Sport Ireland has funded 10 Irish cyclists - with up to €40,000 each - for 2025 after they met the criteria for high performance funding with their results over the last 12 months.
The number of riders funded is down from the 16 this time last year, as the Olympics and Paralympics approached, and is some way off the 21 riders who received funding at the start of 2023.
However, several riders who were funded for the track have now stepped aside from the high performance set-up. And some road riders who were funded two years ago - including Archie Ryan and Darren Rafferty - are now no longer eligible for funding because they are competing for World Tour road teams.
Thankfully, that World Tour status does not adversely impact Lara Gillespie and Mia Griffin - riding for UAE Team ADQ and Roland respectively - as they are funded for international track racing.
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Erin Creighton, who has now established herself as a member of the senior Irish national track team, is funded for the first time; receiving €25,000 under 'world class' funding. Gillespie, a European champion on the track, receives €40,000 in 'podium' funding while Griffin has been allocated €25,000 in 'world class' funding.
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Aside from those three track riders, the other seven cyclists funded are all paracyclists, which is no surprise considering their success at Worlds and Paralympics. One piece of good news is the inclusion of Ireland's most successful paracyclist, Katie George Dunlevy.
She receives €40,000 in podium funding. Though her inclusion on the funding list is automatic considering her gold medal-winning rides at the Worlds and Paralympics last year, it was not certain after the Paris Paralympics that she would continue to the Los Angeles Games in 2028.
And though her inclusion in this year's funding round does not confirm an intention to continue all the way to LA, she is at least confirmed as part of the high performance set-up in post-Olympic year. Cycling Ireland will want to keep her in that system all the way to LA, where hopefully more gold medals can be won.
However, one concern - again, not unexpected - is the fact there are two female tandem paracyclist stokers on the funding list but only one pilot, as Eve McCrystal has decided to step aside.
Dunlevy is awarded €40,000, as is Josephine Healion and the only tandem pilot on the list, Linda Kelly. Cycling Ireland will now need to bed in a pilot for Healion as Kelly is likely to continue teaming up with Dunlevy in the years ahead.
Funded Riders 2025
- Lara Gillespie Podium €40,000
- Mia Griffin World Class €25,000
- Erin Grace Creighton World Class €25,000
- Cycling Ireland (Para) Josephine Healion Podium €40,000
- Linda Kelly (Pilot) Podium €40,000
- Katie-George Dunlevy Podium €40,000
- Richael Timothy International €18,000
- Christopher Burns International €18,000
- Mitchell McLaughlin (Pilot) International €18,000
- Damien Vereker International €18,000 Pilot & Pool Funding €40,000
