Teenager O’Loughlin to face big guns at Tour de Yorkshire

Michael O'Loughlin is in with the big guns this weekend when he lines out for Team WIGGINS in the three-day Tour of Yorkshire. The 19 year-old Carrick-on-Suir man will be part of a star-studded peloton that features the likes of Team Sky, BMC Racing Team, Katusha and Dimension Data. (Photo: Sean Rowe)

By Brian Canty

Ireland will be represented by three riders at this weekend’s Tour de Yorkshire with Nicolas Roche (Team Sky), Michael O’Loughlin (Team WIGGINS) and man of the moment Conor Dunne (JLT-Condor) all doing battle over the three days.

It’ll be one of the biggest events of O’Loughlin’s career and no doubt be a proud moment for him when he lines up against some of the biggest stars in world cycling for the race which starts Friday.

The 19 year-old will be one of the youngest in the field but has every right to be confident about going well following a stellar showing at the U23 Tour of Flanders recently.

There, the former Irish junior international spent much of the day in the breakaway before being reeled in after a mammoth effort out front.

The race is spread out over three stages clocking over 520 kilometres so it’ll be a big test but he can take confidence from how Eddie Dunbar rode last year while riding for NFTO.

Dunbar was up the road on day one and even won the award for being the most aggressive rider, though he couldn’t collect the jersey for it as he later crashed and was taken to hospital where he was diagnosed with a broken collar bone.

Team Sky will enter the race with the defending champion Lars Petter Nordhaug in their ranks and he’ll be supported by a strong list of riders, including Roche.

Philip Deignan has been rested by the team this weekend following a stellar ride at the Giro del Trentino last week.

Roche hasn’t raced since the Volta A Catalunya at the end of last month but has been training hard in Tenerife and at altitude in Italy.

We’ll have a word with him about his form and the team’s chances ahead of the race.

And recent Rutland-Melton Cicle Classic winner Conor Dunne is the final Irishman who will pin on race numbers.

The elite international will aim to put his good form to use over the three days and most likely target the points jersey classification.