With five of the country’s best riders out of the race for different reasons yet upwards of 170 riders in the field, this year’s Suir Valley promises to be one of the most open of recent times.
Sean McKenna and Mark Dowling are both on international duty in the Kreiz Breizh Elite race in France, Damien Shaw is still out with a broken collar bone, Bryan McCrystal is away while Paddy Clarke is sick.
So who will be crowned 2015 winner and join a winner’s list that includes Dowling, Thomas Martin, Sam Bennett, Barry Twohig and Connor McConvey, amongst others?
Michael O’Loughlin (NRPT-Magnet.ie)
One of the stars of the race last year was first-year junior Michael O’Loughlin. The race will be a key part of his build-up for the World Championships in September and it’ll surprise nobody if he takes a stage win. The final stage is one where he’ll come into his own. (Photo: Sean Rowe)
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Colm Cassidy (Aquablue)
Looks to be flying at the moment and was leader on the road for a spell last year when he took off up the road with Joe Fenlon. Though he was eventually reeled in it was a brave move nonetheless. He’s one of several Aquablue cards this weekend.
Eoin Morton (UCD CC)
A man who can justifiably feel aggrieved not to be on Irish duty this weekend in France but he can atone for that here. He made a brilliant bid for stage glory on stage four last year but was reeled in late on and if he’s got anything like the legs he had at the Tour of Ulster he should challenge. He’s won the Bobby Crilly Classic and the Cicli Sport GP this year and is ranked fifth in the country at present. (Photo: Marian Lamb - Cycling Ulster)
Páidí O’Brien (Osbourne Meats/McCarthy Cycles)
The three-time Ras Mumhan stage winner has a good record here and as well as being a former stage winner he’s got a good record of challenging for GC. He’s won stages in 2012 and 2013 – the latter when he beat eventual winner Sam Bennett on day one. Expect him to challenge again.
Chris Reilly (Team ASEA)
Last year’s King of the Mountains classification winner usually comes good again this time of the year and after a very good season so far he’ll be looking to end it on a high. His team have been to the fore in almost every race this year and in the absence of Shaw and McCrystal it might be his time to shine. (Photo: Sean Rowe)
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Sean Lacey (Aquablue)
Missed the race last year but has a good pedigree in it having won the inaugural event in 2007. He’s been consistent again this year and will have the backing of the strongest team in the race, one that includes guest riders ex-internationals Marcus Christie and Aaron Buggle.
Fraser Duncan (Team ASEA)
Has only one win to his name this year, the Red Hand trophy, but this kind of course looks very good for him. He rode a very good An Post Ras again and like Aquablue, he’ll have an excellent team in Ali Macaulay and Adam Armstrong they won’t lack quality.
Martin Mizgajski (Waterford Racing Team ‘B’)
It’s a few years since he contended here but in 2012 he went within a whisker of denying Barry Twohig the win. The Polish man, living in Wexford, is a superb climber and will look to impose himself on the KOM jersey, at least. (Photo: Sean Rowe)
Dillon Byrne (Champions Systems-VCUK)
The opening stage winner from last year who held the yellow jersey up until the final day is back for another crack again. He’s got the backing of a strong team again and will have learnt valuable lessons from last year. In the end, he probably paid for being too aggressive in the early part of the final stage last year and that cost him on the final climb when Dowling danced away.
Ed Laverack (JLT Condor)
He was eighth overall at the Kerry group Ras Mumhan back in April and went close to a couple of stage wins as well. His best result of the season, however, was third on stage 6 of the An Post Ras ahead of Mark Dowling and behind Damien Shaw. He’ll be one to watch this weekend. (Photo: Jerry Rafferty)
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