Conor Murphy, the only Irish rider to take a top 10 in a European UCI-ranked cyclocross race last year, has said that this weekend he was hoping to improve on his finish at last year's UCI Cyclocross World Cup in Dublin.
Murphy, who also claimed a significant UCI-ranked road race victory in Italy this year, is one of the most exciting young prospects for Ireland and will compete in the junior race on Sunday against many of the top riders in the country.
He competes for Ireland in a national team that also includes James Armstrong, Ryan Daly, Cameron Henry, Curtis McKee and Hugh Og Mulhearne; a tidy line-up including some excited debutants for Team Ireland.
“I’m feeling really excited, I really enjoyed the few changes to the course and I’m feeling good on the bike so really excited and looking forward to it," said Murphy, the national junior cyclocross and TT champion.
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“I finished 18th here last year so I’ll be looking to do a few places better. I’ve had a bit of a slow start to the Cyclo-cross season, but I feel I’m coming right now so I’ll be excited to see what I can do.
“It’s super special that it’s right on our front door, it feels strange but it’s really exciting to see familiar faces around the track and at an event of this level.”
Daly, who is making his debut for Ireland having just moved up to junior racing, said he was really looking forward to the challenge ahead.
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“I can’t wait, it’s going to be great. The course is incredible and yeah, looking forward to it,” he said on the biggest weekend to date of his fledgling cycling career.
“I’ve done about five races, they’ve gone well and I’m happy about how my season is going. It will be great to ride for my county and with all the spectators it will be great.”
Caoimhe May is on the Irish women's U23 team, which will compete in the combined elite-U23 race. And that means she will be up against the likes of world champion Fem van Empel (Visma-Lease a Bike).
May is part of an Irish team that also includes Doireann Killeen, Hannah McClorey, Elena Wallace and Esther Wong, and said she was looking forward to representing Ireland at a home World Cup.
“It’s good, it’s a little bit different from the last two years, not a huge bit different but I quite like the changes. There are some more clusters and little bit less of the long straights, which suits me, it’s good," she said.
“It makes everything a little bit more special to have a national jersey on so hopefully I can carry on my reasonably decent season.
“To be honest there is nothing quite like it, I did it the last two years and the first year I was in my club kit and it wasn’t the same as doing it in an Irish jersey.
"Even the people who don’t have clue who you are at least they know you are one of the people who is riding for Ireland on their home soil. It makes a big difference; people cheer for you even if they don’t know who you are.”
