Bennett the favourite for National Championships
THIS week sees the Irish National Cycling Championships come to Sligo and with it will come not only the country’s top national cyclists that are on the racing circuit but a good number of Irish international cyclists who compete in the big cycling races across Europe and the World.
The event is being brought to Sligo by the main cycling club for Sligo - Éire Óg, a club that has been running for over 60 years and has hosted the National Championships numerous times before, more recently in 2010 and in 2004 and 2003, when local international cyclist Mark Scanlon took the title.
Race Director Daire Mooney has secured sponsorship for the event from Kevin Egan Cars & Peugeot, Peugeot, a brand synonymous with International Cycling associates itself, is once again sponsoring a top cycling event.
Race Director Daire Mooney has selected a most challenging course for the national title to be decided on with 10 laps of the Hungry Rock climb to be negotiated and the finish in Coolaney.
Race Headquarters is at the Teeling centre in Collooney and it is from there that each race will start, cycling through Collooney onto Ballysadare along the Ballina Road and then turning left up the Hungry Rock and once down the other side of the ascent the race turns left and back towards Collooney to complete the lap, on the last lap the riders will continue straight after Hungry Rock towards the finish at Coolaney.
The Mens Race on Sunday July 1st will involve 10 laps of the circuit to decide the new National Road Race Champion and on Saturday June 30th the Ladies and Junior Men’s Title will be decided on the same circuit.
Before those road race titles can be decided, the time trial title must be settled first, which happens on Thursday 28th June with The Teeling Centre Collooney the race headquarters again.
This individual pursuit against the clock will be a testing one for all competitors. The course will involve two laps of a new circuit devised for the championships, starting at the Teeling centre, travelling to Ballygawley then onto Carraroe and back to Collooney using the N4 dual carriageway.
Previous national champions Damian Shaw and Matt Brammier are expected along with defending champion Ryan Mullen who will defend both the road and time trial titles.
Mullen finished his first grand tour last month - Giro d’Italia - and should be strong because of it.
Competition will come from members of the Aqua Blue Squad - Conor Dunne and Eddie Dunbar, in particular Dunbar who has been lighting up things in the recent Tour of Switzerland.
Former multiple champion Nicolas Roche will compete too, but the main race favourite and current man in form will be Carrick on Suir’s Sam Bennett, fresh from winning 3 stages at last month’s Giro d’Italia.
His stock has grown considerably in the last couple of seasons and while he was U23 champion in Sligo in 2010, he has set his sights firmly on the main national title so he may bring the Irish Shamrock Jersey that denotes Irish National Champion to the roads of Europe for the coming year.
Full details of times of each race and course details are on www. irishcyclingchamps.info