Josie Knight may be aged just 17 years, but she's on the elite pursuit team for this weekend's UCI World Cup in Mexico.
Having taken a silver medal in the junior pursuit at the European Track Championships earlier this year, teenager Josie Knight has been drafted in to the elite national squad.
The 17-year-old has been named in the team pursuit line up for the UCI World Cup in Mexico; her selection an amazing vote of confidence in one so young.
Since winning her silver medal in Portugal in July, the O’Leary Stone Kanturk rider from Co Kerry has represented Ireland on the road at the World Championships.
She felt on course for a top 10 to 15 placing in the time trial in Spain in September but crashed in wet conditions.
Advertisement
And the injuries she picked up there saw her abandon the road race a few days later.
Knight is one of five women named for the four places in the team pursuit this weekend in Guadalajara.
The Irish women on their way to breaking the national record at the Europeans last month. Can they qualify for the Olympics?
Also selected are Caroline Ryan, Lydia Boylan, Lauren Creamer and Melanie Spath, with the identity of the rider to miss out yet to be confirmed.
Similarly, five men have been named for the four places in the men’s team pursuit line up this weekend.
They are Martyn Irvine, Ryan Mullen, Cormac Clarke, Thomas Fallon and Javan Nulty.
The men will be looking to bounce back from the recent European Championships when a crash meant they did not finish their race.
Related News
The final bend spill also left them cut to pieces for the remainder of what would become a very disappointing championships by recent Irish standards.
As well as the team pursuit competitions this weekend, Eoin Mullen and Shannon McCurley will ride the keirin events; Mullen also competing in the sprint.
And Caroline Ryan and Martyn Irvine will ride the omniums.
This weekend’s fixture is the first UCI World Cup of the track season and is the second qualifying event for the Olympic Games following last month’s Europeans in Guadeloupe.
Martyn Irvine is the most decorated of the male combatants looking to put the team pursuit spill of last month behind him.
Nov 7th-9th: UCI World Cup
Guadalajara, Mexico
Full Irish Team
Men’s Team Pursuit: Martyn Irvine, Ryan Mullen, Cormac Clarke, Thomas Fallon, Javan Nulty.
Women’s Team Pursuit: Caroline Ryan, Lydia Boylan, Lauren Creamer, Melanie Spath, Josie Knight.
Men’s Keirin and Sprint: Eoin Mullen.
Women’s Keirin: Shannon McCurley.
Men’s Omnium: Martyn Irvine.
Women’s Omnium: Caroline Ryan.
Topics
