This time last year Lara Gillespie went to the Worlds as a newbie on the international set-up. But she goes back a seasoned international and European champion. She is part of a youthful five-rider Irish team for Denmark in two weeks time (Photo: Toby Watson)
The Irish team for the World Cyclocross Championships in Demark in two weeks time has been named, with five riders selected.
There is no elite team named, giving the line-up that has been picked a very youthful feel.
In the U23 female category two riders have been picked; Lara Gillespie of Orwell Wheelers and Lucy O’Donnell of O’Leary Stone Kanturk.
And in the U23 category just one rider has been selected, the national elite champion David Conroy of Scott-Eurocycles.
The junior men’s race will have two green jerseys on the line; Adam McGarr (Biking.ie) and Sean Nolan (Navan Road Club) both getting the nod.
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Twelve months ago Gillespie was selected for her first Worlds just weeks out of the U16 ranks having won the elite cyclocross title.
Then aged 16 years, she rode the U23 race at the Worlds. She put in a great shift to finish in 23rd, despite competing against riders up to six years her senior.
While it was a huge step up for her at the time, a mark of her progress in the last 12 months is that this time around she is going as a seasoned international.
Since last year she has ridden the junior road race and TT in both the road Worlds and Europeans. She has also competed in the track Worlds and Europeans; claiming gold and silver in the latter.
And while it would be unfair to expect anything from her in Denmark beyond enjoying it and banking experience, it should be very interesting to see how she performs.
Adam McGarr wins the Irish title at Fota Island last weekend, now he's off to Denmark in the Irish jersey (Photo: Sean Rowe)
Lara Gillespie's new Ireland team mate Lucy O’Donnell deservedly gets her first green jersey.
She has been one of the stars of the cyclocross scene at home this year and her bronze in the elite nationals was a terrific performance.
While she had been riding very well all season, she clearly continued to progress during the campaign and she kept her best for the championships last weekend in Cork.
In the De Ronde Van Cork promoted race, she matched Gillespie and elite rider Maria Larkin all the way; attacking them as the race neared the end.
And though both of her rivals beat her to the line, O’Donnell took the bronze and she did so very impressively.
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O’Donnell was a stand-out performer on the road youth scene last year. And now she has taken an elite nationals medal at the first time of asking though still only just out of the U16 races.
Like Gillespie last year, O’Donnell now steps up from U16 racing straight into an U23 Worlds. But she takes her place on the plane to Denmark having earned it in some style, with a long international career ahead if she wants it.
Perhaps the one disappointment with the team selection is that no elites are picked and only one U23 male rider has been named.
For Thomas Creighton, last year's Irish junior champion, a strong season at home at 5th in the elite nationals has disappointingly not proven enough for a place on the team.
However, David Conroy earned his place with a great ride at the nationals; collecting what may prove to be the first of very many elite crowns.
David Conroy will take to the start line in the U23 race in Denmark as the only Irishman in the field (Photo: Martine Verfaillie)
Conroy has already ridden the Worlds and the Europeans at U23 level. And since then he has taken in more and more racing in Continental Europe.
He returned home from a prolonged racing trip in Europe before the nationals, which made him the hot favourite for the title.
And though the pressure was on his shoulders, he was up to the task and took the title.
Now with a lot of international experience under his belt, though he is still aged just 20 years, Conroy will look to really test himself in Denmark.
This is another big outing for him as he emerges now on the cyclocross scene looking like the man to beat in the years ahead.
And though he is now elite Irish champion, the beauty for him is that he still has a couple of seasons left in the U23 ranks.
Irish juniors get their chance
The remaining duo of Irish riders set for these Worlds are junior national championships gold and silver medal winners, McGarr and Nolan.
The former rode the Worlds last year. Now returning as the Irish champion he is a year stronger and a year more experienced.
He and Nolan are set for a fiercely competitive race, as are all the Irish riders, in which they will gain experience and seek to get the best out of themselves.
McGarr has stepped up this year, winning elite races at home as well as taking the Irish junior title.
Likewise, Nolan has been very good value and demonstrates a real desire to race every time he pins on a number on the road or in cyclocross.
The Navan Road Club teenager has taken himself to the UK of late to test himself against the top juniors there. And now he gets to take it a step forward at his first Worlds.
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