Sam Bennett may have been a real challenger for a medal for Ireland, on a good day, at the upcoming European Road Championships, but now the Carrick-on-Suir man will not take to the start line with the national team.
He had been set to compete in the men's road race for Ireland in Drenthe in the Netherlands tomorrow week, but has withdrawn from the team, according to Cycling Ireland.
Another rider who was selected, but who has also been forced to withdraw from the team, is Erin Creighton. The first-year U23 rider crashed badly during Rás the mBan, which she was riding the week before last with the Irish team. That forced her out of the race and has, unfortunately, also forced her to withdraw from the team for the Europeans.
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Her withdrawal is a massive shame for Ireland as Creighton - a road and track international - was due to compete in the U23 women's road race, for which a strong Irish team was been picked. It includes medal hope Lara Gillespie as well as established internationals Aoife and Caoimhe O'Brien.
Creighton would have been a valuable rider in the team effort towards trying to secure a medal, so the fact she has been forced out due to those crash injuries is a real blow to that team.
In terms of Sam Bennett, Cycling Ireland said in a brief statement this afternoon that he had suffered some illness after Tour of Britain, which he withdrew from on the final day last weekend. Bennett had been due to ride the road race at the Europeans on an Irish team also including Ryan Mullen, Rory Townsend and Dillon Corkery.
It was unclear at the time of writing if Cycling Ireland has any plans to replace Bennett and Creighton on the Irish teams for the Europeans.
