The provisional startlist for the forthcoming European Championships has been released and features some big names for the inaugural running of the Elite race.
Amongst the names on the provisional startlist are the last four World Road Race Champions – Peter Sagan (Slovakia), the current rainbow jersey wearer, Michal Kwiatkowski (Poland), Rui Costa (Portugal) and Philippe Gilbert (Belgium).
Other names to look out for are the Italian Fabio Aru, winner of the Vuelta in 2015 as well as the French riders,Tony Gallopin and Julian Alaphilippe.
The Spanish team includes the 2008 Beijing Olympic Champion, Samuel Sanchez, and the winner of the Road race at the 2015 Baku European Games, Luis Leon Sanchez.
The provisional Irish team includes Liege-Bastogne-Liege and Giro di Lombardia winner Dan Martin (Etixx-Quick Step), and his cousin Nicolas Roche (Team Sky). Also listed on the Irish team are Stephen Clancy (Team Novo Nordisk), Conor Dunne (JLT-Condor) and Damien Shaw (An Post-Chain Reaction).
Roche is also listed as a provisional starter in the time-trial alongside U23 silver medallist Ryan Mullen. The races will take place in Plumelec – Morbihan – Bretagne in France.
The races will take place from 14 to 18 September and continental titles for the Road and Time-Trial races will be awarded in the Juniors, Under 23 and Elite men’s and women’s categories with the first title of professional European champion up for grabs
Great to see Stephen Clancy Team Novo Nordisk there.