Cormac Clarke, leading above, and Thomas Fallon are elite track and U23 road internationals and are now bound for the same new team in Belgium (Photo: Martine Verfaillie)
Irish U23 internationals Thomas Fallon and Cormac Clarke have signed for top Belgian amateur team Illi-Bikes CT for 2015.
Both are currently preparing for the next round of the UCI Track World Cup which takes place next weekend in London.
They will link up with their new team in the New Year.
It’s a good move for the duo who have already experienced racing on the Continent and should have little difficulty adjusting to life in their adopted country.
Newry’s Clarke was runner up to Jack Wilson (An Post-Chainreaction) in the U23 national road race championships last year.
This year he raced mainly in Belgium so will not be starting afresh there next season.
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Fallon already has considerable experience in a green jersey and racing on the roads abroad (Photo: Gary McIlroy)
He and Fallon are currently part of Cycling Ireland’s elite team pursuit squad with Javan Nulty (DID Dunboyne), Martyn Irvine (Unitedhealthcare) and Ryan Mullen (An Post-Chainreaction).
And with Irvine out of competition at the moment due to a broken collarbone, it looks like Fallon and Clarke are both assured a start in London rather than one possibly travelling as a reserve.
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Fallon has ridden on the track and the road for the Irish juniors and is also adapting well to life on the boards in the elite national set-up.
He rode for the Vacansoleil development team in recent years, having impressed on trial there in the winter of 2012.
He will be hopeful of staying clear of the injuries that have at times blighted his progress in the U23 ranks and if he can manage that he should develop well.
Clarke on his way to the silver medal in the U23 race at the national road championships last year in the colours of Newry Wheelers (Photo: Toby Watson)
Both will be in contention next year to gain selection for the U23 national road race squad.
The busiest period for the U23s on the road is April when the Nations Cup international series of events moves into top gear.
The Irish team will ride the Tour of Flanders in Belgium, the Cote de Picardie in France and the ZLM Tour in the Netherlands in the space of a week.
Fallon’s and Clarke’s new team includes riders from the UK, Australia, Belgium and now Ireland.
The team has a programme featuring both elite and U23 racing, with the traditional Belgian kermesse circuit set to keep the Irish pair on their toes. They will also ride a number of stage races in Belgium.
They will likely return home for the An Post Rás in May and ride some other races in Ireland, including the national road race and track championships.
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