Cycling Ireland has confirmed the line-up for the upcoming track world championships, with six female riders heading to Paris in October for the events.
Past European junior champion Lara Gillespie showed her form is on the up when she won two stages in last week’s Rás na mBan. and will join with two others who competed there on the Ireland team, Kelly Murphy and Emily Kay, as well as Mia Griffin and national road race champion Alice Sharpe.
They will contest the endurance events, including the women’s team pursuit, while Orla Walsh will compete in the sprint event.
The championships take place from October 12th to October 16th.
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Ireland has not qualified any male riders. JB Murphy, who was Ireland’s regular competitor in the men’s track races, crashed during the Grand Prix de la ville de Pérenchies in France in July. He suffered five fractured vertebrae and a muscle haematoma. The crash sidelined him and made qualification for the men’s events impossible.
Ireland’s female riders performed strongly in the European track championships in Munich in August, finishing sixth in the team pursuit. Murphy was also sixth in the individual pursuit, while the riders took other top 10 placings in races.
“This is a strong team that has been in good form this year, and we can go to Paris and look to build on that progress ahead of the Olympic qualifying process commencing in February,” said national track coach Dan Henchy. “UCI points gained now are very important for our strategy heading into next season.”
The championships are doubly important as the same venue will be used in the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. This affords Irish riders and officials to become familiar with the venue.
“It’s renowned as a lovely track to ride,” said Henchy. “[It’s] very smooth, and it’s in a very large capacity stadium so racing in Paris always has a good feel as a rider. It will be good to get everyone acquainted with the facility ahead of time as well.”
Cycling Ireland’s high performance director Iain Dyer confirmed that places offered to Ireland for the team sprint events and men’s team pursuit were an error. The country had not fielded riders in those races. “We were amazed to be offered places in the men’s and women’s team sprint and men’s team pursuit initially,” he said. “We knew we hadn’t achieved eligibility for these events this year, but it seemed the UCI wanted to get the numbers up, I think!
“Joking aside, it took them two further goes to finally get their quota allocation correct, so for the avoidance of doubt we didn’t qualify for those events and we weren’t eligible for those places in line with UCI regulations.”
Track World Championships, Paris (October 12th to 16th)
Women’s Endurance: Emily Kay, Lara Gillespie, Kelly Murphy, Mia Griffin, Alice Sharpe
Women’s Sprint: Orla Walsh
