The year has just turned but already the first Irish national team of 2026 has been selected as our best Irish riders try to emulate the incredible medals haul of last year.
From paracycling to elite road and track and junior and U23 road, Ireland scored medals, including golds, at both the World Championships and European Championships in 2025. And while the pressure is not on this first team of the year to secure big results, the juniors selected will be looking to kick start a year of development.
There are two new names in the Irish team while two second-year juniors return for more in 2026, namely George Sevastopulo (Sundrive Track Team) and Elliott McKeegan (Caldwell Powerhouse Racing).
They have been selected for the ‘Next Generation’ track competition in Apeldoorn this weekend; an opportunity to gauge their form, try and win, and also gain invaluable experience at international level.
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The full Irish team is comprised of:
- Emer Heverin (Cams Majaco)
- Aoife Craig (VC Glendale)
- George Sevastopulo (Sundrive Track Team)
- Elliott McKeegan (Caldwell Powerhouse Racing)
Craig and Heverin make the move immediately into the national team set-up as new juniors, having ridden as U16s last season. However, while it is their first time competing in the green of Ireland at this level, they are not exactly novices.
Both girls were very impressive on the road last year and when three girls were selected onto the Irish U16 team for the European Youth Olympic Festival in Skopje, North Macedonia, Heverin and Craig made the cut, along with Katie Turner (Orwell Wheelers).
This time last year, the Irish junior team sent to this meeting was a little bigger as Ireland had a junior men's pursuit line-up. That included Sevastopulo and McKeegan along with Max Fitzgerald (JEGG-DJR Academy U19) and Luca Holmes (Spellman Dublin Port).
However, Fitzgerald and Holmes have aged out of the junior category and will race as U23s this year. Team pursuit aside for this year, the Irish riders will take on multiple events at the meeting, which gets underway on Friday and continues until Sunday.
