Cycling

Crash scuppers Alice Sharpe and Mia Griffin’s hopes of a strong finish to European championship campaign

The duo were competing in the relay-style Madison event

Alice Sharpe crashed just over halfway through the event. Photograph: Tom Maher/Inpho

Mon Feb 13 2023 - 19:06

Psyched to end the European Championships on a high after earlier being part of a new national record in the team pursuit, Alice Sharpe and Mia Griffin instead suffered the effects of a crash on Sunday.

The duo, who along with Kelly Murphy and Lara Gillespie finished fifth in the team pursuit on Thursday, were competing in the relay-style Madison event. They had started well by taking a point in each of the first two sprints but then Sharpe crashed just over halfway through the event.

Griffin continued racing while Sharpe was assessed, and although she later resumed racing, the disruption took its toll and the duo lost a lap. They subsequently conceded two further laps and ended the event 12th.

Earlier sprint riders Orla Walsh and Conor Rowley competed in the women’s and men’s keirin. Walsh finished fifth in the first round, missing out on a slot in the top two which would have seen her progress to round two. She had a second chance in the repechage but finished fourth and missed out.

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Rowley also missed out, netting sixth in round one and fourth in the repechage.

The championships began in Grenchen, Switzerland, last Wednesday. Ireland’s team pursuit result was the highest placing achieved over the five days, with fifth there being followed by two other top 10 performances.

Kelly Murphy was seventh in the individual pursuit on Saturday, while Griffin was ninth in the points race the same day and was also 10th in the women’s elimination race on Thursday.

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