Having taken an historic medal at the European Championships with a new national record and then lowered the record again this week at the World Championships, the Irish team pursuit line-up believes it can soon make a big leap forward.
One of their number, Mia Griffin, said the team’s ability
to perform at a high level, and incrementally go faster in competition, was a
welcome development. However, she added they were now targeting a more
significant move forward.
“On a review of the race I think the main thing we can take
from Worlds and on the back of the Euros is the fact that we’ve been really
consistent, and I think that consistency is a good place to start from,” said
Griffin.
She was speaking just days after the Irish were 4th
fastest in qualifying at the Worlds in Roubaix before narrowly missing out on
the bronze medal ride-off after finishing 5th fastest in the first
round.
Advertisement
“If we keep chipping away, we are going faster and faster marginally each time,” Griffin said. “I think there will be eventually a time where we will go a lot faster. So that’s what we’re hoping and that’s what we strive to do.”
Griffin has been part of the line-up for several years and over the last 12 months has shown her ability in her own right. She claimed bronze in the individual pursuit at the U23 Europeans last year and also won bronze in the same event at the UCI World Cup in St Petersburg in July.
At the Europeans and Worlds, Griffin was joined in the
team pursuit line-up by Emily Kay, Alice Sharpe and Kelly Murphy. Lara
Gillespie – one of the hottest young prospects in Irish cycling – has been
missing of late as she recovers after injury.
Kay has come into the line-up in Gillespie’s absence but
long-term the Irish women need five riders; the all-important quarter that
lines up to race and a reserve to allow for squad rotation, including in
competition. Griffin said Gillespie’s absence, and Kay coming in, was a
valuable experience.
Related News
“What we’ve learned now is we have a good five girl squad
who can each race at that level. We need five girls to be part of this so I think
that has been something that we’ve taken from these competitions,” she said.
The Irish team’s new national record of 4:21.126 was marginally faster than the 4:21.202 they set on their way to the bronze medal at the European Championships in Switzerland a fortnight ago.
However, that time is still, for example, almost six seconds
slower than the slowest of the eight teams at the Olympics this year – Canadian
finishing 8th of the eight-team field in Tokyo in qualifying with 4:15.832.
The Germans won gold at the Olympics with a new world
record in each of their three rides; lowering it down to 4:04.242 in the gold
medal ride off.
Griffin added that she and her team mates had an eye
fixed on qualifying for the Paris Olympics in less than three years time. And
though the Irish women know they have work to do, Griffin says they are
starting the new Olympic cycle on the right footing.
“We’re just excited to chip away at the time that we’ve
done now, and I think we will work hard over the winter to keep chipping down
on that time and try bridge the gap to the bigger nations,” she said.
“Where we are now, I think we’re in a good place at the
moment for going forward because we’re fifth in the world ranking. So I think
going forward for this Paris cycle it’s a good place to be.
“In the last cycle we weren’t anywhere near that at this
stage so to be where we are in a comfortable position right now is very
important, I think and this winter we’re ready to work really hard.
“It’s been a good consistent two competitions for us and
I think we can start from there and work towards going faster and we also miss
Lara so we wanted to add that in as well that she’s part of our team too and
we’ll have her back as soon as possible.”
