Irish cycling is coming down with riders, like never before, competing for UCI-ranked teams; from Continental and ProConti to World Tour, including U23s at feeder squads for some of the biggest teams in the sport.
And now three Irish riders, at different stages of their careers, are set to compete at the same team next year; British-registered UCI Continental outfit DAS-Hutchinson.
There has been a strong Irish connection to the team - which races in both Britain and Continental Europe - in the past, with track Olympians Mia Griffin and Alice Sharpe the first riders to sign for the squad, in 2024.
Caoimhe O'Brien (23) was also in the same line-up that year and she returns to the British team for next season, alongside her sister Aoife O'Brien (21) and up and comer Aliyah Rafferty (18), who will be in her first season as an U23 rider in 2026.
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Caoimhe O'Brien is the most established of the trio, having raced this year for US-registered Conti team Cynisca Cycling, placing 9th at Maryland Cycling Classic Women (1.1), arguably the best performance of her career.
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O'Brien was this year one of only two Irish riders, alongside Fiona Mangan, to represent Ireland at a major championships on road and track; the road Europeans and track Worlds. She is in contention to make the Irish team pursuit line-up that should qualify for the Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028.
Her sister, Aoife, is the former Irish U23 road race champion and rode for DAS-Hutchinson this season. She is also in line for a place on the Olympic team pursuit squad and recently secured an Olympic scholarship of €26,500; one of only eight athletes across all sports to do so.
Rafferty won the junior road race and TT titles at the National Road Championships in Westmeath-Meath this year. She has been competing for British junior team, Tofauti Everyone Active Majoco, for the last two years.
The Co Tyrone rider is regarded as one of the most promising young Irish cyclists at present, underlined by her 3rd place finish at Grand Prix CERATIZIT Women Junior (1.1) in France in August; the longest one-day junior race of the year.
The three Irish riders will be in with a chance of riding UCI-ranked races across Europe next year, including some World Tour events. For example, DAS-Hutchinson rode Tour of Britain and Amstel Gold Race this year, both World Tour races.
The 2026 season will be an important one in the development of all three Irish riders. The O'Briens will seek to continue their progress, hopefully towards the Olympics, and Rafferty will try to find her feet in the U23-senior European bunch after an impressive junior career.
