Junior Tour of Ireland Gets Underway This Week

The Junior Tour of Ireland returns to Co. Clare this week, as some of the best domestic and foreign Junior talent fight it out for the coveted yellow jersey.

This year’s race opens with an evening stage,
Stage 2 will start earlier on Wednesday, with racing underway at 11am. The stage will be a huge challenge for riders, taking on several tough climbs and battling coastal breezes before the finish in Kilkee. With several opportunities to win King of the Mountain points, Stage 2 really could blow the race wide open.

Thursday’s Stage 3 will again get underway at 11am and bring riders 110km from Ennis to Gort, with a loop taking in Knockhames and Ballynakill Lough. As with Stage 2, there will be several chances for riders to claim mountain classification points, but these climbs can blow the field apart.

Stage 4 takes riders on a 122km tour of the Burren. Again, leaving Ennis at 11am, the race heads towards Cappaghmore, back to Carrowkeel West, out to the coast again and Ballyvaughan, out to Black Head Light House, before looping back through Doonagore to Kilfenora for the finish. While this stage is comparatively flatter than the previous two, it packs some sharp punchy climbs.

The penultimate stage leaves Clarecastle on Saturday morning before passing through Killaloe, will take in Scarriff and Bodyke before looping back to the finish in Killaloe. The 118km stage will again feature some gruelling climbs sure to punish already tired legs.

This year’s final stage on Sunday, July 13th will feature a six lap circuit, just south of Ennis, finishing up on the Kilrush Road. The final stage GPS file is available here.

Ireland will have a team of five representatives, including three debutants. Hugh Og Mulhearne, Curtis McKee, Toby Sweetman, Jack Woods, and Peter Quigley will all wear green for the week. Irish provinces will also be well represented, with riders from every province making the trip to Clare.

More information on all stages, and where you can catch the race, is available here.

Cycling Ireland Announce the Irish Team for the Junior Tour

Cycling Ireland is proud to announce the Junior National Team selected to represent the country at the Junior Tour of Ireland, taking place from 8th to 13th July 2025. The event, a cornerstone of junior international racing, will once again see Ireland’s top talent take to the roads in the national colours.

The riders selected to represent Ireland are:

• Curtis McKee
• Hugh Óg Mulhearne
• Toby Sweetman
• Peter Quigley
• Jack Woods

As always, the objective of the Cycling Ireland National Team is clear — to make an impact and provide top-class racing experience for our junior athletes as they continue their development on the international stage.

Michael Black, High Performance Pathway Lead, commented: “This is a strong and exciting group of riders who have shown great form and consistency throughout the season. The Junior Tour of Ireland is a key development milestone, and we’re confident this team will represent the national jersey with pride and purpose. We’re committed to exposing our athletes to the highest levels of racing and this event is the perfect platform.”

Martyn Irvine, HP Pathway Coach, added: “While I’m disappointed not to be at this year’s Junior Tour due to a scheduling conflict with another event, I’ve been working closely with Michael and Frank throughout the selection process and I’m very pleased with the team we’ve assembled. It’s a well-balanced and competitive squad, capable of performing across all terrain. I’m confident they’ll represent the national jersey with pride, and I look forward to seeing how they perform during the week.”

Frank Campbell, who will serve as Directeur Sportif for the event, shared his thoughts:?“I am delighted and honoured to be given the opportunity to manage and work with the team in our National Tour. The selection shows the strength in depth we currently have throughout the country, and I look forward to helping the riders show off their talents in the national jersey.”

The team will take on some of the most challenging roads and toughest competition in junior racing, and Cycling Ireland is confident these five riders will uphold the values and spirit of Irish cycling.