Gaining international selection has become impossible for domestic riders in recent years, with only U23s and pros catered for. It means the World University Championships in Poland in July represent an invaluable opportunity for those looking to wear the green of Ireland (Photo: Toby Waston)
By Brian Canty
The selection committee for the upcoming World University Cycling Championships in Poland are inviting eligible road riders to apply to take part in this year’s event by Friday’s deadline.
The aim is to have a male and female team at the championships running from July 9th to 13th.
Those interested in making the squad are asked to submit their applications by Friday to former An Post Chainreaction rider Ronan McLaughlin, who was recently ratified as the team’s manager.
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A maximum of four men and four women can be entered for the road events, while for the track that figure is six for each. However, it is very unlikely Ireland will send a full quota, if any, track riders.
There are also six slots available for mountain bikers, four for cyclocross riders, and four also for the BMX events.
Those who want to be considered for selection must meet the following criteria:
- Be fully registered and hold a student card for the institution they are registered with.
- Be a national of the country they represent.
- Be at least 17 years and less than 28 years of age on January 1st in the year of the event.
- The academic year shall be defined as October to September. Students in any institution with an academic calendar not running concurrently with this will be eligible for the academic year during which they enter and any subsequent academic years depending on the E.C.T.S. value of their course.
- Students will be eligible for competition under the year of grace rule if they have obtained their academic qualification in the calendar year preceding the event.
Team manager for the World University Championships, Ronan McLaughlin riding the elite World Road Race Championships in Holland in 2012. His experience will be invaluable for any of those selected for Poland (Photo: Toby Watson)
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As well as the above, successful applicants must:
- Hold a current UCI licence which permits him/her to ride in the discipline(s) they are being considered for and which has an “IRL” UCI licence code.
- Hold, or be eligible to hold, a valid Irish passport. Riders who have transferred from another nationality must meet the UCI transfer requirements.
- Complete the UCI’s “True Champion or Cheat” programme or similar programme as set by Cycling Ireland.
- Have signed Cycling Ireland’s code of conduct.
- Some of the above can be done during the application process.
Performance criteria must also be met and some of the more important points to consider are:
- Emphasis will be placed on results in events with World/European class fields, particularly for riders at the older end of the age range.
- UCI events, including Nations Cup events - top 15 result in UCI 1.2, top 10 result in 2.2 stages, top 20 on GC.
- Top 10 result in British Cycling Premier Calendar races.
- Top 10 finish in national road or time trial championships in last 12 months.
- Stage win or top five on GC in Suir Valley Three Day, Rás Mumhan, Tour of the North, Tour of Ulster.
- An A1 race win.
- Results in other similar standard events will also be considered.
- The qualifying period is May 1st, 2013 to May 1st, 2014. This means that any results achieved in the An Post Rás last week will not count.
For women, some of the key requirements are:
- Top three in Women’s National League or women’s only Races.
- Top six in Women’s National Championships.
- Performances in domestic A3 races.
- Experience from oversees races.
Interested riders should submit results to Ronan McLaughlin. However, while he is the manager he does not pick the team. Instead, the teams will be selected by Student Sports Ireland, guided by the selection criteria and the application forms that must be completed and sent to McLaughlin. The form is contained within this material - click here.
McLaughlin can be contacted on [email protected].
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