Ryan Mullen claimed a wonderful solo victory in the Irish elite men’s road race championships in Co. Wexford, crossing the line ahead of a gallant runner-up Christopher McGlinchey.

An Post Rás stage winner Eoin Morton has been handed the onerous task of leading the Irish national team into battle in this year’s contest which starts in Dublin on Sunday.

Ireland’s Nicolas Roche and Philip Deignan have been named in Team Sky’s nine-man roster for the Giro d’Italia, which gets under way this Friday in the Netherlands.