Jake Gray and Adam Stenson are both included in the six-man Irish junior team for a crucial Nations Cup event this weekend in Germany. The NRPT-Magnet.ie pair are two of the more experienced juniors in the country and are well capable of pulling out results this weekend.
By Brian Canty
Ireland will send a strong six-man national selection to the Trofeo Karlsberg in Germany this weekend with David McCann managing the team.
Ronan Tuomey (Cork Giant), Jake Gray (NRPT-Magnet.ie), Cameron McIntrye (NRPT-Magnet.ie), Marc Heaney (NRPT-Magnet.ie), Cormac McCann (ASEA-Wheelworx) and Adam Stenson (NRPT-Magnet.ie) are have all gotten the nod on this occasion.
The fact it falls in the middle of the Leaving Cert has ruled out some riders – Gorey 3-Day winner Robert O’Leary of the Cork Giant Team just one of those, but his absence gives others a chance.
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Conor McCann is one man who has been going quietly about his business and he deservedly gets his opportunity to shine.
The Derry man had most of 2015 written off because of injuries sustained in a car crash while travelling as a back-seat passenger on the way to a race.
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Ronan Tuomey of the Cork Giant racing team gets his chance for the Irish junior team this weekend and he will look to get a good result in the time-trial on Saturday afternoon.
He wasn’t named in the original Cycling Ireland 16-person squad at the start of the year but despite ferocious competition he has worked his way up the ladder quite impressively.
Some of those who missed out on selection this time include Xeno Young (Powerhouse Sport), Ben Walsh (Westport Covey Wheelers), Luke Smith (NRPT) and Tom Knight (NRPT) but all are eligible again next year and are definitely not out of contention for places in upcoming races this year.
This weekend's action kicks off tomorrow, Friday, with a hard and hilly 97-kilometre opening stage.
Stage 2a on Saturday morning is four laps of a 20-kilometre circuit with a climb on each lap while the afternoon stage is a really challenging 16.9-kilometre individual time-trial.
Sunday's concluding stage is three laps of a 32.3-kilometre circuit for a total distance of 97 kilometres.
The team have been training in Italy this week in advance of the race and were in good spirits when they happened upon a certain Alberto Contador, also getting in a few miles.
The Tinkoff rider was in Livigno training for the Tour de France but took some time out of his schedule to meet the boys in green.
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