Seven months after taking silver at the European Championships in the junior time trial, Conor Murphy has been named in the Ireland national team for the upcoming Rás Tailteann.
Now 19 and competing in the under-23 ranks, Murphy underlined his talent with his podium finish last year, which he followed up with gold medals in the national road race and time trial.
He is one of five riders confirmed for the Ireland squad, which has a clear emphasis on building experience for the future.
“In recent years, development has been our primary objective and the Rás organisers have consistently been supportive in this endeavour,” team coach Martyn Irvine said on Tuesday.
“The team this year has intentionally combined to provide our younger riders the best opportunity to learn from those more experienced riders around them while also battling for results and showing the jersey and the race the respect they deserve.”
Irvine is a former professional rider who won gold in the scratch race at World Track Championships in 2013. Since retirement he has shown considerable ability in managing Irish national teams, helping Dillon Corkery to his Rás victory in 2023, the same season he guided Archie Ryan to a Tour de l’Avenir stage win.
With British riders winning the past two editions of the Rás, Irvine will hope his riders can help tilt the balance of success back towards the Irish contingent this year.
Murphy will be joined by two older riders, 24-year-old Liam Crowley and 21-year-old Jack Conroy. The latter won the Bobby Power and Alan Towell memorial races this year, while Crowley picked up stages in Rás Mumhan and Rás Mhaigh Eo.
However, the selectors have also taken the unusual step of including two second-year junior riders, Hugh Óg Mulhearne and Fionn Killeen after the 17-year-olds received special dispensation from Rás organisers to compete.
Both have shown encouraging form this year, with Mulhearne sitting in the top three in the French junior rankings following a number of big results. He was fifth overall against senior riders in Rás Mumhan, where Kileen was 10th overall.
A large number of international teams have been confirmed for the race in recent weeks, with the Dutch West Frisia and German Hucare Factory Team squads among those set to take part, in addition to the American APS Pro Cycling outfit.
The latter is likely to include 2024 stage winner and overall runner-up Conn McDunphy and fellow Irishman Matthew Walls, the 2025 Junior Tour of Ireland winner.
Other confirmed international squads include UK outfits DAS Richardsons, Ride Revolution Coaching, Wheelbase/Cabtech/Castelli, Taap Kalas and Team PB Performance, as well as the Foran CT squad of 2024 race winner Dom Jackson, and 2025 champion George Kimber’s Cycling Club Isle of Man.
The Rás Tailteann begins in Portlaoise on Wednesday, May 20th and will feature stage finishes in Kilmallock, Banteer, Enniscorthy, Baltinglass and Dunboyne.
The race will total 792.5km and includes 21 categorised climbs.