Roche sole Irish rider named for time trial

Cycling Ireland last night named a strong team for the UCI World Championships in Ponferrada, Spain in two weeks’ time.

As expected, Dan Martin (Garmin Sharp), Nicolas Roche (Tinkoff-Sax0) and Philip Deignan make up the elite men’s team for the road race which takes place on September 28, with Roche the sole rider picked for the time trial despite Ireland being eligible to enter two men into the contest.

Sam Bennett of NetApp-Endura, third on a stage of the Tour of Britain yesterday, is reserve for the road race and should injury or illness befall any of the named trio he’ll slot in.

In the U23 grade, the An Post-Chain Reaction trio of Ryan Mullen, Conor Dunne and Jack Wilson get the nod for the road race, with Mullen named as the sole representative in the time-trial — and expected to challenge for a medal after finishing seventh last year in what was his first U23 World Championships.

Eoin McCarthy of the Belgian based Terra Footwear is the U23 reserve for the road race.

In the junior ranks, a strong five-man team has been named for the road race. It includes National champion Eddie Dunbar (O’Leary’s Stone Kanturk CC), Daire Feeley (Domamon Dynamos), Dylan O’Brien (O’Leary’s Stone Kanturk), Michael O’Loughlin (Standard Life Nicolas Roche PT) and Stephen Shanahan (Limerick CC).

Craig McAuley (Standard Life Nicolas Roche PT) is reserve with O’Loughlin and Mark Downey (both Standard Life Nicolas Roche PT) named for the junior time trial.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the selection, Olivia Dillon (Colavita) is the only elite woman named. She rides the road race only, with no women being entered into the time trial. In the women’s junior ranks, European Track Championships silver medallist, Josie Knight is Ireland’s only representative. She rides the time trial and road race.

Meanwhile, Ireland’s Dan Martin climbed one place to sixth overall after another enthralling – and controversial — 16th stage of the Vuelta A Espana from San Martín del Rey Aurelio to La Farrapona yesterday. Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) tightened his grip on the race lead after he took stage honours from Team Sky’s Chris Froome but Martin crossed the line just over a minute back and now trails by six minutes on the general standings.

Contador leads Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) by 1:36, with Froome now third at 1:39. The day wasn’t without drama as two riders, Omega Pharma-Quickstep’s Gianluca Brambilla and Ivan Rovny (Tinkoff-Saxo), were disqualified for a punch-up mid-race. The duo had been part of the day’s 13-man breakaway when a dispute broke out between the pair.

Meanwhile, Sam Bennett (Team NetApp-Endura) went very close to netting a stage win on day two of the Tour of Britain, the Carrick on Suir sprinter settling for third behind winner Mark Renshaw (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) and Ben Swift (Team Sky).