Dan Martin should be in the hunt for the world title in Spain, and Ryan Mullen and Eddie Dunbar will also be in the mix in the U123 TT and junior road race (Photo: Stefano Sirotti)
By Gerard Cromwell
Ireland will have one of it’s biggest squads to date at the world road race championships in Ponferrada, Spain, next month.
Ireland has qualified three riders in the elite men’s road race, which is due to take place on a hilly circuit that should suit Dan Martin, who has shown a timely return to form in recent days at the Vuelta a Espana.
While no team selections have been made yet, the other two places in the elite men's race will likely be filled by WorldTour riders Nicolas Roche (Tinkoff Saxo) and Philip Deignan (Sky) although Sam Bennett (NetApp Endura) should also be in the running.
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“It’s great to see Dan Martin return to form ahead of the world championships and whatever the final team selection is, it's safe to say that he will have some strong support from the other two riders," said cycling Ireland CEO Geoff Liffey today.
Ireland has also qualified one rider for the elite men’s individual time trial, with this rider usually selected from one of the road race team.
Ryan Mullen was 7th in the U23 time trial in Florence last year. What can he do next month in Spain?
National road race champion Ryan Mullen (An Post Chain Reaction) looks a dead cert to get one of the three places in the U23 road race and his international performances against the clock see him almost definite to tackle the individual time trial.
But it’s the junior road race championship that gives many Irish fans the most hope of a rainbow jersey in Spain next month.
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With such a good crop of juniors in the country this year, the Irish team would appear to have its best chance of winning a rainbow jersey in the event since Sligo's Mark Scanlon beat a peloton containing Phillippo Pozzatto, Fabian Cancellara, Bradley Wiggins, Geert Steegmans, Yaroslav Popovych, Danielle Bennati, Tom Boonen, Frank Schleck, Michael Albasini and Allan Davis among others in 1998.
“The juniors have performed very well this year to secure the maximum of five riders,” says Liffey.
“It’s a welcome problem to have so many juniors in contention for a slot in the road race and we will also have two ride the junior time trial.”
Those of us around long enough to have seen Scanlon win the world title on his 18th birthday in Valkenburg in 1998 will have noticed the similarities between the then Eire Og rider and a certain Kanturk youngster this year.
Eddie Dunbar has taken some dominant victories both at home and abroad this year and with a full quota of five in the junior road race, the O'Leary Stone rider looks set to lead the Irish charge in the road race.
Ireland could also have three riders in the elite women’s road race and can select up to four junior women for the road race, with a possible two for each of the women’s time trials.
“We’re very pleased to have one of the biggest Irish teams in a number of years going to this world championships,” said Liffey today.
“Having a bigger squad should give the riders more opportunity during each race and while the teams are still to be selected, we look forward to making the full team announcement in the coming weeks.”
Now a very experienced rider internationally and with great form; Eddie Dunbar could pull off a big ride next month.
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