days of racing will be based around Carlingford on the Cooley Peninsula.
The elite men’s races will attract Ireland’s top cyclists including defending champion Matt Brammeier (Champion System) and former champion Nicolas Roche (Saxo Tinkoff), though Liège–Bastogne–Liège winner Dan Martin (Garmin-Sharp) has indicated he is likely to skip the race this year; which falls one week before he and Roche will start the Tour de France . The Louth course is also very flat, a factor Martin is not pleased about.
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However, while that trio has been dominant in the road title race in recent times – sharing the title between them over the past five years – Philip Deignan of Unitedhealthcare is back with a bang this year.
He has ridden very well since the start of the season and won the Tour of the Gila in New Mexico last month, following that up with a massive ride in the Tour of California a couple of weeks ago.
A host of other riders will challenge for the title including, among others, Sam Bennett, Ronan McLaughlin, Sean Downey (all An Post-Chainreaction), Aaron Buggle (Rapha Condor JLT), Peter Hawkins (IG Sigma Sport), Connor McConvey (Synergy Baku), Philip Lavery (AC Bisontine) and Conor Dunne (Vl Technics).
Local man, Rás revelation and former international triathlete Bryan McCrystal cannot be ruled out. He has only been racing two months and has already ridden a fantastic Rás and won a stage in the Tour of Ulster. His Rás team mate and Banbridge CC rider, Roger Aiken is in flying form but has said he will not ride the championships, citing a clash with work commitments.
It is unclear if World Track Champion and silver medalist Martyn Irvine will ride after his crash earlier this season but he appears to be on the road to recovery.
With the course a flat one, Martin looks unlikely to ride and Roche and Deignan may find it hard to shake off the speedsters in the field, meaning it could be a very open race.
Brammeier, Dunne, Roche and Deignan will be among the favourites for the elite TT crown, with Dunne the defending champion in the U23 title race.
However, Dunne will need to beat last year’s junior title winner Ryan Mullen (IG Sigma Sport) in order to keep his U23 title. And any rider hoping to take the elite crown will need to beat the defending champion Michael Hutchinson (In-Gear Quickvit Trainsharp), who won his 10th CTT national 10 mile title in 13 years in England last weekend.
The U23 road and time trial titles will be decided as part of the elite races. The current U23 road race champion, Philip Lavery won his title in Clonmel last year when he claimed bronze in the elite race behind winner Brammeier and silver medallist Roche.
Meanwhile, the women’s racing will see World Track Championship bronze medallist in 2012 Caroline Ryan (Garda CC) in the thick of the action, battling with the defending champion and now US-based professional Melanie Spath (Team TIBCO) and another US-based pro Olivia Dillon (Now Novartis).
Spath and Dillon will perhaps carry the favourite tag into the road race, and Dillon will be favourite in the TT where she will be defending the title she won in Clonmel last year.
Reigning veterans’ road champion Joe Fenlon (Aquablue) has just ridden the Rás and has already won the Tour of Ulster this year so will be favourite to take gold in Carlingford. However, there will be plenty of other riders in the hunt, including Greg Swinand of Usher IRC.
The action will kick off with the TT on the evening of Thursday, June 20th. The race against the clock will take place along the R176 and R173 on a rolling course with a total of 65 metres of climbing. The fast course may see a new national record set, which is currently held by David McCann. McCann in 2008 covered a 40km course in 47:06, an average speed of 51kph.
On Saturday June 22nd, the action switches to road racing for the women’s and veterans' road races.
The circuit for the road race covers laps of a 14.4km route with 61 metres of climbing per lap, on a mixture of both main and rural roads. The route will incorporate some stunning scenery including views of Carlingford Lough and the Cooley and Mourne Mountains, as well as passing through the streets of the medieval village.
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Sunday June 23rd will see the men’s elite road race unfold for the biggest prize of the weekend, with valuable UCI points up for grabs. The race will be contested over a grueling 172km with riders passing through Carlingford village 14 times. The relatively flat circuit should make for an attacking, fast paced race.
Event Order
Wednesday June 12th 2013
23.59 – Entry Closes for Time Trial (All Events)
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Friday June 14th 2013
23:59 – Entry Closes for Road Race (All Events)
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Thursday June 20th 2013 – Time Trial
13:30 – Sign On Opens (For all categories)
13:30 – Bike Check Opens
15:30 – Sign On Closes
15:30 – Bike Check Closes
16:30 – First Rider Starts (Elite Men | Espoir | Elite Women | Tandem | Para Athletes)
19:00 – Presentation of Prizes
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Saturday June 22nd 2013 – Vets Road Race
07.30 – Sign On Opens
09.30 – Sign On Closes
09.30 – Car Draw & Managers Meeting
10.30 – Vets Race Starts
13.30 – Vets Race Finish
13.45 – Presentation of Prizes
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Saturday June 22nd 2013 – Elite Women Road Race
11:15 – Sign On Opens
13:15 – Sign On Closes
13:15 – Car Draw & Managers Meeting
14:15 – Elite Women Race Starts
17:15 – Elite Women Race Finish
17:30 – Presentation of Prizes
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Sunday June 23rd 2013 - Senior R.R Championship incorporating the U 23 Championship
07.30 – Sign On Opens
09.30 – Sign On Closes
09.30 – Car Draw & Managers Meeting
10.30 – Elite Men Race Starts
14.45 – Elite Race Finish
15:15 – Presentation of Prizes
15:45 – Post Race Refreshments
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