Shannon McCurley qualified for the last Olympics. This time Cycling Ireland hopes to have several riders in Tokyo.

Irish cyclists begin Olympic qualification process

Having had just one Irish rider qualify for the track at the Rio Olympics, the Irish hopefuls this weekend begin their 2020 quest with big hopes.

The Irish elite track team takes on its first World Cup of the six that will unfold over the coming season.

Each rider’s top three results will count towards Ireland qualification efforts in each discipline. The qualifying process will continue for two seasons, starting in Paris today.

Last time out it was Australian-based Irish rider Shannon McCurley flying the flag in Rio. She took in the sprint events.

Her qualification came four years after Martyn Irvine was Ireland’s sole representative at London 2012.

But the Irish team goes into this qualification cycle with higher hopes; the objective to get several riders to Tokyo.

Marc Potts and Robyn Stewart are ready for battle and both are aiming for the Olympics with real prospects of making it.

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As a smaller nation in the world of track racing, Ireland will be doing well to qualify in any of the events.

However, the team has punched above its weight many times in the past. And it goes into this Olympic cycle with several riders who have medalled at international championships and World Cups since Rio.

This weekend last year’s silver medal winners in the Madison at the European Championships, Lydia Gurley and Lydia Boylan, take on that race in Paris.

Boylan also rides the scratch race this weekend and Gurley the represents Ireland in the points race.

Rio Olympian McCurley has switched from sprint to endurance racing of late.

She goes in the omnium on the Saint-Quentin en Yvelines velodrome on Saturday. She goes in full of confidence having won that event in the Vienna GP last weekend.

Robyn Stewart is now the sprinter in the Irish camp. And she competes in the keirin and sprint in Paris.

Stewart has progressed very significantly in the last couple of seasons and it should be interesting to see how far she can go during the World Cup meetings.

Felix English, a gold medal winner at World Cup level, rides the Madison this weekend with Marc Potts.

English also competes in the scratch race and Potts takes in the omnium. Another strong Irishman in the team is Fintan Ryan, who goes in the points race.

Ireland’s efforts get underway this afternoon when Ryan and Gurley compete in the points race heats. The full schedule for the weekend is available by following this link.