Mia Griffin may have relinquished her national road race title today, but she has had some very good news (Photo: Toby Watson)
Mia Griffin rocked up to the National Road Race Championships in Cong, Co Mayo, today, Saturday, and claimed the bronze medal. But the Kilkenny rider already has a bigger goal to focus on next, the Tour de France.
She has been selected to ride her second Tour, by her Dutch World Tour team Picnic PostNL, having made her debut in the event last year riding for Roland Le Dévoluy.
She confirmed the news speaking to stickybottle after her bronze medal ride at the Nationals today.
In last year's Tour, Griffin was riding alongside fellow Irish riders Fiona Mangan (Mayenne Monbana My Pie) and Lara Gillespie (UAE Team ADQ).
All three were making their debuts and it was the first time Ireland ever had any riders in the women's Tour de France.
Advertisement
Related News
This time around, there will definitely be fewer Irish riders in the race. Gillespie has been long ruled out, due to the very hilly route this year, with only one possible chance for the sprinters.
However, Mangan's Mayenne Monbana My Pie is riding the race, meaning the Limerick woman may get the nod.
For Griffin, her selection is of real significance as she is in her first year of a three-year contract with Picnic PostNL.
And the fact she has been given the nod for the Tour reflects the fact she is among the group of riders at the centre of her team's plans, which is a good sign for the next two years.
The Lidl Trek and EF Education-Oatly teams of Ireland's Marine Lenehan and Caoimhe O'Brien will also be in the race when it rolls out of Lausanne for nine stages of racing on August 1st.
While both riders will look to ride the Tour, the world's biggest bike race, in the years ahead, the 2026 edition is perhaps a little too early in their development.
More to come.
