Cycling Ireland has named the Irish U23 and junior teams for the Gent Wevelgem classic races in Belgium this weekend. They include riders with years of experience and others stepping up for the first time at this level. One of the new names is that of Tom Moriarty, above; into the junior line-up after racing very well at U16 level over the last couple of seasons (Photo: George Doyle)
Just two months into the season and the first Irish teams have been named, for the Gent Wevelgem classics in Belgium.
Cycling Ireland has unveiled a selection for the U23 race and one for the junior contest, both taking place this weekend.
Ireland has enjoyed success on the pave of Belgium before of course; Eddie Dunbar winning the U23 Tour of Flanders.
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And the teams selected for this weekend are an interesting mix of newcomers and more experienced riders.
In the junior team, the Ryan brothers - Archie and Will - are selected in the same national set-up for the first time.
While Archie has ridden for Ireland in the past, including at last year's Worlds in Innsbruck, Will deservedly gets his chance now too.
Will and Archie Ryan; the twins ride for Ireland in Belgium in the same national selection.
Will Ryan has been riding well in Spain in recent weeks while Archie claimed the North Tipp Road Race last weekend.
That was his first win since he took victory on the queen stage of the Junior Tour of Wales last August.
Will Ryan's Zappi Racing team mate, and with whom he has already been racing in Europe this year, Shay Donley is also picked.
He enjoyed some impressive success last year, including a stage win at the Junior Tour of Ireland riding on the national team.
Tom Moriarty, from O'Leary Stone Kanturk, gets the nod for the first time having just turned junior this year.
He has ridden very well as a youth rider in recent years. And his 4th place in the recent Lacey Cup against the A1s suggests he can already cope well with the longer harder races.
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Mark Smith (Ciclotel Travel fueled by YPB) is also in the team having been in the junior squad last year. He competed very strongly in the Junior Tour.
Also last season, riding for Sports Room he was part of the line-up that won the elite team pursuit national crown.
Conn McDunphy and Marc Heaney will line out in the U23 Gent Wevelgem this weekend.
The final name in the junior team is an interesting one; that of Finley Newmark. Based in Britain, he declared for Ireland during the winter through his Irish mother.
Newmark has been racing strongly abroad in recent times; taking 2nd in Danilith Nokere Koerse voor Juniores, a UCI 1.1 ranked one-day event, the weekend before last.
And last weekend he claimed 11th in Guido Reybrouck Classic (1.1) junior event, also in Belgium.
In the U23 team, Ben Healy (18) of Team Wiggins gets the call-up having been a junior last year. He won the Irish TT crown in Sligo last June and was 2nd in the road race.
His Wiggins team mate and Irish U23 TT champion Michael O'Loughlin is also in the line-up having ridden the Nations Cup for the past three years.
He is a veteran of two appearances at Tour de l'Avenir and has been riding in Portugal for his trade team in recent weeks. O'Loughlin (22) has the legs to get into the front of the race, as has Healy.
Another man who will look to progress internationally this year is Adam Stenson. Having based himself in Switzerland last year he is currently racing out of Monaco.
Stenson (21) has also ridden the World Road Championships at junior and U23 level and has already ridden the Tour de l'Espoir (2.Ncup) in Cameroon this year with his Monaco team.
Conn McDunphy (22) has also been picked for the U23 team, having ridden the road race at TT at the Worlds and Europeans last year. He is currently racing in France with CC Nogent-sur-Oise.
Luke Smith (20) rode the junior Gent Wevelgem race two years ago and now steps up a level. He was also picked for the junior road race at the Worlds in 2017.
He claimed victory in the Boyne GP on Sunday after 2nd at the Tour of Ards 24 hours earlier; in form at the right time.
And completing the line-up is Marc Heaney (21); a Belgian-based Irish rider who won a great stage at the Tour of Albania (2.2) last year.
Irish teams U23 and Junior Nations Cup
Gent Wevelgem Juniors
- Archie Ryan, Will Ryan, Shay Donley, Tom Moriarty, Mark Smith, Finley Newmark.
Gent Wevelgem U23s
- Adam Stenson, Ben Healy, Michael O'Loughlin, Conn McDunphy, Luke Smith, Marc Heaney.
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