Twelve Irish athletes will head to Huntsville, Alabama, for the 2026 UCI Para Cycling Road World Championships this September.
Reigning World Champion tandem pairing Katie-George Dunlevy and Linda Kelly will once again look to defend their road race and time trial World Championship titles. The pair have enjoyed incredible success in recent years, claiming the rainbow jerseys at every time of asking.
Dunlevy has 12 World Championship titles across cycling and rowing to her name, including several cycling titles won with previous pilot Eve McCrystal before joining up with Kelly. Dunlevy and Kelly also claimed their first European Championship title together at the first time of asking earlier this summer in Italy.
Dunlevy and Kelly will be joined in the WB category by Sinead Greenan and Alice Sharpe. Sharpe, herself an Olympian on the track, began piloting Greenan earlier this year and the pair have already secured World Cup and European Championship medals.
Another Paris 2024 pairing, Damien Vereker and Mitchell McLaughlin, will also head to Alabama. The pair claimed a World Cup medal earlier this year and produced a strong performance at the recent European Championships.
They will be joined in the MB category by Ciaran O’Toole and Con Scully, who made their major championship debut at the European Championships in Italy earlier this year.
Richael Timothy claimed her first European Championship title in Italy earlier this year. The Paralympian has three Track World Championship medals to her name and will now look to add a road medal in Alabama in the C3 category.
Heather Jameson won bronze medals in both the road race and time trial at her first European Championships and will make her World Championship debut this September.
Two handcyclists will make the trip across the Atlantic. Allister MacSorley claimed a World Cup medal earlier this year in Belgium and narrowly missed out on a medal in both the road race and time trial at the European Championships.
He will be joined by Steve McGowan, who will also make his World Championship debut. McGowan comes into the event having made his World Cup and European Championship debuts this season before being crowned national time trial champion in June.
Para Cycling coach Jamie Blanchfield welcomed the naming of a team of this size:
“We’re pleased to announce a team that reflects the depth, experience and continued progress of the programme’s pathway, with a strong mix of experienced athletes and riders who have continued to develop over the last number of seasons.
“The World Championships are one of the key events of the year and provide an important opportunity to benchmark ourselves against the strongest international competition.
“We’ve seen encouraging performances across the World Cups and European Championships this season, and we’re looking forward to seeing the team build on that momentum, deliver strong performances and continue gaining valuable experience as we progress through this Paralympic cycle.”
Racing takes place from 4 to 7 September, with further information about the event available here.
Full competition schedule can be found here.
| Athlete | Role / Pairing | Competition Category | Events |
|---|---|---|---|
| Katie-George Dunlevy | Stoker, paired with Linda Kelly | Women’s B Tandem | Time Trial and Road Race |
| Linda Kelly | Pilot for Katie-George Dunlevy | Women’s B Tandem | Time Trial and Road Race |
| Sinead Greenan | Stoker, paired with Alice Sharpe | Women’s B Tandem | Time Trial and Road Race |
| Alice Sharpe | Pilot for Sinead Greenan | Women’s B Tandem | Time Trial and Road Race |
| Damien Vereker | Stoker, paired with Mitchell McLaughlin | Men’s B Tandem | Time Trial and Road Race |
| Mitchell McLaughlin | Pilot for Damien Vereker | Men’s B Tandem | Time Trial and Road Race |
| Ciaran O’Toole | Stoker, paired with Con Scully | Men’s B Tandem | Time Trial and Road Race |
| Con Scully | Pilot for Ciaran O’Toole | Men’s B Tandem | Time Trial and Road Race |
| Richael Timothy | Individual rider | Women’s C3 | Time Trial and Road Race |
| Heather Jameson | Individual rider | Women’s C2 | Time Trial and Road Race |
| Allister MacSorley | Handcyclist | Men’s H4 | Time Trial and Road Race |
| Steve McGowan | Handcyclist | Men’s H3 | Time Trial and Road Race |
Tandem roles: In Para cycling tandem events, the athlete with a visual impairment rides at the rear of the bike and is known as the stoker. The sighted pilot sits at the front and is responsible for steering, braking and changing gears. Both riders pedal and contribute to the tandem’s power and speed.
