Cycling Ireland will have its hands full in coming weeks selecting the national team for the World Road Championships in Flanders as Ireland is eligible to enter a large number of riders.
All told, between the elite, U23 and junior men’s and
women’s road races, Ireland looks set to have 20 places open to it, though the
UCI is yet to finalise all of the allocations.
However, when one compares Ireland’s place in the UCI nations' rankings against the selection criteria – as well as taking into account some minimal allocations for all nations - we look set to secure 20 road race berths.
That does not mean all of the places will be availed of as Cycling Ireland, and some other national governing bodies, sometimes opt not to send full teams.
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Two places are also being offered to all nations for all of the TTs down for decision at the Worlds; elite men’s and women’s, U23 men’s and junior men’s and women’s.
In the elite men’s nations’ rankings Ireland was 17th on
the Worlds team allocation cut-off date last week, which means we are permitted
six riders in the road race and two in the TT.
That number is not unprecedented for Ireland, as we have
had six places before and filled all of them. However, at times we have only been
eligible to send smaller elite men’s teams.
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It means the six places on offer this year – and the fact
that Sam Bennett is, unfortunately, injured – throws selection wide open to our
best riders competing at Continental level.
In the elite women’s category, Ireland is among a large
group of nations permitted to start three riders in the road race and two in
the TT.
In the U23 nations’ category, Ireland is ranked 24th in Europe and that means we can have up to three riders in the road race and two in the TT.
In the junior men’s category, as so many events have been cancelled, the UCI has changed the qualification criteria and all nations are being offered four places in the road race. An additional five nations – top five in the Nations Cup – can have five riders.
That means Ireland will have four places in the junior
men’s road race at the Worlds in Flanders in September and two in the TT.
In the junior women’s category, Ireland is among a large
group of nations that can start four in the road race and two in the TT; good
news as there are many young Irish riders now coming up through the ranks.
Stickybottle stresses that the UCI is yet to formally
announce the allocations, though the numbers above look set to be unveiled for
Ireland in coming days.
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