Glenn Kinning has suddenly been cast into the position of hot favourite; we profile the men with other ideas (Photo: Toby Watson)
By Brian Canty
Following the forced withdrawal of race favourite Robin Seymour (Expert Cycles), tomorrow's elite men's National Cyclocross Championships in Swords, north Dublin, could be won by upwards of half a dozen riders.
Seymour confirmed this afternoon he had to pull out of the title decider due to a chest infection, and that now leaves the door open for a new champion to emerge.
It will be the first time in over two decades that someone other than Seymour and reigning champion Roger Aiken (Team ASEA) will take the title, which makes tomorrow's main event all the more intriguing.
Aiken will not be there tomorrow as he is opting to save himself for the road racing season and has not competed at all off road in recent months.
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Defending U23 champion, Matt Adair can influence the outcome of the elite race never mind the U23 contest (Photo: Toby Watson)
Glenn Kinning (Kinning Cycles) scooped a bronze medal last year and the reigning Ulster champion must surely be the favourite for the gold medal now.
Having had a great season, he was regarded as the man who would push Seymour closest and perhaps get past him for gold before the 18-time champion withdrew.
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Kinning has received a favourable grid position right at the front and his recent experience racing the UCI World Cup in Milton Keynes in the UK should stand to him.
Two others who raced that same event and should be right in the mix are David Montgomery (Chainreaction Cycles) and Tim O'Regan (DID Dunboyne).
A classy and determined rider, can Sean O’Tuathail take a medal in the elite event for Bray Wheelers? (Photo: Sean Rowe)
Sean O’Tuathail (Bray Wheelers), Sean Feeney (DLCO-Scott) and Evan Ryan (Team WORC) are a strong tri and all are capable of imposing themselves.
Barry Kellett (Dromara CC) should be there or thereabouts and defending U23 champion Matt Adair (XMTB McConvey) is also well capable of influencing the outcome.
Two more impossible to overlook are 18-year-old Darnell Moore (Caldwell Cycles) and Graham Boyd (XMTB McConvey Cycles).
Of all of those, Moore, Montgomery and Adair are in the running for the U23 title and the battle for that title within the combined elite and U23 event should be a fantastic contest in itself.
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