Strong Team Ireland Cycling Road Team Confirmed for Tokyo 2020
Three Riders to embark on Mount Fuji Challenge
Team Ireland has officially selected the road cycling team who will compete in the Olympic Games in Tokyo this summer. The three riders, Dan Martin, Nicolas Roche and Eddie Dunbar will compete in the Road Race, with Roche also competing in the Time Trial. The Olympic Road Race takes place at the Fuji International Speedway on Saturday 24 July, and the Time Trial takes place the following Wednesday, 28 July, starting at the same venue.
Roche is entering his fourth Games, he made his Olympic debut in Beijing 2008. He is also one of several athletes in this year’s team whose father, Stephen Roche also competed for Team Ireland in the Olympic Games. His cousin Dan Martin will be racing in his third Games while Dunbar will be tackling his first. The 244km course is a mountainous one that takes in the lower slopes of Mount Fuji, climbing a total of 4,865m, which could suit climber Martin. Nicolas Roche will also compete in the Time Trial, which is 44.2km long, two laps of the 22.1km course.
Qualification for the Olympic Games in Road Cycling is based on National Rankings with UCI, and on the back of phenomenal results from Irish riders in the professional circuit, in particular Sam Bennett, Ireland secured three spots in the Games in Tokyo, as well as a Time Trial spot. Unfortunately, the parcours for this Olympic Road Race were too hilly for Ireland’s sprint specialist.
First time Olympian Dunbar, from Banteer in Cork, said,
Team Ireland Chef de Mission for Tokyo 2020, Tricia Heberle said,
“Congratulations to all riders, for each one of them this is a wonderful achievement. For their sport they are also part of the biggest Cycling team to represent Ireland in an Olympic Games. The course in Shizuoka will be challenging but I’m confident our team will take it on in a way that befits the spirit of Team Ireland. I wish Dan, Eddie and Nicholas all the best in their final preparations and look forward to supporting them at the Games.”
Team Ireland Road Cycling Team Leader, Tommy Evans said,
“We have one of our strongest teams ever assembled with a real opportunity to perform on terrain that we know suits our team. Nicholas, Dan and Eddie have all produced fantastic results this season, showing we can compete with the best in the World.”
TEAM IRELAND CYCLING ROAD TEAM:
Dan Martin
Nicolas Roche
Eddie Dunbar
Team Ireland now consists of 59 officially selected athletes, with over 100 athletes spots confirmed across nineteen sports SEE HERE. The final team announcement is scheduled for the beginning of July. The Olympic Games in Tokyo will run from the 23rd July to 8th August 2021.
More about the athletes:
Dan Martin
20th August 1986
Dan Martin is a two time Olympian and stage winner in all three Grand Tours – the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a Espana. Martin finished 4th on General Classification at the 2020 Vuelta a Espana and is a winner of two Monuments of cycling, Liege – Bastogne – Liege and Il Lombardia.
Major Results
Liège – Bastogne – Liège Winner
Il Lombardia Winner
2 x Tour de France Stage Winner
2 x Vuelta a España Stage Winner
1 x Giro d’Italia Stage Winner
4th General Classification Giro d’Italia
Nicholas Roche
3rd July 1984
A three time Olympian, Nicholas Roche represented Ireland at the 2008 Beijing Games, 2012 London Games and at Rio 2016. One of the sports most experienced riders, Roche has completed 24 Grand Tours, most recently at the 2021 Giro d’Italia where he finished third on stage 18. Nicholas Roche’s palmers include two stage victories at the Vuelta a Espana and 64 top-10 Grand Tour stage finishes, putting him third on the all-time list.
Major Results
2 x Vuelta a España Stage Winner
64 x Grand Tour Top 10 Stage Finishes
5th General Classification Vuelta a España 2013
6th General Classification Vuelta a España 2010
Eddie Dunbar
1st September 1996
Cork man Eddie Dunbar entered World Tour racing with Team Sky in 2018, picking up a podium finish on stage 12 of the Giro d’Italia in his first Grand Tour appearance. Dunbar’s good form has continued as he played a pivotal role in supporting teammate Richard Carapaz take victory at the Tour of Switzerland earlier this year, winning the best young rider classification in the process.
At home in the mountains the Mount Fuji Circuit with it’s 4865 metres of elevation gain will suit climbing specialist Dunbar.
Major Results
3th General Classification Tour of Yorkshire 2019
4th General Classification Belgium Tour
1st Young Rider Tour of Switzerland 2021
3rd Giro d’Italia Stage 12