Sean Yelverton of Mego Racing Team could challenge for stages and general classification at the Junior Tour of Ireland (Photo: Sean Rowe)
The country’s biggest stage race for junior riders starts tomorrow, Tuesday, when the Junior Tour of Ireland getting underway in Co Clare.
An unfortunate clash with the European Junior Track Championships in Greece robs the race of would-be race favourite Michael O’Loughlin as well as Declan Mulholland, Cathal Clarke and Adam Stenson.
The national junior XMTB championships are on this weekend, so James Curry (Banbridge CC) is out while injury has denied Aaron Swan and Conor McCann a place on the start line.
The latter two are still on the mend after being involved in a crash while travelling to a race with the NRPT-Magnet.ie in Wales last month.
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But there remain some very strong Irish men in the field capable to doing some great riders and winning stages and the overall.
Simon Tuomey (Irish National Team)
He is one of the pre-race favourites and it’s a credit to the young Corkman that he has responded to the illness that kept him out for a large part of the early season.
He could possibly take the race leader’s yellow jersey on the opening prologue stage if he puts out the power he’s capable of.
He’s been runner-up five times on the home scene and took a fine victory in Spain recently to suggest he’s in good form.
Dion McCarthy (Team Munster)
The first-year junior is a fearless sprinter and should mix it with the best on the flatter days. He’ll have the backing of Sean Yelverton, Conor Murphy and Mark White and that’s a very solid-looking unit.
He would likely have hoped for more results at this point of the season considering he prolific he was as an U16 rider. But the coming six days represents an excellent chance for a hungry racer like McCarthy.
Darragh O’Mahony (Irish National Team)
A contender for the find of the season, the O’Leary’s Stone Kanturk man gets his chance in an Irish jersey after a string of really strong performances this year.
And he will be determined to make the most of it, especially with places on the national team for the European and World Championships up for grabs.
Cameron McIntyre (NRPT/Magnet.ie)
The Banbridge CC man exploded onto the scene in April when he won the Lakeland Two-Day overall, the climbers' competition, young rider classification and a stage for good measure.
He’s only a first-year junior but looks a really classy bit of stuff. He was also up there most days in Rás Dun na nGall and is currently the third highest ranked junior in the country.
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Aaron Kearney (Carrick Wheelers)
Small in stature, big in heart, Aaron Kearney will love the lumpy stuff this week and won’t lack the confidence to try and get up the road.
He’s already won the Deenside Cup – one of the hardest races on the calendar, so he should go close to a stage or two.
Sean Yelverton (Team Munster)
Claimed the biggest win of his life in the VisitNenagh Classic in April and if his form is anything like that he’ll be hard to ignore.
He also won the first stage of the O’Leary’s Stone Kanturk 3-Day when he beat Michael O’Loughlin. Impossible to take your eye off him.
Dermot White (Lucan CRC)
Part of a very good Lucan CRC team, White has a host of podium finishes this year and could be about to take his first win. His form is unknown but his class isn’t.
Robert O’Leary (Cork Giant)
He lacks the reputation of some of the other juniors but keep an eye on this guy. Small and touch, O’Leary is a lovely climber and has been mixing it with some of the best A1 and A2 guys down in Munster – and never looked out of place.
Seamus Sinnott (Wexford Wheelers)
The Wexford man is a very neat finisher and will hope to come to the line with the group intact. If that unfolds you can bank on him being right in the shake-up.
He has won races from sprints in the past but is also well able to ride out the road when required to do so. If things go right, he could get a stage.
Jake Gray (Irish National Team)
The country's highest-ranked junior rider has timed his form to absolute perfection and if he's fully rested after his all-conquering display in the Newry Three-Day where he won every jersey on offer he could be the man who wins the Junior Tour this year.
He can climb and sprint and he can tough it out in a breakaway, as evidenced by his final-day heroics in Newry.
We can't wait to see how he does against a top international field.
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