Six-man Irish junior team named for Nations Cup stage race in Czechia

Matthew Walls is one of the juniors who has been in form this year and has been called up to this Irish team for a debut in the green of Ireland

A six-man Irish junior team has been named for UCI Nations Cup stage race action in the Czech Republic, where Seth Dunwoody claimed rare stage victory at this level for the junior national team last year.

With Dunwoody having since moved on to U23 racing – taking a win at the recent Circuit des Ardennes (2.2) – this year’s junior group will return to Course de la Paix Juniors (2.Ncup) searching for more success for Ireland.

One of those selected for the team this time around, David Gaffney (Team 31 Specialized), rode the race last year. Some of the others have already represented Ireland and are joined by newcomers now breaking through to national road team selection for the first time.

Matthew Walls (Lucan CRC) is rewarded for his recent race-winning and breakaway escapades in Ireland and Portugal with a place in an Irish national team for the first time.

Curtis McKee (Spellman Dublin Port), a prolific winner on the home scene this year, is also selected. Though he has represented Ireland as junior in cyclocross already, this will be the first-year junior’s debut on the road for his country.

The remaining trio are well used to riding for Ireland; Conor Murphy (Caldwell Cycles), Philip O’Connor (Dungarvan CC) and Max Fitzgerald (JEGG-SKIL-DJR).

Murphy is the 10 mile TT national record holder and the stage 2 TT next month – though a little on the short side, at 8.8km – can suit him, as can the harder two road stages of the five-stage race.

Fitzgerald, a Junior Tour of Ireland stage winner from last year, will look to the bunch sprints in a bid to take results for himself, having ridden well on the road in recent months and raced for Ireland on the track.

Gaffney has been in flying form of late for his team in Europe, including 9th overall at the UCI-ranked Penn Ar Bed-Bro An Hirwazh in France at the weekend, and is a man for the general classification.

Philip O’Connor (Dungarvan CC) won the recent C1 Galway Classic and will look to make an impression, with the engine and form to do so.

This will be O’Connor’s first time riding for the national junior team abroad, though he was selected for the Irish team for Rás Mumhan last year and competed for Ireland previously at the European Youth Olympics.

For McKee and Walls, the race will be a new experience, though both have been going very well since the start of the season and with Rás Mumhan in their legs their level will hopefully have further improved.

There will be plenty of opportunities to get up the road, and also impress on the climbs, at this race – starting May 8th – as it split significantly on the opening stage last year. There were also more gaps, albeit more modest, on the fourth stage last year, as well as two chances for the sprinters last year.