Irish rider Jesse Ewart was set for his debut tomorrow with his new team at Saudi Tour, where he will rub shoulders with some of the top teams and riders in the world. Meanwhile, on the home scene Spellman Dublin Port has added two new Irish riders to its roster.
And in cyclocross the Sean Sharkey race - in aid of the Maria Goretti Foundation - ended the domestic scene yesterday, with wins in the main events for Dean Harvey (Trinity Racing) and Aine Doherty (VC Glendale).
After five laps of racing in the men's event, Harvey took the honours ahead of U16 national champion Conor Murphy (Rostrevor MTB), with Tadhg Killeen (Kilcullen Cycling Club Murphy Geospacial) taking 3rd place. In the women's race, over four laps, Doherty was best from Elena Wallace (Harps CC) and Stephanie Roche (Scott Bright Motor Group).
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There were also wins on the day for U16 national champion Aliyah Rafferty (Island Wheelers) and Oliver Hylén O'Shaughnessy (Cuchulainn CC) in the U16 races. Irish U14 champion, Emer Heverin (Kinning Cycles), and Eoin Davis (Bohermeen CC) won the U14 races.
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Elsewhere in Irish cycling, on the road scene Spellman Dublin Port has announced two new signings. Former Irish junior champion, Aoife O'Brien, and Sean Lenehan, formerly of Navan Road Club, have both joined the line-up for 2023.
"I am really excited for my first season as an U23 with Spellman Dublin Port," said O'Brien, who topped the Cycling Ireland women's rankings last year. "I’ve always admired the team’s professionalism and relationships with their riders and I can’t wait to be part of that. The opportunities and support from the team will help me progress on both track and road and onto the next chapter in my cycling career."
Meanwhile, at the Saudi Tour tomorrow Jesse Ewart will make his debut for Terengganu Polygon Cycling Team, a UCI Continental team based in Malaysia. Ewart rode for Bike Aid last year after four seasons at Team Sapura Cycling.
The 28-year-old, who was 6th in the men's road race at the National Road Championships in Kanturk last year, was also 3rd overall at Tour de Rwanda last season. And while a bad crash in Romania put something of a hole in his 2022 season around the halfway point, he returned to racing before year end and completed his campaign with 13th overall at Tour of Iran (2.1).
He will be the only Irish rider in the Saudi Tour when it rolls out of AlUla International Airport for the 180.5km stage 1 to Khaybar tomorrow. The peloton includes World Tour teams Bahrain Victorious, Team DSM, Team Jayco AlUla, UAE Team Emirates, Cofidis, Movistar and Astana Qazaqstan Team.
