Irish U23 Nations Cup teams unveiled for Dutch and French races

Lavery (left) and Bennett (centre) while Buggle (right)

Lavery (left) has team commitments in France while Bennett (centre) and Buggle (right) are both in the Irish line up. All three pictured here on the podium of the U23 National Championships last year. (Photo: Eddie Dawson)

Cycling Ireland has named a six-rider roster for the upcoming U23 Nations Cup races, with An Post-Sean Kelly riders Sean Downey and Sam Bennett to lead the selection for the Dutch and French assignments.

The four-man team for La Cote Picarde one day race in France on April 11^th includes Downey and Bennett along with Aaron Buggle and Connor Dunne.

These four will be joined by Felix English and Jack Wilson for the ZLM Tour in Holland just three days later on April 14^th, where Ireland will have a six-man team.

One notable name absent from the selection is that of Dubliner Philip Lavery. Cycling Ireland said Lavery is riding a race in France that clashes with the upcoming Nations Cup assignment.

Stickybottle understands that while Cycling Ireland had been expecting to get the team into the U23 Tour of Flanders on Sunday week – which is also part of the Nations Cup – Ireland was not successful in securing a place there.

There is also no mention of any team being sent to the Toscana–Terra di Cilismo in Italy from April 17^th to 21^st; which is also part of the Nations Cup series.

The Irish team’s absence from the Italian stage race and from the U23 Tour of Flanders means that of the busy Nations Cup four-race programme in April, Irish riders will be missing from two of those assignments.