Two WorldTour entrants taking to the line at Cycling Ireland national road race championships in Navan
With Sam Bennett, Ben Healy, Eddie Dunbar and Archie Ryan all out due to team duties or elsewhere, the race has just two WorldTour entrants in Ryan Mullen (Red Bull Bora Hansgrohe) and reigning champion Darren Rafferty (EF Education), although the rise of U23 stars Adam Rafferty (Jayco Hagens Bermans), Seth Dunwoody (Bahrain victorious development team) and Liam O'Brien (Lidl Trek Development Team) as well as the presence of former champion Rory Townsend (Q36.5) former Ras Tailteann winners Dillon Corkery (St Michel Auber 93) and Daire Feeley (Burren CC), among others, means the duo won't have things their own way.
'It is less stacked than previous years,' three time winner Mullen says of the men's start list. 'But it doesn't really change the nature of the race. It's always really aggressive. It just means that the lead group will be missing the horsepower of three or four WorldTour riders but I don't think it'll change the dynamic of the race too much.
"Nationals is a funny race. It follows the same protocol every year. If you're not in that move when it goes, then you can kiss goodbye to any chance of a result, so I just have to be vigilant on that first lap and make sure I'm in that deciding move, whenever it does go, and even then you still have to be on the front foot for most of the day.'
Although born in England, Mullen has been taking the ferry with his Duleek-born father to race in Ireland since he was an underage rider and the seven time elite national time trial champion is looking forward to riding in front of a large family contingent in Navan on Sunday and would love to add a record-equalling fourth road title to his impressive CV.
'The whole family is going to be out,' he laughs. 'I've family in Drogheda, Navan, Slane, so they'll all be out. I had a little drive around the course when I landed the other day and my dad was pointing out all the gardens he had played in when he was a kid so if there's ever a nationals I'd like to win it'd be this one.'
The course should suit his powerhouse style, although a crash in crosswinds at the Tour of Hungary about a month ago means he is still on the mend.
'I did a bit of damage to myself in Hungary alright,' he admits, 'but there was power in the legs on Thursday night, so I'm just going to go in as I always do and see what the day brings.'
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