Nine Irish riders on the startlist of Il Piccolo Lombardia 2026 A new high-water mark, 50 years after Seán Kelly’s famous win
Irish cycling’s upward trajectory continues. Nine riders are scheduled to line up for the 98th Il Piccolo Lombardia 2026, the prestigious U23 counterpart to the Monument, which gets underway at 11.30 Irish Time on Saturday 03rd October with ETA 3.30pm Irish Time. Live streaming of the race starts at 1.50pm Irish Time.
Ireland ranks sixth on the nations list with nine starters, behind only the usual heavyweights of Italy, France, Belgium, Great Britain and Spain.
50 years after Kelly
What a remarkable show of depth! When was the last time nine Irish riders took the start of a race of this standing, if ever? Exactly fifty years earlier, in 1976, a young amateur named Seán Kelly lined up for the Piccolo Giro di Lombardia while riding for the French club Velo Club Metz. He won it.
That victory remains the only Irish success in the race’s long history and marked an early landmark in a career that would later deliver three Il Lombardia titles among his legendary haul of Monument classics.
Half a century on, nine Irish riders are listed to start in Oggiono. The field is strong on a selective course, and the opportunity real for a group that reflects the broader progress seen in Montréal and elsewhere this season.
The Course: Classic Lombard Hills with a Decisive Ghisallo
The 2026 edition covers 177 km around Oggiono (roughly 40 km from Milan), with start and finish in the same town. The race splits into two clear halves.
Early on, riders tackle a hilly circuit featuring the short but steep climbs of Ello and Barzago, completed four times. These double-digit gradients are sure to gradually thin the peloton through attrition.
The decisive phase begins with the iconic Madonna del Ghisallo. After a long descent, the Chiare and Muro dell’Alpino arrive in quick succession. Short, punchy climbs that favour pure climbers and explosive riders.
The final difficulty comes inside the last 10 km with Marconaga di Ello (1.8 km), followed by a fast descent to the finish. It is a race that rewards climbing strength, positioning and the ability to recover between efforts.
Classic Lombardy terrain scaled for U23s.
Our Nine Irish Riders
Liam O’Brien, Lidl-Trek Future Racing, 21
The clear standard-bearer for Irish hopes. O’Brien has been a consistent performer in mountainous U23 stage races, with strong GC results including second at the Ronde de l’Isard and solid showings in the Valle d’Aosta.
The Fermoy man steps up to Pinarello Q36.5 in 2027. On a course built around the Ghisallo and successive hills, he is probably the most likely of the nine to feature in the decisive moves.
Conor Murphy, Decathlon CMA CGM Development Team, 19
Riding with a strong WorldTeam development squad. Still building experience at this level but benefiting from structured support. A solid all-rounder who should handle the repeated hills well and look to stay competitive deep into the race.
Killian O’Brien, Team Skyline, 20
The Dublin rider who has shown aggressive form in 2026, including 3rd on Stage 2 of the Tour de Beauce (2.2) a sprint jersey and near-miss on the KOM at the Philadelphia Classic.
He thrives on punchy terrain and could be active on the shorter, steeper ramps. One to watch for a Top-20.
Patrick Casey, NSN Development Team, 20
Part of the NSN Development setup. Brings consistency and racing smarts from a solid continental programme. Expect him to ride supportively and look for opportunities in the reduced groups perhaps.
Rory Condon, Zappi Racing Team, 18
The youngest of the contingent. Early exposure to high-level Italian racing with Zappi is invaluable. This is about learning and gaining experience on a demanding route.
Has been racing in Italy since completing the 2026 Rás Tailteann with O’Leary Stone Kanturk Cycling Club. His 14th place into Enniscorthy on Stage 3 showing he’s not lacking in confidence or potential.
Josh Callaly, Eoghan Lattimore, Cal Tutty and Curtis Neill, Velo Performance U23 Development Team
A strong block of four from the same squad underlines the progress of development pathways. Lattimore and Tutty (both 20) bring a bit more racing mileage at this level, while Callaly (19) and Neill (20) add promising depth.
Callaly added his fourth domestic win of the year recently at the 2026 McGinty Autumn Classic, while Neill took a stage and the GC at the recent The Clive Tiley Memorial Stage Race (NAT).
Collective strength in numbers will help them navigate the early circuits and potentially position one or more for a late move.
Favourites and Ireland’s Best Chance
The startlist is packed with strong continental development teams. Henrique Bravo, Soudal Quick-Step Devo, arrives as one of the standout names after a breakthrough season that included a podium at the Giro Next Gen and a win in the Valle d’Aosta. Other squads such as Lidl-Trek Future Racing, Decathlon CMA CGM Development, NSN Development and the various Italian and French continental teams will supply the bulk of the contenders.
Given the profile of repeated short climbs building into the Ghisallo and a punchy finale, pure climbers and those with repeated-effort power will come to the fore. Among the Irish contingent, O’Brien stands out as our best chance.
His proven ability on similar terrain and impending step up to the ProTeam ranks make him the rider most capable of finishing in the top 10 or better if the race unfolds selectively.
However, the sheer presence of nine Irish riders is the real story. It reflects growing pathways, better placement in development teams, and a generation that is no longer content merely to participate. Results will vary depending out the rider’s current trajectory and experience.
It is a big step up for some. Some will learn hard lessons on the Ghisallo, others may surprise, but overall the depth itself is encouraging for Irish fans.
Irish cycling continues to move in the right direction. Nine riders at a race of this calibre is something to savour and enjoy. Mol an óige…
Bainigí sult as agus gach rath orthu!
