An Irish team has been selected for the Tokyo 2020 Test Event (1.2) in Japan this weekend.
As the race title suggests, the road
race course for next year’s Olympic Games will be used.
The team has already been acclimatising in Masuda, Japan, before traveling to Tokyo for the race this coming Sunday.
Mark Dowling, who rode so well at the
National Road Championships, is selected from the home racing scene.
He was in the breakaway for much of the champs with eventual gold and silver medal winners Sam Bennett (Bora-hansgrohe) and Eddie Dunbar (Team Ineos).
Related News
Dowling is widely regarded as the best climber on the domestic road racing scene and it is good to see the inclusion of a rider from the domestic peloton in an Irish selection.
The other four riders lining out in the
green of Ireland in Japan are all competing at Continental level this year.
Advertisement
There are two riders from Irish pro team EvoPro Racing in the shape of Mark Downey and Matt Teggart.
And there are also two men from the British Continental team Canyon dhb p/b Bloor Homes; Rory Townsend and Robbie McCarthy.
While the race obviously affords the
Irish riders an opportunity to represent their country, it also offers a unique
look at the Olympic course in racing conditions.
Any information the riders and staff gather may prove invaluable when planning Ireland’s preparations and tactics during the Olympic road race next year.
Robbie McCarthy's vlogs from Japan...
Topics
