Cycling Ireland have announced their team for the UCI Paracycling Track World Championships which take place next month from October 20th to October 23rd.
A team of nine Irish athletes will compete in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Paris in what is their last major competition goal for 2022.
Tokyo Paralympics silver medallists Katie-George Dunlevy and Eve McCrystal will compete in the Pursuit and Kilo events while Richael Timothy, Ronan Grimes and Chris Burns will compete in a range of events.
Dunlevy and McCrystal were the country’s most successful Paralympians in the Tokyo Games, winning two golds and a silver medal across road and track. They previously won gold and silver medals at the 2016 Rio Games. Their career successes also include six road World Championship titles plus the Paracycling World Cup series title they secured in August.
The team is completed by men’s duos Martin Gordon and Eoin Mullen along with Damien Vereker and Marcin Mizgajski.
The UCI Paracycling Track Worlds are the last major Competition goal in 2022 for the Paracycling Team and Ireland Head Coach Neill Delahaye has noted that they are aiming for a consistent showing from all our athletes across all races.
With a men’s and women’s early quota place for the 2024 Paralympic Games, there is a chance to earn crucial Nations ranking points in the build up to Paris.
The championships also afford a chance for the Irish athletes to experience the velodrome in Saint-Quentine-en-Yvelines which will be the Track Cycling location for the 2024 Paralympics.
Delahaye noted:
“The Velodrome in Saint-Quentine-en-Yvelines is the Track Cycling location for Paris 2024 which also gives us an early opportunity to race at the Games venue which will be a valuable experience for the riders and support team. We have not raced on the Track since Tokyo and everyone is looking forward to getting back on the boards for some fast and hard racing.”
Team Ireland
Katie-George Dunlevy & Eve McCrystal – Pursuit & Kilo
Ronan Grimes – Pursuit, Kilo, Scratch, Omnium (200 is additional event to make up a 4 race Omnium)
Richael Timothy – Pursuit, 500, Scratch, Omnium (200 is additional event to make up a 4 race Omnium)
Chris Burns – Pursuit, Kilo, Scratch, Omnium (200 is additional event to make up a 4 race Omnium)
Martin Gordon & Eoin Mullen – Kilo & Sprint
Damien Vereker & Marcin Mizgajski – Pursuit & Kilo
