Ireland may have more riders than ever competing for Continental, ProConti and World Tour teams this year but our top amateurs and rising U23s have also been traveling for racing. And they do so again this weekend, to the Rutland-Melton CiCLE Classic in Britain.
There is a very interesting mix of Irish riders down on the start list, with 13 in all due to take on what is regarded as Britain's toughest bike race, of some 177km. It features gravel sectors, 12 in all, and farm tracks across Rutland and East Leicestershire.
The Irish riders will go up against the best of British, with some of our very experienced riders in the field - including the likes of TT specialist George Peden and UCI-ranked race winner Leo Doyle. There are also young Irish riders in the field; some cutting their teeth, others coming into their own.
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The bulk of the Irish are included in the line-ups of Cycling Leinster and Velo Performance U23 Development Team. They are all clearly keen to take in what is regarded as an epic event, on rolly terrain, and are taking advantage of the rare chance to ride a UCI 1.2 event in Britain.
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Conor Dunne, the former Irish road race champion and Vuelta and Giro rider, is the last Irish rider to have won the event; his success coming way back in 2016 as a JLT Condor rider. Ciaran Power - an OIympian and Giro rider - claimed victory in 2008. The Irish riders with their eyes on survival, and perhaps success, this Sunday, include
- George Peden Team PB Performance
- Conor Prendergast Velo Performance U23 Development Team
- Eoghan Lattimore Velo Performance U23 Development Team
- Oisin Ferrity Velo Performance U23 Development Team
- Willem O'Connor Velo Performance U23 Development Team
- Conn Scully Cycling Leinster
- Joe Nathan Matar Cycling Leinster
- James McKenny Cycling Leinster
- Patrick O'Sullivan Cycling Leinster
- Jason Kenny Cycling Leinster
- Jack Conroy Cycling Leinster
- Leo Doyle Atom 6-Decca Continental Team
- Adam Kelly MgK VIS Colors for Peace VPM
It will be interesting to see how Doyle and Kelly do as they have been racing hard in Europe with their teams in recent months while Conroy has been riding the elite scene in Belgium and will have gained experience and condition there.
The Velo Performance team rode very well at Dornan Rás Mumhan, including getting in behind Willem O'Connor as he put in one of the performances of the weekend to ride to 3rd in the final general classification.
Riders like Scully and Matar have been racing very well on the home scene - for Dan Morrissey Pissei and Orwell Wheelers respectively - this season while Peden has the engine to make an impression this weekend.
