Three Irish riders start the Petronas Le Tour de Langkawi this weekend, with four more lining up at Grand Prix Cerami on Saturday and Sam Bennett targeting the Sparkassen Münsterland Giro next week.
Petronas Le Tour de Langkawi – Three Irish on the Startlist
The 30th edition of the Petronas Le Tour de Langkawi (2.Pro) runs from 27th September to 4th October across eight stages and roughly 1,265 km in Malaysia, featuring three summit finishes including the queen stage to Genting Highlands.
Dillon Corkery, Team Picnic PostNL, is named on the WorldTeam squad. The Corkman has been racing regularly in recent weeks and will look to contribute in a strong Picnic PostNL lineup on the largely flat and undulating stages suited to opportunistic moves and bunch sprints.
Rory Townsend, Unibet Rose Rockets, joins him on the startlist. The former Irish National Road Race Champion brings valuable experience of Asian racing and will target opportunities on the punchier and flatter days no doubt.
Cormac McGeough, 7Eleven Cliqq Roadbike Philippines, completes the Irish trio. The tall Irishman has been competing across Asia this season, including a strong ninth overall at the China Xizang Trans-Himalaya, and will race on home-like terrain for his Continental squad.
The race opens with a flat stage from Shah Alam to Kampar before the first mountain test at Gunung Jerai, followed by further climbing days to Cameron Highlands and Genting Highlands, with the final stage finishing in Putrajaya.
Grand Prix Cerami – Four Irish Lined Up
On Saturday 26 September, four Irish riders are named on the preliminary startlist for the Grand Prix Cerami (1.2) in Belgium.
Ronan O’Connor, Matthew Walls and Conn McDunphy all ride for APS Pro Cycling by Team Cadence Cyclery. O’Connor comes in off a fine fifth overall at the recent Tour of Romania, where he took a stage podium. Young talent Walls showed aggressive form with long breakaways in the same race and took the 2026 Cycleways Kermese in fine style last Saturday 20th. McDunphy was part of the 1-2 with his young teammate in that same Kermesse. A good showing of the Jersey at the 2026 Tour of Britain is putting a fine finish to an already successful season for the 2026 Rás Tailteann Champion.
Finn Crockett, VolkerWessels Cycling Team, is also on the startlist. The 2026 Irish National Road Race Championships Bronze medalist will be looking to get back some of that mid-season form.
The traditional Belgian one-day race starts in Mons and finishes in Frameries (168.6kms 1,850m), featuring the classic local circuits and climbs including the Tienne du Dragon (Rue du Dragon): A legendary, short but steep cobbled climb in Colfontaine with average gradients reaching 9% the riders will tackle several times.
Approximately 1.8kms of cobbles awaits at Sars-la-Bruyère.
Bennett Targets Münsterland Giro
Sam Bennett, Pinarello Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team, is named for the Sparkassen Münsterland Giro (1.Pro) on 3 October. The Carrick-on-Suir sprinter will line up in a strong Q36.5 squad for the 20th edition of the German classic, which this year starts in Borken and finishes in Münster over approximately 205 km of typically flat Münsterland roads ideal for a bunch sprint.
Bennett has been targeting end-of-season opportunities after recent starts in Belgium and Britain, and the Münsterland Giro has historically suited pure sprinters.
Plenty of Irish interest to follow across Asia and Europe over the coming days with the eagerly anticipated World Championship Road Race in Montreal on Sunday 27th for Jamie Meehan, Ben Healy, Darren Rafferty, and Ryan Mullen.
