Irish pros and top under-23 talent set for an exciting final third of the 2026 season on the continent and in Britain.
With the Irish domestic road season heading towards its close, just a handful of remaining races including Rás na mBan (Wednesday 2nd – Sunday 2nd September), the provincial titles still to be settled (Sunday 30th August), and Daire Feeley, Burren CC, confirmed as Ireland’s number-one ranked amateur rider, the focus shifts overseas for Irish Cycling fans.
Belgium
In the Renewi Tour (Wednesday 19th – Sunday 23rd August), the WorldTour stage race based entirely in Belgium, Dillon Corkery, Team Picnic-PostNL, Sam Bennett, Pinarello Q36.5, and Irish Men’s ITT Champion, Ryan Mullen, NSN Cycling Team, take the start.
The route features five stages: an opening circuit around Diest, a flat run from Blankenberge to Ardooie, a punchy day from Celles to Geraardsbergen that includes the famous Muur and other cobbled climbs, a rolling stage to Bilzen-Hoeselt, and a closing loop around Leuven.
Bennett will be eyeing the sprint stages and the more selective days, with Corkery likely to be in a supporting role to their fastman Pavel Bittner.
Vuelta a España
At the Vuelta a España, which begins on Saturday 22nd August with a short individual time trial in Monaco, Darren Rafferty, EF Education-EasyPost, and Eddie Dunbar, Pinarello Q36.5, are both selected.
The 2024 Irish Men’s National Road Race Champion will support Richard Carapaz’s GC challenge across three weeks of racing that quickly heads into the mountains of France, Andorra and Spain.
Brilliant to see 2-time Vuelta stage winner Dunbar returning after recovering from an ankle injury sustained earlier in the year.
Tour de l’Avenir
The under-23 ranks are well represented at the Tour de l’Avenir (Thursday 20th – Wednesday 26th August). Adam Rafferty, the Irish U23 time-trial champion, and David Gaffney line up for, Hagens Berman Jayco, while Irish Men’s 2026 National road race champion Seth Dunwoody rides for Bahrain Victorious Development, and Liam O’Brien leads the Lidl – Trek Future Racing challenge.
This year’s edition starts on the Normandy coast at Ouistreham Riva-Bella and travels south and east through rolling terrain before hitting the Alps, featuring a short mountain time trial and a summit finish on the Col de l’Iseran en route to a finale in Italy.
Tour of Britain Women
Finally, national champion Lara Gillespie, UAE Team ADQ, contests the 2026 Tour of Britain Women (Wednesday 19th – Sunday 23rd August).
The five-stage WorldTour race opens with a rolling loop around Cockermouth in Cumbria before heading to Blackpool, climbing the Great Orme in Llandudno, tackling the hills of mid-Wales to Hay-on-Wye, and finishing in Royal Leamington Spa.
World Championships
Looking further ahead, a strong 12-rider squad has been named for the 2026 UCI Road World Championships in Montreal (Sunday 20th – Sunday 27th September).
Ben Healy headlines the elite men’s team alongside Ryan Mullen, Jamie Meehan and Darren Rafferty, while the U23 men’s contingent includes Adam Rafferty, David Gaffney, Seth Dunwoody and Liam O’Brien.
In the junior ranks, a three-rider men’s team of recent Irish National Road Race Champion Freddie Winkley, Junior Tour of Ireland winner Rían McCrystal, and Hugh Óg Mulhearne will contest both the road race and time trial in Montreal.
Emer Heverin is Ireland’s sole female representative after a breakout year that included the Irish Junior Women’s Road Race and ITT national titles, the senior criterium championship, and European track medals.
Transfer News
On the transfer front, Liam O’Brien is set to turn professional with Pinarello-Q36.5 in 2027 where he’ll line out alongside its existing contingent of Irish stars Sam Bennett and Eddie Dunbar.
