Cycling Ireland has decided not to send an Irish team to the European Cyclocross Championships in Belgium next month. The riders who were in the mix for selection have also been informed a team may not be sent to the Worlds early next year.
The decision comes just over one month after the national governing body decided it would not send any elite, U23 or junior riders to the World Road Championships in Australia, citing a lack of finances and the costs associated with going to the championships. However, the cost of going to cyclocross Europeans and Worlds would be much lower as they are being staged closer to home.
Stickybottle understands the top Irish cyclocross riders were informed today, Wednesday, that no team was being picked for the Europeans, which will take place in Namur the weekend after next. The World Cyclocross Championships in Hoogerheide, Netherlands, take place during the first weekend of February and the riders have been informed a team may not been selected.
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The news will come as a disappointment to the riders, especially the juniors and U23s, as those categories are very competitive at present. Many of the riders had also gone to race abroad in a bid to ride harder events.
The lack of a team being sent to the Europeans also comes as a round of the UCI World Cyclocross World Cup is about to be hosted in Dublin, with those races taking place on the second weekend of December.
Cycling Ireland's chief executive Matt McKerrow has welcomed the World Cup's visit to the Irish capital, saying cyclocross in Ireland was "growing in popularity and lends itself nicely to the natural environment in Ireland".
Comment from Cycling Ireland about the lack of a team at the Europeans, and uncertainty around a team for the Worlds, was awaited at the time of publication.
