Irish team for Flanders World Champs: Mix of pros and domestic riders selected

Eddie Dunbar Alps Tour de l'Avenir — *Eddie Dunbar makes a welcome return for Ireland at the World Road Championships in Flanders*

The Irish team for the World Road Championships, in Flanders next week, has been named by Cycling Ireland. A mix of professional riders and those who mainly race on the domestic scene makes up the team.

For the men’s road race team, Eddie Dunbar makes a welcome return to action. He has been out of action since the Olympics due to a positive Covid-19 test result that forced him to miss La Vuelta with Ineos Grenadiers.

Sam Bennett, who rode the Europeans and will be in action for his trade team this weekend, is also named as is national team stalwart Ryan Mullen.

Rory Townsend, front right, is named in the Irish team for the Worlds after a very strong ride the the Tour of Britain where he spent a day in the breakaway and also took three top 10s in stages (Photo: SWpix.com)

Rory Townsend also gets a well deserved place on the Irish team for the Worlds after a brilliant ride at the Tour of Britain last week.

Mullen will also ride the TT, with Marcus Christie also getting the nod for the elite men’s race against the watch. Christie has been in flying form in TTs this year on the home scene and he will be making his elite debut for Ireland at these Worlds.

Just one woman has been picked onto the elite women’s team; Megan Armitage. She has made incredible progress this year racing mainly in Belgium.

*Megan Armitage has enjoyed a breakthrough season and now she is rewarded with a place on the Irish team for the World Championships in Flanders next week*

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Armitage has developed to a level where she is forcing winning breakaways riding against pros and has taken victory in recent months in Belgium.

The U23 road race sees a small but strong team named; Ben Healy selected with Dillon Corkery and Adam Ward. Healy will also ride the U23 TT, along with Kevin McCambridge.

On the junior scene, four have been named on the men’s team for the Worlds; Darren Rafferty, Ronan O'Connor, Conal Scully and Dean Harvey. As was the case with the Europeans, Rafferty and Scully with also ride the junior TT.

Erin Creighton has been riding very strongly this year and now she is set to line out in the women's junior road race at the Worlds (Photos with thanks to Sharon McFarland)

Two junior women are selected for the road race in
Flanders, with Aoife O’Brien, the sole Irish junior who rode the Europeans,
named again. And this time she is joined by Erin Grace Creighton.

Like O’Brien, Creighton is one of Ireland’s rapidly rising riders who has excelled racing against the elites on the home scene this year. Creighton has already ridden for Ireland at the European Track Championships this season.

More to come.

Irish team for Flanders Worlds

Elite Men’s Road Race: Sam Bennett, Eddie Dunbar, Rory Townsend, Ryan Mullen.
Elite Men’s Time Trial: Ryan Mullen, Marcus Christie.
Elite Women’s Road Race: Megan Armitage.
U23 Men’s Road Race: Ben Healy, Dillon Corkery, Adam Ward.
U23 Men’s Time Trial: Ben Healy, Kevin McCambridge.
Junior Men’s Road Race: Darren Rafferty, Ronan O'Connor, Conal Scully, Dean Harvey.
Junior Men’s Time Trial: Darren Rafferty, Conal Scully.
Junior Women’s Road Race: Erin Grace Creighton, Aoife O'Brien