Colm Cassidy will go to the line as one of the favourites for the elite men's National Time Trial Championships in Omagh, Co Tyrone. The Aquablue man was runner-up 12 months ago and has been clocking some superb times lately. However, he can expect a stern challenge from over half a dozen others (Photo: Sean Rowe)
By Brian Canty
Ryan Mullen is the big favourite to land back-to-back U23 time-trial titles tomorrow night as this year’s National Road Championships get underway in Omagh, Co Tyrone.
The An Post-Chainreaction man was quickest of the entire field in the decider 12 months ago.
However, because he was riding the U23 event, he was only eligible for that title. The elite gold medal went to Michael Hutchinson (InGear).
It’s the same scenario this time around, with Mullen favourite to be quickest but not in the running to be elite champion.
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Hutchinson only beat Colm Cassidy, then of UCD CC, by four seconds in the elite race last year. And this year the UK-based champion is not defending his title.
Sean Hahessy can cement his rapidly growing reputation with another national championships medal tomorrow evening. A top ride could also book his U23 TT place at the World Championships and European Championships (Photo: Sean Rowe)
It means Dubliner Cassidy, who may have beaten Hutchinson anyway on tomorrow evening, will be one of the favourites to take the elite title. However, there are a number of other genuine contenders for gold.
Martyn Irvine (Madison Genesis) went 10 seconds slower than Cassidy last year and one imagines he's closed that gap.
The former world track champion had not prepared for last year’s TT title race; to such extent he had not sat on a time trial bike for almost two years.
If Irvine can get the power down tomorrow evening a man of his calibre is going to be very hard to stop. But, as well as Cassidy, one man who could claim gold is Ian Richardson (UCD CC).
He's on a high since his stunning An Post Rás display where he bagged a top 10 overall last month and won the county rider classification.
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Irvine on his way to elite bronze in Westmeath 12 months ago despite no preparation leading up to the event. A former world champion on the track, the elite gold is well within his reach (Photo: Stephen McMahon - Sportsfile)
He was sixth in the time trial championships last year and having improved hugely since then he must be closing in on an elite medal.
He would need the planets to align for him to become champion. But a medal is a much more realistic goal.
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Connor McConvey (Team 3M), Damien Shaw (Team ASEA) and Marcus Christie (Bissell ABG Giant) won't be taking part to make up the numbers.
It will be especially interesting to see how Christie goes.
He's ridden the World U23 TT Championships in the past and last year set some eye watering times against the clock on home roads.
Marcus Christie is among that small group of riders gunning for medals in the elite race tomorrow evening (Photo: Toby Watson)
He is tipped by many to take a medal tomorrow evening, but if his form is at or near its best and he feels good on the night, he could become champion.
Most likely to challenge Mullen in the U23 race are Sean Hahessy (Fitscience), former national junior time-trial champions Eddie Dunbar (NFTO) and Mark Downey (Banbridge CC) as well as Daniel Stewart (Phoenix CC) and Sean McKenna (Aquablue).
Hahessy was runner-up last year, over two minutes back. And Stewart took bronze after coming in a further minute in arrears.
Fitscience's Hahessy is already an U23 road international.
He could find himself racing against the clock in the green of Ireland at the European Championships and/or World Championships with a big ride in Omagh; such a performance would certainly put him in the frame.
A former junior time trial champion, it will be very interesting to see how Eddie Dunbar does against the watch in his first year riding the U23 contest (Photo: Stephen McMahon – Sportsfile)
But in the race for U23 gold, it would take something extraordinary for Mullen not to win even if he's not at his best.
His eighth place finish at the inaugural European Games last week indicates he's in great form.
And having won silver in the U23 TT at the World Road Championships last year, the assertion tomorrow night's U23 test is a contest for silver could in no way be seen as disrespectful to the others in the field.
And that scrap for U23 silver and bronze behind Mullen, coupled with the fight for all three medals in the elite event, sets the scene for one of the most exciting and open men’s national tests for years.
Other’s in the men’s field capable of pulling a special ride out of the bag include Sean McIntyre (Caldwell Cycles Omagh), Bryan McCrystal (Team ASEA) and Conor McIlwaine (AAA Cycling).
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