Record 20 Irish cyclists awarded high performance funding
The success of Irish riders across a wide range of events has resulted in the biggest ever funding allocation for Irish riders. They will receive the funds under the Sport Ireland international carding system. Above, Lynch, McCrystal, Dunlevy and Clifford.
The recent success of top Irish cyclists on the world stage has seen a record number of Irish riders funded for the year ahead. They will receive a combined total of €325,000.
Under the Sport Ireland international carding system, which awards funding to individuals, 14 riders, two tandem pilots and the four-berth women’s team pursuit line-up have been allocated funding.
The allocation comes after the success of the paracycling squad at the Rio Paralympics. But other riders have also secured the international results needed to meet funding criteria.
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For example, Mark Downey, Felix English and Lydia Gurley have all medalled at UCI World Cups of late.
Lydia Boylan has won a UCI-ranked pro race, Anna Turvey won a Europeans individual pursuit bronze and Shannon McCurley qualified for the Olympics in the keirin event.
Riders are graded under three categories in the carding allocation depending on their potential; podium, world class or international.
Top, Eoghan Clifford leads the escape in the Rio road race. Above, track sensation Mark Downey finishes the national road championships last year.
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While three riders are given podium classification – Colin Lynch, Eoghan Clifford and Katie George Dunlevy – it is only the latter who receives the maximum €60,000.
Lynch won TT silver in Rio, Clifford took a TT gold and pursuit bronze while Dunlevy claimed road race silver and TT gold.
Her funding allocation has been awarded to her with a tandem pilot. And while that pilot is not named by Sport Ireland, as it can change, she is expected to continue with Rio pilot Eve McCrystal.
And while Colin Lynch is aged 46 years, those allocating the funding clearly believe he can sustain his performances. He and Clifford are awarded most of the male riders; €40,000 each.
Along with the 14 named riders, two pilots are also included in the allocation and the four-berth track team.
The number of riders funding and the total value of the funding is the highest ever. (See 2017 full allocations below.)
Last year six named riders and the ‘women’s track programme’ were allocated a combined €218,000. Of that 2016 figure, some €74,000 went to the women’s track programme.
In 2015 eleven named riders received a combined €281,000. Within that was an allocation of €30,000 for an unspecified number of tandem pilots.
And in 2014 nine named riders shared €208,000 between them. There was no allocation outside the named riders on that occasion.
International carding scheme, 2017
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