The Irish road scene will have a new team in 2026 after Caldwell Cycles and Powerhouse Sport - two prolific winners in their own right for many years - have merged. That merger creates a powerful unit of riders for the coming campaign.
And given the fire power in the squad, it should have a major impact on the road scene in Ulster and nationally, not to mention having really impressive strength in depth for the main stage races on the home scene.
The new line-up features current junior and U23 internationals, including new talent joining the newly merged team from other clubs. And with really strong elite riders - some of whom have won elite titles and represented Ireland - this is a formidable line-up.
The new team, Caldwell Powerhouse Racing, boasts a number of impressive sponsors and the merger should give a significant boost to those who will race for the team. They will have new team mates and will race for a new-look merged squad that looks like one of the very strongest in the country.
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The core team of riders includes:
- Darnell Moore
- Lindsay Watson
- Darragh Mc Carter
- Odhrán Doogan
- Oisin Ferrity (U23)
- Elliot McKeegan (Junior)
McCarter is a Masters 40 rider who inflicted a rare defeat on Masters national champion, Glenn Kinning (Kinning Cycles), at the final round of the National Cyclocross Series in Ballinasloe, Co Galway, at the weekend. He comes into the team after several seasons at Spellman Dublin Port and is also a very strong rider on the road.
Ferrity (20) is an impressive U23 rider who has broken into the national track team in recent years. He was junior national road race champion in 2022, rode for Ireland on the road as a junior, when he was also Junior Commonwealth Games road race champion.
McKeegan comes into the new merged squad from Team Madigan and is a few years behind Ferrity in his development but looks just as exciting a prospect. He was an Irish national junior team member last year, gaining selection immediately he moved up from the U16 ranks to the junior category at the start of the year.
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He secured national team selection multiple times on the track in 2025, including for the UCI World Junior Track Championships in the Netherlands. And as a second-year junior in 2026, he would struggle to find better riders to learn from than those he will be surrounded by.
The three big guns in the new racing team are Darnell Moore, Lindsay Watson and Odhrán Doogan; a formidable trio. Moore and Doogan were already team mates last year at Caldwell Cycles and are now joined by Watson, who rode for Powerhouse Sport last year.
Moore is the former Irish U23 road race champion, Irish senior cyclocross champion and Irish hill climb champion, as well as being a prolific winner of races across the country for years.
Watson's strike rate, in both TTs and road races, is also very impressive, with his biggest career win overall victory at Rás Mumhan in Co Kerry in 2022.
Doogan has also been gathering up the victories in recent years, with his finishing kick and other road racing abilities. The highlight of his season last year was holding the yellow jersey at Rás Tailteann.
"By bringing Caldwell Cycles and Powerhouse Sport together, the partnership creates an environment where riders can race hard, develop with purpose, and represent team partners with pride while maintaining a clear focus on competitive performance within an enjoyable and supportive team culture," the newly merged team said in a statement.
"The team’s primary backing will come from Powerhouse Sport and Caldwell Cycles, with additional support from Scribe Wheels, Impact Performance Conditioning, Stockhouse Interiors, and O’Hagan Steel Services, forming a strong network of partners aligned to the team's ambitions.
"Collectively, the riders bring an impressive palmarès to the newly formed team, with multiple national and provincial titles across a range of disciplines, alongside countless domestic one-day race victories and stage race wins. This depth of experience provides a strong foundation for both results and mentorship within the team structure."
