Damien Shaw has been named in the Irish elite team for the European Championships road race in France this Sunday. The Mullingar man will join Ryan Mullen, Conor Dunne, Dan Martin and Nicolas Roche in the five-man squad. Joining the Sean Kelly-led (pictured) An Post Chain Reaction team has been a huge learning curve for Shaw this season but he can cope well with the rigours of the sport.
By Brian Canty
Damien Shaw has been named in the Irish team for the elite road race at the European Championships in France this weekend.
The 2015 national road race champion was last night confirmed as a team member by Cycling Ireland officials and will link up with the others in advance of Sunday’s contest.
It’s perhaps no surprise the Mullingar man has got the call-up as he has just come through the eight-day Tour of Britain and is one of the very few Irish riders competing at UCI level.
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He joins national champion Nicolas Roche, Dan Martin, Conor Dunne and Ryan Mullen in the team for what will be the biggest race of his life.
The 236-kilometre contest will feature many of the continent’s best riders with high hopes of a very good performance from either Roche or Martin, both of whom can go very well this weekend.
Roche in particular looks in great shape and despite an enforced lay-off because of an untimely illness he looks somewhere near his best condition.
Sixth overall in Britain was a remarkable performance by him given it was his first race in almost a month so Shaw’s mandate will most likely be to look after the Team Sky man for as long as possible.
Depending on team tactics, Shaw could also be given a licence to roam as well on Sunday and few would bet against him being in a breakaway – or indeed Dunne for that matter.
The 31-year-old has represented Ireland as a sighted pilot for Paralympic riders while he has also ridden the Philadelphia Classic and the Beaumont Trophy in national colours.
We'll have a word with the big man closer to the race...
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