This weekend in Belgium - dubbed 'Opening Weekend' - marks the start of the spring classics period, with the pro riders set to contest Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on Saturday followed by Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne on Sunday.
While Bora-hansgrohe's Irishmen, Sam Bennett and Ryan Mullen, will be missing as they are racing in UAE Tour at present, and Ben Healy (EF Education-EasyPost) is out injured with a broken finger, Ireland will still have some skin in the game this weekend. Four Irish hopefuls are riding the junior version of Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne.
There is no Irish national team in the race but the four young cyclists from Ireland have secured places on Belgian and French teams for this year and will line out for them this weekend.
Darragh Doherty is riding with Belgian squad Flanderscolor-Defever Team while Seth Dunwoody will debut with his new team, Cannibal B Victorious. Patrick Casey is part of the line-up for Belgium's Anexo Group Race Team while Tom Kinsella competes in the colours of French team Team Culture Velo U19.
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The junior race on Sunday will be 116.1km, starting and finishing in Kuurne, and will be a stern test for everyone in the field, even those who rise to the top. There are seven short and sharp categorised climbs, with sections of pavé, which are sure to split the race to pieces.
Of the Irish riders, Dunwoody and Casey have been exposed to a higher level of international racing, including representing Ireland at the European Youth Olympics in Slovakia last year. Both were stand-out U16s and the step up to a race like KBK in Belgium will be huge, but one which they are taking immediately in a bid to keep their development on a rapid trajectory.
Tom Kinsella is a 16-year-old who rode for Panduit Carrick Wheelers last year and won gold, silver and bronze medals at the National Championships in both the TT and criterium as a youth rider.
Darragh Doherty rode as a junior last year for Belfast club VC Glendale. His notable results included 4th in the junior road race at the National Road Championships in Kanturk while he also won the A3-Junior race at the Foyle GP last June.
