Double elite Irish champ Gaby Homer (19) stepping up with new team | Sticky Bottle

*Gaby Homer is a double Irish track champion and has her sights set on big goals in the next few seasons. She has signed with a new squad for 2020 based in Britain*

Now aged 19 years and looking to develop on both the road and track, Irish international Gaby Homer has signed for Team Boompods.

The British elite team
will ride most of the biggest elite races on the UK circuit and it looks like a
great opportunity for the teenager to take the next step in her career.

Homer has performed well on both road and track during the past couple of seasons; riding for the last two years with Cycle Team Onform.

Last year she claimed bronze in the
junior road race championships behind Lara Gillespie and Maeve Gallagher.

She was also selected that season for
the Irish team that went to the World Junior Track Championships in
Switzerland.

This year she won the elite Irish titles on the track in both the individual pursuit and scratch race; seeing off elite internationals Orla Walsh and Lydia Boylan in the latter.

*Riding the Rás na mBan stage race in Ireland in September (Photo: Sean Rowe)*

*Competing in the madison with Lara Gillespie at the European Championships last year*

While her racing will
mainly be on the road next year, she is also remaining firmly committed to her
track career.

Indeed, some of her key
goals are on the track; in Ireland and on the international scene.

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Her programme in 2020
will include both the Irish road and track championships and Cycling Ireland’s
National Road Series.

She is also planning to
race on the road in Belgium for periods; a scene that has instilled street
smarts in many young riders.

“I’m hoping to get some
top tens in the British National Series and to podium in the Irish National
Road Series races,” she told stickybottle, as well as riding the UK’s team
series.

“My biggest goals for
next year would be to retain my two national track titles, but ultimately to represent
Ireland at the U23 European Champs on the track.”

She added she was very
disappointed to miss out this year on Europeans selection.

“My longer term goal is
to represent Northern Ireland in the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham 2022.”

That Commonwealth Games
goal is added to by the other circumstances in her life at present; Homer
currently studying in the city that will host the Games.

She is doing a degree in Exercise and Health Sciences and Birmingham University has awarded her a sports scholarship.