The European Road Championships in Drenthe, the Netherlands, get underway tomorrow, Wednesday, when the Irish riders have a busy day in five TTs. And in three of those races, Ireland has a shot at some very big results, maybe even medals.
Lucy Benezet Minns is the Irish junior TT champion and having finished 4th in the Worlds last month, she goes into these championships as a contender for the podium in tomorrow's TT. In the same race, Julia Murphy - who won the Spanish junior TT title this year but is also eligible to race for Ireland - could also take a strong result.
Darren Rafferty was 5th in the U23 TT at the Worlds and having placed 6th in the U23 at the Europeans last year and 4th in the junior TT the year before, he's a real medal shot for Ireland.
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His brother, Adam Rafferty, and Cork's Liam O'Brien also go in the junior TT tomorrow, alongside team mate Patrick Casey, and they can aim for the top 10 and maybe even a medal on a good day. Rafferty and O'Brien have already finishing 8th and 11th in the junior TT at the Worlds this season.
On Friday, Darren Rafferty and Lara Gillespie will have every right to count themselves into contention for a medal in the U23 men's and women's road races. They are probably the best chances for a road race medal for Ireland at these Europeans, though the junior women and junior men could may also have a very strong showing.
Irish Team | European Championships
Wednesday, 20th
Junior Women’s Individual Time Trial
8.00–9.10am (20.6km) Lucy Benezet Minns, Aine Doherty, Julia Murphy
Junior Men’s Individual Time Trial
9.25-10.45am (20.6km) Adam Rafferty, Liam O’Brien, Patrick Casey
U23 Men’s Individual Time Trial
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12.05-1.10pm (20.6km) Darren Rafferty, Dean Harvey
Elite Women’s Individual Time Trial
1.30-2.50pm (29.5km) Kelly Murphy
Elite Men’s Individual Time Trial
3.15-4.45pm (29.5km) Ryan Mullen
Friday, 22nd
U23 Men’s Road Race 8.30am-11.45am Starts in Hoogeveen and will travel 64.6km before entering the 13.7km Col du VAM circuit for five laps. In total the riders will race over 136.5km. Darren Rafferty, Dean Harvey, Odhran Doogan, Jamie Meehan. Kevin McCambridge
U23 Women’s Road Race 1.30pm-4.10pm Lara Gilliespie along with the O’Brien sisters, Caoimhe and Aoife will compete in the U23 women’s road race on Friday. Their race will start in Coevorden with an opening 36.1km before entering the finishing circuit for five laps. Lara Gillespie, Caoimhe O'Brien, Aoife O'Brien
Saturday 23rd
Junior Men’s Road Race 8.00-10.45am Six junior men will take on the road race on Saturday as Seth Dunwoody, Liam O'Brien, Adam Rafferty, Cal Tutty, Oisin Ferrity and Patrick Casey feature for Ireland. The junior races will takes place solely on the Col du VAM circuit with the junior men set to take on eight laps of the 13.7km circuit totalling 111km.
Elite Women Road Race 12.45-4pm Alice Sharpe will be joined by Fiona Mangan who comes in to replace Megan Armitage in the elite women’s road race on Saturday. The pair will take on 131.3km which starts in Meppel for an opening 59.3km before entering the finishing circuit to complete five laps.
Sunday, 24th
Junior Women’s Road Race 8-10.34am Lucy Benezet Minns, Aine Doherty and Julia Murphy represent Ireland in the junior women's category while Spanish-based rider Julia Murphy makes her first appearance for Ireland at an international level. The junior races will take place solely on the Col du VAM circuit with the junior women set to take on five laps of the 13.7km circuit totalling 68.2km.
Elite Men Road Race 11.15am-4pm Rory Townsend and Dillon Corkery will represent Ireland in the elite men’s road race on Sunday. The race will start from Assen when the riders will complete 115km before reaching the finishing circuit where they will complete six laps of the Col du VAM circuit.
