Lara Gillespie goes into this season now one of the biggest stars Irish cycling has ever produced, but looking to take another step up (Photo: FacePeeters)
Lara Gillespie (UAE Team ADQ) already has her first big results in the bag this season and now one of the stars of the pro scene last year is set to lead the charge for Ireland on 'Opening Weekend' in Belgium.
For Gillespie, her rapid ascent last year means she goes to the line this weekend with much bigger expectations on her shoulders. She can win some of these major events this year, even something like Omloop Nieuwsblad (1.WWT) where she be in action tomorrow, Saturday.
However, while many Irish cycling fans will be keeping a close eye on the Wicklow woman, such is the quality of our pro group at present that we also have national champion Mia Griffin (Picnic PostNL) and Fiona Mangan (Mayenne Monbana My Pie) in action.
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Griffin, with pro wins and World Tour podium results in her palmarés, will do damage again this year, though she will need to fit into team plans to a greater extent, while also getting her own chances in some races.
She lines out tomorrow, as one of three Irish riders, for 137.2km of classic spring racing over the cobbles and bergs of East Flanders.
Mangan, a Tour de France breakaway rider last year, may be one for a breakaway tomorrow as she completes the Irish trio in the race; the same riders who last year became the first Irish women to ever ride the Tour.
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The Limerick woman, and her team, go into this event in the knowledge an early breakaway won the day last year - taking 1st and 2nd.
And though many of the really big guns are lining out - Demi Vollering (FDJ United-SUEZ) and Lotte Kopecky (Team SD Worx-Protime) to name just two - Gillespie is now counted among that group. And she may be in the centre of it by the time this season is done.
She took two 2nd places at the UAE Tour earlier this month, so the form is good. She has since taken in a training camp. Tomorrow's race, with its repeated short climbs, perhaps suits her least of the events she now faces into in what is a big block of racing. But a good performance would really shore up her confidence.
On Sunday, Gillespie and Mangan move on to Fenix Omloop van het Hageland (1.1), where Gillespie was 2nd last year to Femke Gerritse (Team SD Worx-Protime), and where an Irish win is possible.
They will be joined on Sunday by young Aoife O'Brien (DAS-Hutchinson) for her season debut. And having got up the road for over 100km at Tour of Flanders last season, expect to see her jumping around and looking for a good move to get herself into.
On Monday, Gillespie and Griffin will be once again in action for their teams, in Le Samyn des Dames (1.1). Gillespie was 3rd there last year, in the 20-rider sprint that settled the honours; victory going to Lorena Wiebes (Team SD Worx-Protime).
Ryan Mullen (NSN Cycling Team) will be in action in the men's Omloop Nieuwsblad tomorrow and in Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne on Sunday, where Irish road race champion Rory Townsend (Unibet Rose Rockets) will also be on the start line.
