The Irish quartet have ridden very well at the Worlds, breaking they Irish record. More importantly, they have exceeded expectations and are now already looking forward to repeatedly going faster.
Just over six months ago the Irish team pursuit line-up endured a very difficult championships debut at the Europeans; breaking up during the 4km race.
However, they dusted themselves off, got back onto the training track and went into the World Cup season determined to do well.
Orla Walsh, Mia Griffin, Alice Sharpe, and Kelly Murphy would go close during that campaign to the Irish record.
Fittingly, it was when they went back to race in Britain again, the location of their Euros nightmare, that the first proper breakthrough came.
They finished in the top eight in qualifying and went through to the next round; the first time a women’s team had ever done so.
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And now at the Worlds they’ve progressed further, taking just over 2½ seconds faster than the Irish record.
Left to right: Kelly Murphy, Alice Sharpe, Orla Walsh and Mia Griffin - Irish record holders and on the up.
On the track in Poland yesterday what started off as talent transfer, experimental, line-up became the quickest team we’ve ever had.
And now the Europeans is in the distant past; a good story to tell when they look back from the position they have just climbed to.
This is a very competitive event on the world stage of course and there are only berths on offer at the Olympic Games.
Most nations who are in that top tier have edged their way there over many years; building coaching ad technical expertise during that time and using a large number of riders along the way.
It’s not a journey completed by one group over a season or two. But given these Irish women are only together a short period of time, there are very solid grounds for expecting more big steps forward from them.
At present they are placed 17th of the 32 nations who currently have UCI ranking points. The top six are along way ahead of the rest of the world.
Those nations are, in order: Great Britain on 7,635 points; Italy, 7,530 points; New Zealand 6,440; Germany 6,072.5; Canada, 6,000; United States, 5,650.
Then comes Poland on 4,742.5 points and France, competing the top eight places in the world, on 4,690 points. Ireland is 17th on 2,170 points.
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We’re underway! #Pruszkow2019 ?
? Follow the Women Team Pursuit qualifying with LIVE timing provided by @Tissot ?
? https://t.co/YGZANNrkGf pic.twitter.com/bqLG1u86WH
— UCI Track Cycling (@UCI_Track) February 27, 2019
However, considering Ireland’s transformation from the Europeans in Glasgow last August to their ride in Pruszków yesterday – when they were 10th of the 17 teams and broke the Irish record – they look like a line-up that is only getting started.
And a fairer, more accurate, reflection of where they stand in the world rankings will be cleared in 12 months time.
Already the four are looking ahead; happy to have moved on from Glasgow and but hungry for more progressed and to repeatedly lowering what is now their new Irish record.
“To come from the European Championships last summer, which wasn’t a great ride, to top 10 in the world with everyone showing up with their A-game is a great achievement for us, a new team,” said Orla Walsh.
Mia Griffin, the one to speak out for the team after the Euros, was bullish for the future.
“We want to continue progressing as we have done all this year,” she said just after her record-breaking ride yesterday.
“We’re going to put our heads down, stay focused after the summer and go into the track World Cups ready.
“We want to try to keep knocking off the same amount of time we have been knocking off consistently through each of the World Cups this season.”
#pruszkow2019 ? T- 1hr until our Women's Team Pursuit take to the boards ?Here's what the team's been up to so far on day 1⃣#TeamIreland pic.twitter.com/rreyF5hukt
— Cycling Ireland (@IreCyclingFed) February 27, 2019
Alice Sharpe, who recently secured a place with the enhanced UCI women’s pro road team, said the fact she and her team mates had ridden their fastest time in the biggest stage was encouraging.
“We were really pleased to come off the track having set a new national record; even more so that it was on the biggest stage,” she said.
“We were able to perform under pressure; deliver on the day, when it mattered most. It’s a nice way to finish the season and show everybody what we’re all capable of.”
National TT champion Kelly Murphy said the team’s hard work and coaching was now paying dividends.
“We came here to ride under 4:30s, finish in the top 10, and break the Irish record,” she said of their pre Worlds goals.
“We prepared pretty hard, and our coach Brian Nugent got us in the right zone for the day.
“We’re really satisfied with the result, and just want to thank everyone at Cycling Ireland for giving us this opportunity.”
Also in action yesterday, Ireland’s Lydia Gurley rode the scratch race and finished 12th. She put in an aggressive race and spent time on the attack looking to take a lap.
The world title was won by Elinor Barker (Great Britain) from Kirsten Wild (Netherlands) and Jolien D'hoore (Belgium).
The medals in the team pursuit will be decided when the next round unfolds today, Thursday.
The World Championships continue until Sunday with Gurley, Lydia Boylan, Shannon McCurley, Robyn Stewart, Mark Downey, and Felix English all due into action.
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