Commonwealth Games bronze medalist, Sean Downey comes into an inexperienced Irish line-up for the team pursuit at the UCI World Cup in London this weekend (Photo: Camille Nicol)
By Brian Canty
The Irish squad for the second round of the UCI World Cup, which takes place in London this weekend, has been named.
Martyn Irvine, who broke his collar bone in the opening round of the series in Guadalajara, Mexico, last month, is not yet in a position to race, though his recovery continues.
Into the men’s team pursuit line-up comes Sean Downey, who had been scheduled to join the national track set-up even before Irvine was sidelined.
Downey will get a chance to show his worth when he links up with Thomas Fallon, Cormac Clarke and Javan Nulty for the 4km test against the clock in Friday’s qualifying session.
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While the riders are seasoned road men and Downey has won a bronze in this discipline at the Commonwealth Games, this will be the riders’ first competitive outing together.
It's been a long year for Ryan Mullen and he sits out this weekend (Photo: Sean Rowe)
Related: "Irish need to smash records to achieve Olympic dream"
The loss of Irvine is obviously very significant and greatly reduces the horsepower on offer. Ryan Mullen’s omission has the same impact.
High performance coach Brian Nugent has opted to rest his young protégé after what has been a mammoth road season, at the end of which he claimed silver in the World U23 TT Championships in September.
Mullen began his year back in January at the World Track Championships where he was 4th in the pursuit.
Irvine is listed as a possible starter in the two-day, six-race omnium event.
Stickybottle understands he has, on doctor’s orders, decided he will not start, though he has travelled to London with the squad.
The women’s team pursuit squad has yet to be named, with five in contention for four slots.
Lydia Boylan rides both the team pursuit and scratch race at the UCI World Cup in London this weekend.
They are Caroline Ryan, Lydia Boylan, Lauren Creamer, Melanie Spath and rising teenager Josie Knight.
Given her youth, as a first year junior, and the fact she travelled to the recent European Championships in Guadeloupe as team pursuit reserve, it is likely Knight will fill the reserve role again.
However, the silver medalist in the junior individual pursuit at the European Championships in Portugal in the summer has been entered in the points race in London.
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It means regardless of the composition of the team pursuit quartet, her racing debut on this huge stage looks set for this weekend.
Caroline Ryan is down to spearhead the team pursuit and will also ride the omnium.
Caroline Ryan with her bronze medal at the UCI World Cup in Mexico exactly 12 months ago; an historic day for her and Irish cycling.
Exactly 12 months ago, at the World Cup meeting in Mexico, Ryan stormed to a bronze medal in the individual pursuit and broke the national record.
Also a former bronze medalist at the World Track Championships, it will be interesting to see what she can do this time around.
Shannon McCurley, who won a bronze medal in the scratch race at the U23 European Championships in Poland in 2011, rides the keirin this weekend.
Team pursuit rider Boylan has been given the nod for the scratch race.
Cormac Clarke will be busy on Friday as he is down to ride the team pursuit and the points race.
Eoin Mullen rides the keirin and sprint events this weekend, chasing Olympic qualifying points in both (Photo: Guy Swarbrick)
Eoin Mullen is in action in the sprint events - keirin and sprint.
The Aran Islander has made massive strides in the past three seasons, when he has been full-time at the UCI’s World Cycling Centre in Aigle, Switzerland.
He is already the holder of several national senior titles on the track.
In July he took a medal home from the European Championships; his bronze in the sprint his first podium at a major championships.
He has since won the elite sprint at the Three Days of Aigle international meeting.
With Olympic qualifying points available to him in both of his events, to McCurley in the keirin, Ryan in the omnium and both the team pursuit squads, these are crucial days ahead.
This weekend’s action kicks off on Friday and runs until Sunday. We’ll have reports and reaction all weekend.
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