James Davenport underlined his class when taking the county rider prize on a testing stage 5 of the An Post Rás into Clonakility. He now moves from South Dublin CC to a beefed up DID Dunboyne (Photo: George Doyle)
The DID Dunboyne squad has been further enhanced by the news that one of the top county riders in last year’s An Post Rás has joined it for the coming season.
James Davenport, formerly of South Dublin CC, will race in the familiar blue and red of the Meath team alongside the likes of established riders Mark Dowling, Eugene Moriarty, Stephen O’Sullivan, Javan Nulty and Timmy O’Regan.
Also moving from South Dublin CC to DID Dunboyne with Davenport is Craig Arrigan.
And just last month former national junior road race champion Fintan Ryan confirmed he would also be in the team this year, having moved on from the junior development Nicolas Roche Performance Team.
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Related reading: James Davenport laps field for solo win at Stephen Roche GP from Morton & Ahern
Davenport, in black, on his way to victory at the Stephen Roche GP in south Dublin last summer (Photo: Dermot Cooney Photography)
First year physiotherapy student Davenport said he will again target the An Post Rás, with racing before the eight-day geared towards preparing for it.
He will skip the Tour of Ulster over the May Bank Holiday weekend as it clashes with college exams.
But after that it will be a case of full steam ahead for the country’s showpiece stage race and the summer months.
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Last year proved something of a breakthrough season for Davenport as he claimed a county rider prize on one of the most difficult days in the Rás.
There, he came to the line with Aquablue CC man Sean Lacey and just about held off the Kerryman for what he termed the highlight of his cycling career to date.
Related reading: “I emptied the tank at the finish, I’d nothing left. But I really wanted that county prize”
A Cycling Leinster team mate of overall victor Mark Dowling’s at the Suir Valley Three Day, Davenport did great work on the final climb and looked delighted with the result for the team (Photo: Dc Images)
Over 50 riders were almost half an hour down on that leg-breaking stage 5 from Caherciveen to Clonakilty, underlining the quality of Davenport's ride.
He would eventually finish 5th best county rider overall at 13 minutes.
He proved himself again later in the season when he claimed a marvellous win in the Stephen Roche GP in south Dublin.
And his consistency was rewarded when he wore the Cycling Leinster jersey at the Suir Valley Three-Day, helping teammate Mark Dowling win the overall.
We'll have an interview with Davenport in the coming days.
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