Cycling Ireland has named U23 and junior teams for the upcoming Nations Cup races in Belgium, with new names in both line-ups. Conn McDunphy, above, gets the nod for the U23 selection.

Cycling Ireland names Irish teams for Nations Cup

Cycling Ireland has named two national teams for the upcoming Nations Cup U23 and junior international road racing series.

Junior and U23 selections have been revealed for Gent Wevelgem in Belgium on this Sunday, March 25th.

The junior race is the first of the Junior Nations Cup 2018. The U23 event is the second race in the U23 Nations Cup; the Tour de l'Espoir having already taken place.

These Irish teams are comprised of a mix of newcomers to this level and those who have plenty of experience riding in the green of Ireland abroad.

Former Lucan CRC riders and new Holdsworth Pro Cycling men, Conn McDunphy and Dermot Trulock both get a call up for the U23 team.

Willing and able: Daire Feeley in the green of Ireland and junior Cathir Doyle winning the McCann Cup at the weekend (Photos by Sean Rowe and The Belgian Project)

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They ride alongside some very experienced riders who have competed at junior and U23 level for Ireland.

They include Daire Feeley (Monaco Union Cycliste), Darragh O’Mahony (Nogent-sur-Oise), Adam Stenson (Speeder Cycling Team) and Matthew Teggart (Team Wiggins).

The latter, Teggart, is the one with the biggest victory on his palmares; a stage win in the Rás last year where he also held yellow for a day.

But Feeley, O'Mahony and Stenson are also very classy riders who have shown good form abroad of late.

In the junior selection, the success of the PowerHouseSport project in Ireland over the last 12 to 18 months is very clear to see.

Of the six riders picked, three are from that team; Cathir Doyle, Breandan Flannagan and Adam Ward.

Another top Irish junior team, NRPT-Chill Insurance has two men in the team; Liam Curley and Aaron Doherty.

And last, but by no means least is PJ Doogan. He performed very well in the green of Ireland last when team mate Ben Walsh had the race lead in the Junior Tour and now he will hopefully get a chance to show his worth.

U23 Gent Wevelgem