Cycling Ireland has opened the process of seclecting national teams – junior, U23 and elite – for the European Road Championships in France in October. And given the level of racing in all categories, the national governing body wants riders who have spent a significant amount of time racing in Europe recently.
While funding has, at times, been an issue in recent years for Cycling Ireland, and has been a factor in some selection decisions, the concept of riders self-funding for these Europeans, or any other trips on international duty, is ruled out.
“Sometimes between the UCI and UEC both the timing, the courses, and locations require us to make choices where we place our resources in any given year for a major road championships,” said Cycling Ireland’s high performance director Iain Dyer.
“Last year was all about Zurich Road Worlds for all the categories, whereas this year we are splitting between Euros and Worlds. This year’s Euro courses look very challenging and some key elevations may potentially shape the races.
“Riders that have a good track record of turning climbs into opportunities will be well suited to these courses for the road racing, and even the lumpy TT courses will offer a challenge, particularly in the finishing section.”
This year the Worlds are on in Rwanda in late September and the Euorpeans take place in France in early October. Because of the tight scheduling, and the fact the course in Rwanda is so hilly and at altitude, only an elite men’s team is being selected for Rwanda.
However, the selection for the Europeans – in Ardéche and Drome in southern France – will see men’s and women’s teams being picked and Ireland is expected to be represented across the junior, U23 and elite categories.
In-keeping with recent selection policy, and a sign of the way international cycling has gone, a key component of the selection process is international experience this year. That is clearly stated in the selection document issued as expressions of interest are now being invited from riders.
The document states: “Such is the increasing competitiveness of continental and world championships cycling, an individual submitting an expression of interest for major championships selection will, in most cases, be expected to have competed successfully at international level for that or the preceding season in their discipline(s) or have demonstrated a significant trajectory towards achieving internationally competitive standard.”
The expression of interest form to be completed by riders is available at this link. The process is now open and riders have until midnight on August 31st.
While the expressions of interest process is obviously aimed at riders who want to be selected for the Europeans, it is a very useful way for any rider to show their interest in racing for Ireland, even if their chances of selection this time around are slim.
