New to An Post-Chainreaction; Ryan Mullen, Conor Dunne and Marcus Christie will join Jack Wilson (above) for the season opener in France tomorrow.
By Graham Healy
The Irish quartet of Jack Wilson, Ryan Mullen, Marcus Christie and Conor Dunne have been named in the An Post-Chainreaction team for the opening race of the 2014 season, the Grand Prix Cycliste la Marseillaise (UCI 1.1).
The traditional curtain raiser unfolds in France tomorrow, Sunday, over 140km.
The route is an undulating one and while there are only three main climbs to be negotiated there are plenty of lumpy stretches to test the field.
It will be the first time for all four to take part in the race and the first competitive outing in the colours of their new team for Christie, Dunne and Mullen. Wilson is now going into his second season with the Irish team.
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Mullen has already raced this year. Having taken 7th in the individual pursuit at the UCI World Cup in Mexico last month, he appears to be in his usual strong form.
While tomorrow’s race is a completely different proposition to 4km in a velodrome, he rode well in some big UK races with IG Sigma Sport last year and will be looking to show from the start of this season that he has progressed even further over the winter.
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Similarly, Conor Dunne enjoyed some very good form in Belgium for his VL Technics–Abutriek team last year and also took a stage in the An Post Rás back in May as well as medalling in the U23 event at the national time trial championships in June.
Now a very experienced campaigner on the Continent, he too will be looking to impress having just signed for a Continental level team.
Unlike Dunne and Mullen, Marcus Christie has ridden the vast majority of his races against the clock over the past 18 months since he came back from injury. Riding in a large professional bunch against some of the best teams in the world will be a new experience for him tomorrow and he will likely focus on his positioning and learning as much as he can.
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Wilson, the youngest of the four, may be starting into his second season with the squad but as only a second year U23 rider last year he was given a very gentle introduction to European professional racing.
There will be nothing gentle about tomorrow’s chariot race from Allauch to Marseillaise and Wilson will be keen to demonstrate that he can cope in the bigger events and make a contribution to the team effort.
The fifth Irish rider on An Post-Chainreaction’s books, Sean Downey was best of the team in last year’s Grand Prix Cycliste la Marseillaise. He finished in 87th place, 3’45” behind winner Justin Jules (La Pomme Marseille). Downey does not race this weekend.
Amongst the favourites tomorrow will be Sylvain Chavanel, who has moved this season to IAM Cycling. If it comes down to a sprint, double-stage winner in the 2010 Rás John Degenkolb (Team Giant-Shimano) may well take the honours. Ag2R, Lotto Belisol and FDJ are amongst the other World Tour teams taking part.
The next race on An Post-Chainreaction’s agenda will be the five-day Etoile de Besseges, which takes place in the South of France and starts on Wednesday.
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