Pathway Spotlight - Hugh Óg Mulhearne
Hugh Óg Mulhearne’s start to the 2026 season has been nothing short of fantastic, including finishing as the top Junior just last weekend at Rás Mumhan. The 17-year old, now in his second season with French outfit AS Villemur Cyclisme was inside the top-three in the French Junior Rankings after the first few races. The Waterford-native hopes to build on his current momentum and that the level of competition in France will continue to aid his development.
“I had some good results to start the year; two fourth place finishes in the breakaway, 32nd, 34th, 36th, and then strong performances here at home – second in the Bobby Power Memorial a definite highlight. Just looking for consistency to start.”
Talking about the difference between racing in France, versus in Ireland, he said:
“I think the difference [between Ireland and France] is crazy. Like not even level of riders wise, just the size of the bunches for a start. Like you're turning up and every day is 200 Juniors - every day, week in, week out. And then if you go to the actual racing side of it, it's full gas from the go.
“Every time the break will go and you know you have to be there. And then there's no lad in the break that shouldn't be there. You know, if you get 10 men up the road, you're like any one of the 10 of us can win here.
“Team tactics is huge as well. On the pro side of it, there's always going to be team tactics. You always want to get two or three lads up the road. I think racing a junior race in France is just as good as any pro racing I've ever seen on TV. It’s racing like what you see on the TV. You know, we have boys in the front. You feel like you're pro even though you're only 16/17, so it's good.
“In my first year I was nervous at first. I had never been in a real team. I've never had a teammate in my life. And the first few weeks I was like, oh God, this is weird. Like you have to think of others like ride for other lads. But I think after a while it's better, it gets easier.”
While Mulhearne’s development has been aided by exposure to bigger groups and bigger races abroad, the Cycling Ireland Performance Pathway Programme has also added to that. This is Mulhearne’s second year as part of the programme, which has seen some structural changes for 2026.
“I think the biggest change for me for this year has been being coached and working so closely with Martyn [Irvine]. Being on the PPP, your results, your training, all your stats are monitored, there’s no hiding.
“It is extra motivation because you are in the bubble, you're in the CI bubble and you know you're being looked after. Then we have the workshop days and more access to all the facilities, stuff like that is huge. Being coached by Martyn directly is a massive jump for me but all the extras in the Pathway give me that extra 10-15%.
“I think a lot of lads were scared to make the jump and leave their previous coaches but Martyn and Stuart [Balfour] had me convinced and it’s the best decision I ever made. Like for a rider, the workshop days, the calls, they're all beneficial. There's none of it is like admin, and there's the personal side as well, the feedback and everything. For me it’s a huge positive.”
Access to personalised coaching and resources has been huge for Mulhearne, and an opportunity to learn from Irvine and Pathway Lead Stuart Balfour was an opportunity to big to pass up. Irvine’s name carries obvious weight, with several years as a road pro, a Track World Championship and an Olympics under his belt, while Balfour’s experience coming through Scottish Cycling and British Cycling’s talent pathway, appearances at World Championships, Tour de l’Avenir and the Baby Giro and time among the pro ranks giving him a deep well of experience for tapping into.
“Martyn’s a man you listen to, he knows his stuff, and he’s really honest with stuff. I still have a bit to learn tactics wise, but he’s just being honest; ‘look, you've done this wrong, that wrong. You had legs, just need to choose better moments' and the like. The man, he loves his hours, the training. That's what I like. It's hard work. And at first, I remember the camp in Calpe after I was coming home, I was nearly terrified. I was like, ‘this is going to be a long winter and the first week was, oh, this is hell.’ Again he had a really honest chat with me and said , ‘look, if you come around, trust me, you'd like this.’ And then after a while now I love the hours. I'm addicted to it. I love to train, love training hard. I always thought I was disciplined and a hard worker, but nothing like I do now, and looking back at what I was doing last year compared to this, I’ve kind of grown up since he’s started coaching me – it’s a bit of a cliché but it’s true.”
Coach’s Perspective
Irvine worked with Pathway riders last year, so has seen up close the benefits the programme has had for Mulhearne, both in terms of development and exposure, explaining;
“Yeah, it's just knowledge when you need it. I think, you know to be honest, we're still trying to shape the pathway. Last year the PPP looked a bit different. It's just athlete focused. So if he needs some S&C knowledge or some nutritional advice, hopefully not - but if he needs some help when accidents happen, we can get all the support we need or we can ask the right people and that's what we're trying to do. Put the riders in the best possible position for moving forward.”
Irvine reiterated the importance of riders like Mulhearne getting opportunities to ride abroad, in particular with the National Team.
"It's key in development because if you don't do it, you won't know where the level is. Obviously you need to have shown some skill like Hugh said earlier about the 200 rider bunches, that stuff. Being in those big moments, big bunches, getting used to them and not being like a deer in the headlights, but able to go and race them and not be phased by the occasion – that’s development.”
One of those occasions came last October. Mulhearne was selected in the Irish squad for the UEC European Road Championships in France. The 103km road race was billed as one of the tougher courses in recent years, and with Irish riders already taking medals in the Men’s U23 and Junior Time Trials earlier in the week the appetite was there to add more. While the day ultimately ended in a DNF for Mulhearne, last year’s fellow Pathway rider David Gaffney took bronze.
“I think any of us in that team would have rode for anyone else – Conor [Murphy] already had his medal, he could have packed it in but he didn’t, but he had the legs, put in a savage turn or two. David had the legs and we worked for him. There wasn’t actually any words exchanged, we just all went all in for David and he delivered for us. No better man really.”
Looking Ahead
In his second year as a junior, Mulhearne is eyeing up the step up to the U23 ranks, but is under no illusions that there’s more to do before then.
“I can't wait. It's like it's all I had in my head through winter was this year. I was like, ‘right, lock in, we get a good start to the season, get some results, see can start off next year on a good team, good level.’ So it's still the biggest goal this year, I said it to Martyn in Calpe is to end up on a devo team next year or some level.
I want to finish out this junior year first though. Still think I have some good results, some good races coming up. The Junior Tour with the Irish squad is a goal and hopefully the Worlds or Europeans. So look, there's still some big goals before I start thinking of under 23, but yeah, to get to an U23 devo team is definitely a big goal.”
Throughout the year we will be highlighting one of our Performance Pathway Athletes in a monthly article, showcasing their performances to date and giving some insight into the Pathway.
Find more information about the PPP and the riders selected for 2026 here.