With the Montréal circuit now back to it’s busy city hustle-and-bustle after a memorable UCI World Championships, Team Ireland delivered a series of solid and occasionally outstanding performances that leave plenty of reasons to look ahead to 2027 with enthusiasm.
Two standout Top-10 results, Ben Healy’s 10th in the elite men’s road race and Adam Rafferty’s 10th in the U23 time trial, provided the highlights, while a host of determined efforts across the junior and U23 ranks gave Irish fans plenty to cheer about throughout the week.
Elite Men: Healy Delivers Another Top-10
Ben Healy’s 10th place in the elite men’s road race continues an impressive run of consistency. Over three consecutive World Championships he has now recorded THREE top-10 finishes: 7th in Zürich 2024, bronze in Kigali 2025, and 10th in Montréal.
gave it everything. the boys were so good for me today.
yeah, left everything out on the road.
– Ben Healy, Post-race interview
On a demanding 273.7 km course with 3,803 metres of climbing, Healy raced aggressively and remained in contention until the final kilometres.
The four-rider Irish squad of Healy, Darren Rafferty, Jamie Meehan and Ryan Mullen worked with clear purpose despite facing a significant numerical disadvantage. Larger nations fielded six, seven or eight riders; Ireland had four.
Ryan Mullen handled the early workload, Jamie Meehan produced an outstanding long breakaway of around 170 km that forced other teams to chase, and the excellent Darren Rafferty provided vital support for Healy deeper into the race.
Healy himself was electric! Active in key moves and still had the strength to launch a late attack, which could have gotten him closer to a medal, or even a medal itself.
I think we can be proud of the ride we did there today.
– Ben Healy, Post-race interview
While a podium proved just out of reach on this occasion, the performance underlined both his individual quality and the improving depth around him.
U23 Men: Rafferty’s Consistency and Learning Experience
Adam Rafferty once again showed his class against the clock, finishing 10th in the U23 individual time trial. It was his second Top-10 in the discipline at World level, matching his result from Zürich two years earlier.
In the U23 road race over 174.2 km he finished 60th at +8:33. Liam O’Brien placed 84th (+13:30) and David Gaffney 90th (+16:00), while Seth Dunwoody did not finish.
With six nations fielding six riders and nine nations fielding five, Ireland’s four-man squad faced a clear numerical challenge. They spent a prolonged period riding at the front of the peloton early to mid-race. This aggressive approach reflected ambition, yet it was always highly unlikely to yield a top-30 result against such depth.
It should also be noted that Dunwoody arrived under less-than-ideal circumstances after injury concerns almost prevented his participation, and his crash in the ITT a few days earlier certainly can’t have helped either.
Both Dunwoody, Bahrain Victorious UCI WorldTour Team, and O’Brien, Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team, are set to step up to full WorldTour/ProTour-level with contracts in 2027, while Rafferty remains eligible for under-23 racing next year and Gaffney has three further years of under-23 eligibility (provided neither moves to a WorldTeam or ProTeam).
These are extremely talented riders with bright futures ahead.
Juniors: Solid Foundations
The junior ranks also produced encouraging results, particularly when viewed in the context of first-year riders and again the numerical strength of the larger nations.
In the junior men’s time trial (20.3 km), Freddie Winkley finished 46th in 27:39.65 (+2:22.30) and Rían McCrystal 52nd in 28:00.53 (+2:43.18). Winkley, still a first-year junior, placed 21st among his age group.
In the junior men’s road race (134 km), he finished 46th (+6:20), again 21st among first-year juniors. Hugh Óg Mulhearne, who has been having a solid season with his AS Villemur Cyclisme team, was 70th (+11:42) and McCrystal did not finish.
Emer Heverin contested both junior women’s events. In the 10.7 km time trial she finished 24th overall in 16:43.62 (+1:26.11), placing 11th among first-year/younger juniors.
In the 80.4 km road race she finished 45th (+10:39), 19th among the younger juniors. These are solid returns for a rider still in her first year of junior competition. Real talent to be developed.
Looking Ahead
Irish cycling is in a healthier place than it was for many years in the past. Regular Top-10 and Top-20 placings at Worlds level are no longer unrealistic targets, and the current generation has shown it can compete at the sharp end or close to it on the sport’s biggest one-day stage.
A medal prospect or prospects is not far-fetched, provided the progress continues and the supporting structures keep pace.
At the same time, realism remains important. Larger nations continue to enjoy significant numerical and resource advantages, and results at this level are rarely linear.
The performances in Montréal offer genuine grounds for optimism without overstatement. In particular Healy’s consistency, Rafferty’s time-trial quality, and the determination shown by the younger riders.
It is encouraging to see the Irish jersey involved and competitive on the biggest stage, especially when set against periods in the not-too-distant past when representation was often sparse or absent altogether. Long may the current upward trajectory continue!
The riders who lined up in Montréal, and those waiting in the wings or developing behind them, give Irish cycling fans plenty to look forward to in 2027 and beyond.
Gach rath orthu.
