Ryan Mullen, above, took the senior and U23 national road race title's last year for An Post-Chainreaction in Multyfarnham.
But who are the most likely men to feature in the titke race tomorrow, Sunday, in Omagh?
Here we profile the men most likely to shape the race and take the medals.
Matt Brammeier (MTN-Quebeka)
He is the out-and-out favourite for Sunday's elite national road race in Omagh. The Liverpool-born Irishman is in cracking form at the moment and will be looking for road title number five.
With the exception of last year where he missed the decisive break, he won the title race every year from 2010 to 2013.
Having been overlooked for selection to ride the Tour de France by his team he's recently ridden the Tour of Luxembourg - going close to a stage win, while last Sunday marked his biggest ever professional win when he claimed the final stage of the ZLM Tour.
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He's the man to beat this weekend.
Sean Downey (An Post-Chainreaction)
Downey was forced out of the Rás after falling ill just before the event but had recovered sufficiently to ride the European Games in Baku last weekend.
He is one of the very strong Irish riders just below that small group competing at WorldTour and ProContinental level.
He took silver last year behind team mate Ryan Mullen and is definitely well capable of becoming champion tomorrow.
Damien Shaw (Team ASEA)
The Mullingar man has once again been one of the stars of the domestic scene, winning almost at will.
The worry for Shaw is that for many of his wins he wasn't tested enough, something he's spoken about before.
He was third – behind Matt Brammeier and Philip Lavery - two years ago in Carlingford and should push for a medal again.
He was seventh last year but had a teammate up the road which militated against him going across.
Shaw went close to stage wins on three consecutive days at the Rás last month and if he's got legs like those on tomorrow he can definitely win.
Paidi O'Brien (Osbourne Meats-McCarthy Cycles)
O'Brien has won national titles all the way up from underage but the one that eludes his collection is an elite road race gold.
He's been on the podium more times than he cares to remember - twice runner-up and third three times - but we think he'd give all that silver and bronze up for one gold.
He was third last year and should be there or thereabouts again. If it comes to a sprint of any kind he'll be hard to bet against.
Martyn Irvine (Madison Genesis)
Another big, big favourite who looks to be on something of a mission on the road this year.
He rode a very good Rás, challenging overall and going close to a couple of stage wins.
His best result at a nationals is second in the U23 race back in 2007 but has never stood on the podium for the elite race.
He'll be hell-bent on changing that statistic tomorrow.
Conor Dunne (An Post Chainreaction)
This has been an excellent season for Conor Dunne in many respects.
He's been injury-free, getting stuck in in almost every race and has definitely raised his game this year. The only thing he needs now is a big win.
And being one of the strongest riders in the strongest team in the race will give him every chance.
If he's to win it's probably going to come in a similar fashion to how he won his first major race - that opening day at the Rás two years ago when he was victorious from a two-man late breakaway.
The course lends to that kind of a final; a solo winner from a late attack.
That demands a strong rider with big power. Dunne can do something like that.
Ryan Mullen (An Post Chainreaction)
Could he become the first man to hold the U23 elite time trial and road race titles? In a word, yes.
Mullen looks in mean form right now as the second half of the season looms.
He will need no reminding of what the national jersey does for profile.
And if he is to move on from An Post Chainreaction at the end of the year, a national jersey on his back will do his chances of that no harm at all.
Connor McConvey (Team 3M)
He has been keeping a low-profile but we suggest that will change this weekend.
The Belfast man has had a consistent season with Belgian outfit Team 3M and he's desperate to move up a level to Pro Continental.
He was forced out of the ZLM Tour on the opening stage which isn't ideal preparation but he's been mixing it with many WorldTour riders on the continent all year.
He is a definite medal contender and has ridden very well lately in the Tour of Belgium where he was up the road.
Eddie Dunbar (NFTO)
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Anyone who's been following Dunbar's progress will know that anything is possible with him.
The distance won't be an issue for him, but will he mind himself for the latter stages of the race before launching his trademark attack, or will he try and go up the road from the gun?
The former tactic worked a treat up until last year, but it probably won't work at this level.
The field will be hoping he'll take off early and blow.
But having ridden so well in the time trial in Thursday night, where he was beaten in the TT title race but only Mullen, he goes into tomorrow in what looks like the form of his life.
Bryan McCrystal (Team ASEA)
Two powerhouses like team mates McCrystal and Shaw could create absolute carnage on a circuit that isn't so hilly.
They'll have no issues getting over the undulations and will work well as team mates.
McCrystal made the break last year and finished fourth, an incredible result.
We think he's on a mission to make up for his harrowing so-near-yet-so-far at the Rás on stage two.
Sean McKenna
The country's most prolific winner this year deserves huge respect and he'll pose a big threat to the best of them.
He can climb and sprint, jump across gaps and read races very well.
We think he has every right to be confident of silverware.
David Montgomery (Team 3M)
One of the finds of the season so far, Montgomery seems to do better in the harder events.
He won the elite national cyclocross title this year and rode his debut Rás.
He also represented Ireland in the Nations Cup in April so he definitely has the ability.
Experience is all he lacks now.
Daniel Stewart
Coming into form at the right time and could be another dark horse.
He's been based in France and Majorca for much of the year, getting some quality track and road miles in.
Mark Dowling (DID Dunboyne)
Dowling has won many of Ireland’s biggest races but has never taken a medal in the elite road race championships.
He would have liked a hilly circuit than that in store for the riders tomorrow but the event will still be very hard. It should split, with the strong men coming to the top and Dowling is capable of being among them.
He had a quieter Rás than last year but was still in the mix for a stage win and took the Tour of Ulster this year as well as the Des Hanlon Classic.
If he brings his best form into tomorrow’s race he is a genuine medal contender.
Marcus Christie (Bissell-ABG-Giant)
Now racing in the US having departed the An Post-Chainreaction team after one season last year, Christie’s form is an unknown quantity.
His 6th place in Thursday night’s TT was by no means the best he is capable of in what is his speciality event.
But Christie has the king of engine that might drive a breakaway from a long way out and if he managed to get out of the bunch in a small group of strong men, he is capable of bagging a really good result.
Stephen Clancy (Novo Nordisk)
He made the winning escape last year and while he would fade out of the medal positions when the breakaway fractured in the closing stages he is now another year stronger.
And he also has another year under his belt of being exposed to very tough international pro racing.
Like Christie, if he made a breakaway he may find himself in a position to the closing stages to make an impact.
Philip Deignan (Team Sky)
Last but not least is the Team Sky man who has never won the national road race.
Irish fans will get a rare treat of seeing the Donegal man race on home roads.
And if they're lucky he'll make the break and illustrate in the flesh just why he's so well regarded by the world's biggest pro team.
His role in the team means he rarely gets a chance to chase his own results but because he's on his own this weekend he'll not be one for waiting or chasing.
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