Ryan Mullen will be one of two Irish representatives in the elite men's Paris-Roubaix, and we have prospects in the women's and U23 editions (Photo: Billy Ceuster)
Sean Kelly famously won Paris-Roubaix twice - in 1984 and 1986 - and Stephen Roche won the U23 version of the race in 1980. The images of Kelly from Hell of the North down the years are the most iconic of his storied career.
And now, arguably for the first time since Kelly's days in the peloton, Ireland goes into this weekend's ‘Hell of the North’ with a potential winner - among at least seven Irish starters.
Lara Gillespie (UAE Team ADQ) was 18th on the debut last year while Seth Dunwoody (Bahrain Victorious Development) was 12th in the junior edition in 2014 and both could pull off a big result, even a win, this weekend in the women’s and U23 men’s editions.
It is doesn't happen for them this year, this is definitely an event that can really suit both in the seasons ahead.
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Ryan Mullen (NSN Cycling Team) will make his eighth appearance in the elite men's race, having also ridden the U23 edition way back in 2014. The 31-year-old is now in his eleventh season as a World Tour rider.
His lead-out man abilities, and his experience, have kept him in the top tier as many riders, and teams, have fallen by the wayside over the last decade.
Fiona Mangan during her debut appearance, last season, at Paris-Roubaix (Photo: -Xavier Pereyron)
On Sunday, Mullen will be part of an NSN line-up that includes Biniam Girmay, who was 15th on debut last year and could do much better this time around if he can stay incident-free.
Mia Griffin (Picnic PostNL) appears to be coming into form, following a breakaway ride at Dwars door Vlaanderen (1.WWT) last week and a top 20 finish at Scheldeprijs (1.Pro). And she too gets the nod for Sunday's women’s race.
She made her debut in the event in 2024 and showed her grit, though at a cost, to finish on the famed velodrome. Griffin crashed and got back on her bike. However, unknown to her at the time, she had suffered a concussion.
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And though she started a race two days later, she did not finish. Ahe didn't compete again for another two months. Thankfully, the Kilkenny rider recovered just in time to take her place in the Ireland team pursuit line-up at the Paris Olympics.
Now riding for Picnic PostNL, she is a very different rider compared to the summer of 2024. She has a UCI-ranked win under her belt, a national road title, several World Tour podiums and a three-year top tier contract. And she will go into this race more than capable of a top 20 if things go well.
For her fellow road and track international, Gillespie, a top 10 would be a superb result, though both will go in hoping to stay out of trouble and then see where their legs can take them in the final.
Former national road race and TT champion, Fiona Mangan, also rides the race again this year, having made her debut last season in very difficult circumstances. The Mayenne Monbana My Pie rider last year broke her wrist in a crash in Omloop Nieuwsblad (1.WWT).
But just six weeks later she was on the start line at Paris Roubaix, in the Irish champion's jersey, and made it to the velodrome. This time around she has more racing in her legs, not to mention a 5th place finish in Région Pays de la Loire Tour (1.1), meaning she can be more confident this time.
Gillespie, Griffin and Mangan will be joined by at least one other Irish rider - there may be more when the teams are announced - as neo pro Caoimhe O'Brien is named in the EF Education-Oatly selection.
She will be part of a line-up that includes Mirre Knaven whose father, Servais Knaven, won the men's race 25 years ago. A finish for O'Brien would be a fantastic outcome.
Another Irish debutant in this year's race will be Dillon Corkery, who is part of the Picnic PostNL selection. This is the kind of race he will relish, given it's degree of difficulty and the power required.
And it will be very interesting to see how he does on Sunday in what is his first season at World Tour level, having joined the Dutch team midway through 2025.
Of all of the Irish riding the race this weekend, and though Gillespie and Griffin have every right to expect to be right at the front, it is probably Dunwoody with the best chance of taking a win for Ireland.
He has spent much of his season so far riding for the Bahrain Victorious team and, having clearly stepped up a level this season, he is due a big result. He could well get that in the U23 men's race on Sunday.
