CYCLING:IRISH PRO Daniel Martin is doubly-determined to win this Sunday's national road race championships after being passed over for selection by his Garmin-Cervélo team for the Tour de France.
The 24-year-old made a strong case for his candidature when he took a big win in Italy last Sunday, triumphing in the 1.1-ranked Giro di Toscana.
However, despite that success, the team has decided not to select him for the race.
"I'm very disappointed not to ride the Tour," Martin told The Irish Timesyesterday evening. "I've got myself into the best shape possible, I've done my end of the deal. This makes me all the more motivated for the championships."
Martin is undoubtedly stronger than many of the riders who will do the Tour, but things are complicated by the composition of the team and the varying requirements.
Although the lineup is yet to be announced, Christian Vande Velde and Ryder Hesjedal, who have both finished in the top 10 in recent years, will be the big hopes for the overall. Also certain of selection are the sprinters Tyler Farrar and world champion Thor Hushovd, while David Millar and Dave Zabriskie are very likely to be included because of their time trial strength. Climber Tom Danielson has already got the nod, leaving just two places free.
It is thought that at least one of these will go to a leadout man for the sprints, with a general domestique taking the final slot.
Ironically, had Martin been with another team, he would probably have been selected as one of the protected riders.
First cousin Nicolas Roche will again be the sole Irish rider in this year’s Tour. He will head the Ag2r la Mondiale squad and wants to improve on his 15th place of last year.
However, he’s a little uncertain about his form because of a bad crash in the recent Critérium du Dauphiné. “I’m still pretty stiff, but hope Sunday will work out. I’ll have to use my head a bit more than usual,” he said yesterday.
The championships began yesterday evening with the time trial for women and paracycling riders. The riders faced a 40 kilometre course at Emyvale, and the same roads will be used for this evening’s senior men’s time trial.
Multiple champion David McCann will be one of the favourites, but so too fellow Ulster rider Michael Hutchinson, a multiple winner of the British TT title, plus the defending road race champion Matt Brammeier.
The road events will begin tomorrow with the races for the elite women and veteran men. Defending champion Olivia Dillion is back from her US base and will go all out to win again, but former title holder Siobhan Horgan has shown fine form, netting second in two French Cup races.
The 2010 champion David Peelo is returning to defend his title in the veteran’s event.
The championships will conclude on Sunday with what many are anticipating to be a major battle between Ireland’s top elite riders.
Defending champion Brammeier is determined to try to retain his jersey, but will be up against former winners Roche and Martin, as well as their fellow ProTour professional Philip Deignan (RadioShack).
They are joined by a strong An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly team line-up of Sam Bennett, Philip Lavery, Ronan McLaughlin and Mark Cassidy.
Also in the running are past champion David McCann plus his Giant Kenda team-mate Martyn Irvine, who won the criterium championships last weekend. Stephen Roche GP winner Felix English (Science in Sport) is a contender for the Under-23 prize.
The Elite race will cover seven laps of a lumpy 25 kilometre circuit, based around Scotstown in Co Monaghan.
