The Irish team for the World Track Championships goes in hunt of coveted medals. But it is also looking towards the Olympic Games. The team pursuiters, above, are taking another step forward.
An 11-rider Irish team has been selected for the World Track Championships in Poland next week.
The championships, in Pruszków, unfold from next Wednesday, February 27th, to Sunday, March 3rd.
After their progress over the last six months the women’s team pursuit line-up get their shot at this level for the first time.
They have already gone very close to breaking the Irish record and it should be interesting to see if they can nudge past it at the Worlds.
The quarter is made up for Orla Walsh, Mia Griffin, Kelly Murphy and Alice Sharpe; no fifth, or substitute, rider named by Cycling Ireland.
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Ireland will also have two pairings in the madison; the women’s and men’s events seen as our big chance for Olympic qualification.
In the men’s event Ireland will be represented by Felix English and Mark Downey. They have World Cup gold medals to their name in this event.
And having finished 9th in the Worlds last year they will be looking for a strong result as they build towards Olympic qualification.
Downey also rides the points race in Pruszków. English competes in the scratch race; an event Martyn Irvine won the world title in back in 2013.
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The Irish madison riders are a big hope as the Irish squad aims for Olympic qualification.
Similarly, women's madison duo Lydia Boylan and Shannon McCurley are also gunning to get to the Tokyo Games.
McCurley was Ireland’s sole representative on the track at the Rio Games three years ago. Since then she’s switched from sprint to endurance events.
And for these Worlds she pairs up with Boylan; the three-time Irish road champion who won a Europeans madison silver medal with Lydia Gurley two years ago.
Hopes to replicate past success
The madison women will be busy in Poland as McCurley as she also rides the omnium event.
And Boylan will take in the points race; an event Caroline Ryan took bronze in back in 2012 at the Melbourne Worlds.
The aforementioned Gurley is also in the team, riding the scratch race. And Robyn Stewart rides her second Worlds.
Stewart has progressed hugely as a sprinter in the last couple of seasons and will get to test herself against the best sprinters in the world in Poland.
Marc Potts has been named as reserve for the madison and will step in if Mark Downey or Felix English cannot ride for any reason.
The Worlds mark the halfway point of the Olympic qualification process, with the UCI World Cups also crucial for qualifying.
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