The K-Capital Cup International MTB XCO Series will blast into action at Bray in County Wicklow, on Sunday, March 9. Team Worc is hosting the Irish event at the Kilruddery Estate for the first of the four rounds. As in 2007, two rounds will be held in the North and two in the South. Sunday's course is described as 8km long and varies from climbs to forest roads to technical singletrack through wooded areas.
The first three rounds will serve as the Olympic qualification races for the Irish cross country representative for the Beijing Olympics in August. Following the set criteria, the race-off for the Olympic place is between the three top UCI ranked Irish riders as published at the end of 2007 - Robin Seymour, Niall Davis and Conor McConvey. The top scorer will get the spot for Beijing.
Unfortunately, McConvey suffered a broken shoulder after being knocked off his bike by a car while cycling on the Shore Road in Belfast. The young rider, who finished 21st at the U23 World Championships in Fort William, Scotland, will be out of action for six weeks, thus wrecking his early season plans.
Joining Davis and Seymour in the elite men's line up will be the British Cycling Federation Olympic squad of current British National Champion Oliver Beckingsale (Giant RC), and Ian Bibby, David Fletcher and Ross Creber of the British National Team. Other Irish riders to look out for include Richard Felle and Yvain Sugno, Phillip Roche all Team Worc, Lewis Ferguson (Northern/Dave Kane) and Roger Aiken (Banbridge CC), the reigning Irish Cyclo Cross Champion. In addition, Commonwealth Games Champion Liam Killeen may make the trip to Bray.
There will be races for elite women and all amateur categories; however the elite men's race is the only UCI category event.
