The Suir Valley Three-Day is always a race capable of throwing up a few surprises. And though last year’s event was dominated by the An Post Chainreaction team, which took three stage wins and the overall, the home-based men have never been too far away from big results.
Here, we profile those riders who we think can do damage this weekend.
Anthony Walsh (UCD CC)
The UCD CC man suffered dreadful luck in his main season goal; the An Post Rás back in May, crashing out on stage one.
The Clontarf man spent a number of weeks recovering from that, but more recently has been getting back into the thick of things.
He went close to a brilliant solo victory on the final stage of the Suir Valley in 2012 when he attacked the break on the run-in for home before being pulled back with just a few kilometres to go.
He’s part of a very strong team this weekend that also boasts Irish U23 international Sean McKenna, Eoin Morton, Ian Richardson, Joseph Breheny and Colm Cassidy. Any of that quintet can make a big impact on proceedings. (Photo of Walsh by George Doyle)
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Paddy Clarke (Liquidworx-Fitscience)
Runner-up in the Kerry Group Rás Mumhan, the Ballina man (far right in photo above) has always been in or around close to his best for the August Bank Holiday showpiece. He was second – by just two seconds - in 2012, but took home the most aggressive rider jersey.
And after posting a number of good results in the west lately, he is sure to contend again. He was runner-up to Marc Potts in the Velotec Galway Classic last month, won the Connacht Championships in a canter, claimed the yellow jersey for overall victory in the Connacht Criterium summer series and was second to Daire Feeley last Sunday in the Brian McNamara Memorial.
A race like the Suir Valley really suits his aggressive style. (Photo: Pawel Sadowski – Shutterstills.com)
James Davenport (Cycling Leinster)
The 25-year-old (far left in photo above) has enjoyed a brilliant season so far and among the highlights were his stunning solo victory in the Stephen Roche GP, his runner-up place at the Ned Flanagan Memorial and, of course, his county rider prize on stage five of the An Post Rás in May.
Davenport, the reigning Leinster hill climb champion, did an excellent Suir Valley last year; taking 10th place on that gruelling final stage and ninth overall, just over two minutes down on winner Sam Bennett.
He’ll ride in the Cycling Leinster team this weekend alongside Ken Tobin, Liam Dolan, Mark Dowling and Mark Reilly so it will be interesting to see how the dynamic of that line-up works. (Photo of Davenport by George Doyle)
Ryan Sherlock (Top Team)
Probably the strongest man on paper in 2012, he allowed a break up the road on the final day and when he couldn’t reel it in he lost the yellow jersey. He did likewise a few months earlier at the Kerry Group Rás Mumhan.
Crucially, he’ll have a very strong team with him this weekend with a mix of Lithuanian and Belgian riders in the four-man selection. He’s been riding plenty of races in Belgium lately so won’t lack race sharpness. He is impossible for almost anyone on the home scene to live with when firing on all cylinders. In action for team Tomacc in Belgium in in recent weeks in the photo above.
Paidi O’Brien (Osbourne Meats-Edge Sports Shop)
Following his bronze medal at the National Championships in Mullingar in late June, the Corkman said he’d be happy with a good result in the National Criterium Championships and the Suir Valley to finish the year.
He’s the reigning crit champion and last year took a brilliant stage win on day one of the Suir Valley, beating eventual winner Sam Bennett in the gallop.
O’Brien has an uncanny knack for sniffing out most of the decisive breaks and with his devastating turn of speed he is favourite for at least a stage win.
The race was effectively won last year on the opening day when a break took over a minute on a chase group who in turn took another minute out of much of the peloton. O’Brien is a man who knows exactly where he needs to be, and when.
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Javan Nulty (DID Dunboyne)
The Irish U23 international has been racing track and on the road all over Europe with the Irish team the last couple of months. If he’s fresh from the exertions of the European Track Championships he should be capable of some good results. He didn’t ride last year on account of commitments in Belgium.
On his day he can match anyone in Ireland but the big question will be whether he will have the distance in his legs, having focussed on shorter track efforts the last month.
Conor Murphy (Caldwell Cycles)
The Emyvale man put in one of the displays of the race last year when he spent a good chunk of the final stage out front with then Eurocycles team-mate Bryan McCrystal, before fading on the final climb.
He has shown good form lately, most notably at the Seamus Kennedy Memorial when he pulled back the break that was 40 seconds clear almost completely by himself. And though he has not taken a big result in a while, this weekend could see him claim a stage or more.
He has been around the block for the best part of two decades now and won stages and jerseys in many of the country’s biggest events. Expect him to challenge again. (Seen here winning Phoenix GP back in February in photo by Marian Lamb of Cycling Ulster)
Damien Shaw (Aquablue CC)
Aquablue’s marquee name would love to conclude the season with just one more big win. And having missed the race last year he’ll be keen to add the Suir Valley title to his Tour of Ulster title, not to mention his wins the Visit Nenagh Classic, the Lacey Cup, the Cycleways Cup and the Shay Elliott Memorial.
If he was to win overall this weekend he would be in a very elite group of riders to have won the Kerry Group Rás Mumhan as well as Ulster and the Suir Valley. Shaw took some time off after the National Championships but was back among the places in Donore last weekend and last night, Tuesday, when he was second in Mondello to Eoin Morton.
And with an army of teammates around him, including potential stage and overall winner Bryan McCrystal, Shaw will be watched closely again. (Seen on the right here just behind team mate Bryan McCrystal who was winning the final stage of the Tour of Ulster; photo by Marian Lamb of Cycling Ulster)
Dillon Byrne (Champion System Maxgear)
Third overall at 20 seconds last year, he’ll look to improve on that this time around. He has a decent chance too, with a strong team around him again and no ProContinental teams to content with, unlike 12 months ago.
The Blackpool man had an excellent season in the UK last year and though he’s currently suffering from a slight cold, that should be cleared by the weekend he has assured us. He has also said his aim is to win the event outright.
Mark Dowling (Cycling Leinster)
The Kerry Group Rás Mumhan winner this season has been surprisingly quiet since the National Championships but that does not mean he will be under the radar this weekend.
He had a superb An Post Rás and could have won the stage into Seskin Hill. He took the county rider prize on the last three stages. If he shows that kind of form this weekend it’ll be very hard to bet against him for the final stage, at least.
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