The Irish men’s team entered into the World Road Championships in Italy next week looks like the strongest national team line-up for years.
However, while the names of the six Irish male riders have been listed on the official UCI entry list for the men’s road race and TT in Imola, this is a provisional selection.
Cycling Ireland had made no announcement at the time of writing and it is very likely that Sam Bennett (Deceuninck-QuickStep), Nicolas Roche (Team Sunweb) and Dan Martin (Israel Start-Up Nation) will make a final call on their participation in the Worlds only after the Tour de France.
Eddie Dunbar (Ineos Grenadiers) is also named in the line-up but he fractured a collarbone in Tirreno Adriatico last week.
Whether he would return to racing so soon, and do so for his nation rather than his trade team, also remains to be seen.
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Also named in the selection are Ryan Mullen (Trek-Segafredo) and young U23 Ben Healy; the Trinity Racing rider and Tour de l’Avenir stage winner named on the provisional team for the elite men’s road race having just turned 20-years-old last week.
Roche and Mullen are both down to ride the TT, which takes place next Thursday before the road race three days later; Sunday week.
However, it should be stressed that this is a provisional line-up and how many of these riders go on to actually compete in the Worlds - which features a very hilly road race - will only become clear in coming days.
While the provisional women’s entry list was also published by the UCI, no Irish women feature on it.
Men’s road race, provisional team: Ryan Mullen, Ben Healy, Nicolas Roche, Dan Martin, Sam Bennett, Eddie Dunbar.
Men’s TT provisional team: Nicolas Roche, Ryan Mullen.
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