Max Fitzgerald has already taken a medal at a Europeans and now he is moving up to U23 level (Photo: Tommaso Pelagalli-Sprint Cycling Agency)
Cycling Ireland has selected a nine-rider team of juniors and U23s to take on the European Track Championships next month in Germany. Two of the riders have already won medals at this level in recent years.
Lucy Bénézet-Minns, a 20-year-old riding for Team Féminin Chambéry on the road this year, struck gold in the junior points race two years ago at the Europeans.
And last year Max Fitzgerald (18), who rides for Team Skyline and is completing his Leaving Cert at present, won the silver medal in the junior Europeans scratch race in Portugal last year.
Emer Heverin (CAMS Majaco), the 16-year-old who won the elite National Criterium Championships in Dublin last month, is making her debut at this level.
She looks like a very exciting prospect, in any and all disciplines she decides to focus on, in the years ahead. Though she is still very young, and no pressure should be put on her, it will be interesting to see what she can do.
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One of the most interesting names on the national team for these Europeans is Seth Dunwoody, the Bahrain Victorious Development rider currently competing in Giro d'Italia Next Gen.
He has not raced the track in recent years, opting instead to focus on his road racing, and we will effectively be getting our first look at what he can do on the velodrome.
The team for the UEC Junior and U23 Track Cycling European Championships is comprised of:
U23 Riders
- Lucy Bénézet-Minns (20) Team Féminin Chambéry
- Max Fitzgerald (18) Team Skyline
- Aoife O'Brien (22) DAS-Hutchinson
- Seth Dunwoody (20) Bahrain Victorious Development Team
- Erin Creighton (22) McConvey Cycles
- Esther Wong (20) Team Farto - Kiroot
Junior Riders
- George Sevastopulo (17) Team Sundrive
- Elliott McKeegan (17) Caldwell Powerhouse Racing
- Emer Heverin (16) CAMS Majaco
The UEC Junior and U23 Track Cycling European Championships take place next month in Cottbus, Germany, where Benezet-Minns won her Europeans gold medal two years ago.
Lara Gillespie was Ireland's main medal-getter at U23 level for several years. But with this latest group, there are perhaps three or four riders who will be expecting to medal. There are also others who are capable of taking a medal, if they got a little bit of luck on the day.
