It’s one of the biggest weekends on the domestic cycling calendar with three huge races down for decision. And one of those monster events is the Tour of the North.
Run over three days and featuring four stages, it promises to be another hard-fought affair.
The stages are shorter than at Kerry Group Rás Mumhan, with no stage breaking the 120-kilometre mark.
That’s not to say it’ll be any easier, however, and with a split stage on Easter Sunday the winner is going to be a man who can go well against the clock, hold his own on the climbs and take any chances that come his way.
Here we profile 10 domestic riders we think will be in the mix.
Ryan Reilly (AC Bisontine)
Ryan Reilly is one of a number of young guns who can make a big impression this weekend (Photo: Toby Watson)
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Made a huge impression on the home front last year winning the Ulster road race title from the likes of seasoned campaigners Ronan McLaughlin and Conor Murphy.
When he went to France later in the season he bagged a series of top five placings and also took the junior prize in the cat 1 Lorient GP.
The parcours is perfect for the young Derry man this weekend but without the backing of a team it may be harder for him to defend any gains he may make early in the race.
Christopher McGlinchey (Ballymena RC)
The in-form Christopher McGlinchey celebrates winning the Danny Boy Races in Co Derry last month (Photo: Marian Lamb – Cycling Ulster)
Another young man who has made a big impact in his short spell racing on the road, Christopher McGlinchey is combining downhill MTB racing with road racing and is shining in both.
This year he started as an A4 but moved up quickly following wins in the Annaclone GP and then the Phoenix GP before the Danny Boy Race in Derry, above.
McGlinchey's first love is off-road riding but he's made a seamless transition to the road.
He oozes class but this weekend represents his biggest test yet.
Mark Downey (Banbridge CC)
Downey has represented Ireland in the road race, time trial and on the track at World Championships during the past two seasons and took a silver at the European Track Championships last year (Photo: Sean Rowe)
The former Irish junior international is a brute against the clock and last year won the national time trial title from Michael O’Loughlin.
The latter would subsequently place eighth at the World Championships which just goes to show what Downey himself has under the bonnet.
He’s in his first year in the senior ranks and it’ll be very interesting to see what he can do.
Darragh Zaidan (The Belgian Project)
Zaidan taking a fine solo win at the Trader's Cup in Dundalk back in February (Photo: Sean Rowe)
Has already won this year when he soloed away from a stellar field to take the Trader’s Cup in February.
Zaidan has big goals for both the road and the track this year and how a stage win would help him along the way towards getting back into an Irish jersey, which is his stated goal.
He has been busy raising the cash he needs to race abroad on the track and road, showing the kind of determination that can often be the difference between success and failure in the bike game.
If he got a clear run at the line this weekend he is capable of nabbing a stage win.
Conor Murphy (Caldwell Cycles)
Conor Murphy and Greg Swinand on the attack during the final stage of the Tour of Ulster two years ago (Photo: Marian Lamb – Cycling Ulster)
Has maintained a low profile this year so far but is back on the bike again and forms part of one of the strongest teams in the race.
Teammates Paul Mulligan, Thomas Martin and Craig McAuley could all win stages or even the race outright so they’ve a number of cards to play.
On his day, Murphy can be the very strongest rider in the country.
The only question mark is whether his form is as good now as it has been at this juncture in previous seasons.
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Glenn Kinning (Kinning Cycles)
Glenn Kinning storming his way to victory at the Ulster Cyclocross Series opener in Lurgan Park (Photo: Toby Watson)
A superb off-road man, Kinning took bronze in the National Cyclocross Championships in January so it will be interesting to see what kind of shape he's in now, having put everything into that.
The Belfast man has twice won the climbers' jersey in the race so knows what's expected.
He hasn't featured among the results this year yet but we suspect that could change this weekend.
David Watson (North Down CC)
North Down CC’s David Watson takes victory in the main event at the Phoenix GP back in February (Photo with thanks to Marian Lamb – Cycling Ulster)
Watson has been one of the stars of the season so far and has amassed a fine tally of 37 points.
He won the Phoenix GP and followed it up with a third place in Newbridge and a runner-up place at the Tour of Ards.
The eighth place he got in the Cycleways Cup in early March on that horrific day is up there with those.
If he still has the form he should be there or thereabouts.
Mike Millar (Phoenix CC)
Mike Millar, leading, is in good form and could spring a surprise this weekend (Photo: Sean Rowe)
Millar has been accumulating the points steadily this season so far and is in or around the top 20 in Cycling ireland's rankings.
Arguably his best result was 12th in the Des Hanlon, purely because no more than 15 actually remained at the finish to contest what was a sprint for third.
On that performance alone he should be in with a shout but there are a couple of placings from various other races up north that should give him confidence.
Ken Tobin (Team Bikeworx)
Tobin has shown signs of his class since returning to the sport a couple of seasons ago. Make no mistake, he can still win some of the biggest races in the counrty (Photo: Sean Rowe)
Ken Tobin has made a strong comeback to racing since he dusted down his wheels for the 2013 season; his first in 19 years.
A former national junior champion, he has a number of wins under his belt since his return including a stage in the Suir Valley Three Day last year.
His big goal is the An Post Rás next month so he'll use this weekend to gauge his fitness.
He's moving well, can suffer with the best of them and if there's a sniff of a sprint he's hard to bet against.
Ray O’Shaughnessy (Cuchulainn CC)
A very strong rider on the road and off-road, Ray O’Shaughnessy is capable of turning the screw and winning prizes this weekend (Photo: Sean Rowe)
O’Shaughnessy has been a mainstay of the cyclocross scene all season and he's one of a few men who have had the measure of Robin Seymour.
A Rás veteran, the Cuchulainn CC is as tough as old boots but has yet to rear his head this year.
He's part of a strong team for this weekend and could be a man to give some of the more established men the slip.
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