Big Irish team ready to roll in Verona

The biggest ever Irish team for the Road Cycling World Championships was announced today to compete at the end of September in Verona in Italy.

The Grant Thornton Team Ireland consists of 14 riders who will compete in eight events.

Ireland's strongest hope for a medal in the World Championships possibly lies with Letterkenny's Philip Deignan. He is one of the favourites for the under 23 road race.

His team mates in the under 23 include Nicolas Roche, son of Tour de France winner Stephen Roche and Tim Cassidy, 15th in the World Junior championships three years ago, along with Paidi O'Brien and Andrew McQuaid.

Ireland will be represented in both the elite time trial and elite road race by National Road race champion David O'Loughlin and 2004 FBD Milk Ras winner David McCann.

Irelands women have their biggest participation ever at a Cycling World Championships with Colette Swift and Louise Moriarty representing Ireland in the elite Women's Road Race and Mary Brennan from Castlebar making history as Irelands first ever junior women's representative at the World Championships.

The Grant Thornton-Ireland Junior team consists of four riders, Martin Monroe and Ciaran Kelly ride the time trial while Monroe doubles up in the road race with teammates Mark Nestor from Athlone and Maurice O'Brien from Kanturk.

Team manager Frank Campbell is very optimistic. "We have prepared very methodically for this event. This is the shop window for world cycling and Ireland has a good chance of a podium finish."