Matt Teggart, left, and Mark Downey rode for AC Bisontine together last year but are now in different squads, they have been in action for their teams in France in recent weeks.
News Shorts, March 16th
Nicolas Roche
Fresh from a fantastic ride in Paris-Nice that assisted team mate Geraint Thomas win the race outright, Nicolas Roche has been named in the Team Sky line-up for Volta a Catalunya.
The week-long event, which begins next Monday, signals the return of the Irishman’s team leader Chris Froome from his training camp in South Africa.
And with the likes of Alberto Contador (Tinkoff), Fabio Aru (Astana), and Nairo Quintana (Movistar) down to start the race will be very tough.
Philip Deignan is not in the team for Catalunya and neither he nor Roche ride this weekend’s Milan-Sanremo.
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Team Sky’s selection for Catalunya is made up of Ian Boswell, Chris Froome, Vasil Kiryienka, Mikel Nieve, Wout Poels, Roche, Ben Swift and Geraint Thomas.
Eddie Dunbar
Having recovered from a crash on the second of two stages at the GP Liberty Seguros at the weekend, Eddie Dunbar lined out for Axeon Hagens Berman Cycling Team on Wednesday's opening stage of Volta ao Alentejo.
The 158km stage included a number of climbs but they were too far from the finish to split the field in any lasting way and the honours were decided in a sprint from a much depleted peloton.
Imanol Estevez (Euskadi Basque) won from David De La Fuente (Sporting Clube de Portugal).
Dunbar came home in 34th, some 15 seconds down on the winner as the bunch split a little in the dash to the line.
The Irishman’s team mate Tao Geoghegan was 6th and took the white jersey for best young rider overall.
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Thursday’s stage is 206km from Monforte to Montemor-o-Novo and features a climb right at the finish.
Matt Teggart
Basing himself in France this year where he is riding for AC Bisontine, Matt Teggart took 3rd in the GP Wittenheim at the weekend.
Teggart, who has been selected for the Irish U23 team for Gent-Wevelgem in Belgium next week, handled the crosswinds very well when they blew hard and split the field.
He made it into a front group of 16 riders and though that was whittled down further before the finish, Teggart survived and in the sprint to the line was 4th.
However, he was promoted one place when the rider just ahead of him was disqualified.
Teggart, who started racing with Banbridge CC and rode for the NRPT-Magnet.ie team as a junior, was also 10th in the Critérium du Printemps the previous week.
Mark Downey
Like Teggart, Mark Downey is also in France this year and he is riding for VC Toucy. He enjoyed a good ride in Paris Troyes at the weekend; making the lead group for much of the race.
He was eventually distance in the closing kilometres and came home in 55th place of the 230 starters.
Downey was in the leading group in the final but was caught out a little with his positioning; finding himself near the back of the group as the crosswinds battered the riders late in the day.
With around 2km remaining he ran out of legs and lost contact.
The 169km race was won by Rudy Barbier (Roubaix Lille Metropole) from Baptiste Planckaert (Wallonia) and Pierre Barbier (VC Rouen 76).
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