O’Loughlin aiming to deliver for An Post

DAVID O’LOUGHLIN (An Post/Sean Kelly) attempts to win the Elite road race championship for a fourth time at Dunboyne on Sunday.

The Mayo man, who won his three titles in 04/05/07 will lead a strong An Post team into what promises to be the most competitive championships in years and his main challengers may well come from within his own team.

Last year’s FBD Insurance Rás winner, Stephen Gallagher, returns to the squad and while he has the potential to pose a threat to O’Loughlin, the biggest danger could be another team mate, Mark Cassidy, who hails from Dunboyne. The race will pass his home eight times and likewise with Paul Healion’s family home.

Healion finally won his Rás stage this year and he underscored his wellbeing when winning the national criterium championship held in conjunction with the Stephen Roche Grand Prix on Wednesday evening.

On this form Healion will be a contender for the title that has eluded him for so long but one has to fancy the chances of Mark Cassidy whose father, Philip, is a former national champion. He goes into the race with three recent wins under his belt and could prove the real dark horse.

Páidí O’Brien from Banteer, another member of the An Post team, has never been out of the top three in any national championship and could snatch that long overdue win. The holder of the title, Daniel Martin, has been selected to ride for his team in the Tour de France and will be absent but his first cousin, Nicolas Roche, will be back for another shot at the title. Son of Stephen, he won the race named after his father last year but he was out of luck on Wednesday when Healion beat Peter Williams and Martin Irvine.

Ireland’s other top Irish professional, Philip Deignan, has been left out of the Cervelo Test Team for the Tour de France and will have a point to prove.

David McCann has, like David O’Loughlin, won the title three times and cannot be discounted in his bid for a fourth so O’Loughlin, who finished 12th in a stage of the Boucles de la Mayenne last weekend and took the mountains jersey in the FBD Insurance Rás, will be watching him as well.

There are several other contenders. Brian Kenneally is unknown but his sparring partner, Paul Griffin from Tralee, blew a lead group of 20 apart on the last climb in Currow last week.

That race was won by young Sam Bennett (Dan Morrissey Carrick Wheelers). The 18-year-old Carrick man won a stage in this year’s Rás and he won the Currow race for an unprecedented third time on Sunday having won it first as a 16-year-old.

If there is anything resembling a bunch sprint on Sunday he will be involved but his sights will be on the U-23 title and what could be an exciting contest with Sean Downey, Philip Lavery and Ronan McLoughlin, another member of the An Post team.

This will be Bennett’s last appearance in Ireland until the Tour of Ireland in August. He will leave with the Irish team for the European championships on Monday, before travelling directly to Marseilles to join VC La Pomme.

An Post would appear to have the team title all wrapped up unless Dan Morrissey or Cycleways can produce something exceptional.

The third event in the An Post Cycle Series, the Meath Heritage Cycle, will take place on Sunday, June 5, in Trim and has something for riders of all ages, levels and abilities, with three circuits – The Family run of 40km, the Royal Tour 100km and the Royal Challenge 160km – on the day. Deadline for entries is today at www.meathlocalsportspartnership.ie or call 0469067337.