Ryan Mullen will line up at the Elite Men’s European Road Cycling Championships time-trial this afternoon as one of the favourites to take gold.
The Irish time-trial champion has come close to winning European gold previously having finished 2nd behind Danish rider Mathias Krigbaum in the junior race back in 2012.
In last year’s Elite race at the European Championships, Mullen finished 22nd, 2’31” behind Jonathan Castroviejo (Movistar Team) but then went on to finish 5th at the World TT Champs. At the 40-kilometre test in Doha, the Cannondale-Drapac rider was just 11″ from a podium place in the race won by Tony Martin.
Back in June, Mullen won his Irish title when he beat Nicolas Roche (BMC Racing) by 15″ in Wexford and he followed up this win with the road race title three days later.
Amongst other riders who can be expected to contend for medals are Maciej Bodnar of Poland who won the final time-trial of the Tour de France, Jos van Emden of the Netherlands who won the final time-trial in the Giro d’Italia and Belgian time-trial champion Yves Lampaert.
Last year’s winner Castroviejo will not be taking part as his partner is expecting a baby around the time the Championships are taking place.
The riders will face a flat 46-kilometre course starting and finishing in the centre of Herning. Mullen will be the 21st of 34 riders to set off with the Irishman starting at 15:20 local time.
Start list – Time Trial Men Elite
