The Gorey Three Day gets underway on Saturday morning with the field of some 180 riders set to tackle three road stages.
It’s always difficult to predict a winner, but one thing for certain is that whoever does emerge with the yellow jersey on Monday will be one to keep an eye on for the future.
Dan Martin, Mark Scanlon and Philip Lavery are just some of those who’ve won it. Who’s your money on this weekend?
Here are some of riders we believe will be up there pushing for stage wins and the yellow jersey. (Photo by Amy-Norah Farrell)
Irish junior team
The Irish junior selection had been down to travel to Belgium for Gent-Wevelgem as part of the junior Nations Cup this week.
But while the U23 still travels, it was decided to withdraw the junior team after the terrorist attacks in Belgium during the week.
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So instead they ride the Gorey Three Day. The team is made up of Jake Gray (above), Luke Smith, Marc Heaney, Robert O’Leary, Tom Knight and Xeno Young.
Individually any one of them could do a lot of damage but as a team they will be hard to beat if they stick together, make the right choices and enjoy a bit of luck needed in the Gorey. (Photo: Stephen McMahon - Sportsfile)
Darragh Campbell (Drogheda Wheelers)
The Drogheda teenager had a memorable 2015 were he rode his debut An Post Rás with the Novo Nordisk development team.
That was an amazing experience for the young man and he’s back again this year, training hard and intent on a good season.
With the backing of Dermot Healy, Barry Hughes, Ciarán Campbell and Alan Andrews this weekend he could push for a big win. (Photo: Sean Rowe)
Pawel Jezowski (Team Bikeworx Celbridge)
A winner of the Lucan GP last weekend, Jezowski (in navy blue) looks to be on some good form at the moment.
He’s from a well-known sporting family in Poland where his brother has ridden professionally on the road.
He’s a bit of an unknown but the lads in Bikeworx Celbridge have been raving about him, enough for us to keep an eye on him this weekend.
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Cathal Purcell (Carrick Wheelers)
The Carrick-on-Suir man, right, has been going well of late, was placed in the Tommy Sheehan Memorial recently and has been up in some good company.
He won the Paddy Flanagan Memorial last year and is one of the most promising juniors in the country now.
This weekend is a good chance for him to really announce himself. (Photo with thanks to DC Images)
Cameron McIntyre (NRPT Magnet.ie)
The talented Lisburn man, left, was 10th in the Wallace Caldwell last weekend and third in the Danny Boy Races a week previously.
He rode a full cyclocross season, took second in the national championships and has been a constant threat since he made the transition to the road.
He didn’t make the Irish team for this weekend’s Gent-Wevelgem Nations Cup race in Belgium so he’ll be motivated to prove he deserved a shot, even though that team did not travel and will ride the Gorey instead. (Photo: Marian Lamb – UlsterCyclingNews)
Conor McCann (ASEA-Wheelworx)
The big Bellaghy man was a late entrant to the race and though he won’t have the benefit of a team, he has more than enough talent to make up for it.
He’s yet to win this year but he’s challenged in sprints a few times – not bad considering his horrific crash last year when travelling to a race. (Photo: The Belgian Project)
Dillon Corkery and Ronan Tuomey (Cork Giant)
The Cork Giant team will look to these two for results but have some of its riders in the Irish team on the race.
Corkery and Tuomey were second and third in the Tommy Sheehan Memorial last week, a race won by teammate Robert O’Leary.
Corkery can sprint and Tuomey can go long. Granted, they’re in at the deep-end here as first-year juniors but well able for it. (Photo: Sean Rowe)
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