O'Briens become third Irish siblings to ride on same World Champs team

Caoimhe O'Brien in road race action for Ireland and now she and sister Aoife are about a little piece of Irish cycling history in Chile

After a rollercoaster season on the road, with more high points across the categories than ever before, the Irish team is about to get underway at the UCI World Track Championships in Santiago, Chile. And once again, Ireland has real hopes of a medal.

Lara Gillespie is that most obvious medal contender, including for gold, especially after the road season she has just had and also taking hers - and Ireland's - first elite European title on the track earlier in the year, in the elimination race.

However, aside from fielding a team which is a mix of medal contenders and debutants at this level, there is also a significant piece of Irish cycling history within the team's composition.

Sisters Aoife O'Brien (21) and Caoimhe O'Brien (23), from Co Westmeath, are both included in the selection. And they become the first Irish siblings in the same Worlds senior team for Ireland since the Roche brothers - Stephen and Lawrence - way back in 1991.

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The Roches made their swansong appearance at the Worlds in Stuttgart, alongside Martin Earley and Sean Kelly, with Earley the only finished for Ireland; 28th on the day Gianni Bugno (Italy) took the first of his two gold medals.

Aoife O'Brien is a road and track international and will be calling on that track speed - and skills - in come days in Chile

In between the Roches and O'Briens, we have had the Raffertys, with brothers Darren and Adam both selected for the same team at the Worlds last year. However, that was an U23 selection rather than a senior team.

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Talented siblings and famous families, even dynasties, are far from unheard of in Irish cycling. But it is very rare indeed that members of the same family have made the same team at a Worlds.

It is believed the Roches and the O'Briens are the only siblings in the long history of Irish cycling - since the likes of Shay Elliott and Peter Crinnion first lit up in Europe - to be picked on the same senior team.

The McQuaids, Kimmages and, more recently, the Raffertys have all been regulars in national team selections, including at the World Championships.

However, while Paul, Raphaël and Kevin Kimmage all rode the Worlds, they were never on the same team. Similarly, the McQuaid brothers - Pat and Oliver - both rode the Worlds. Pat competed in the amateur and pro races, but he and Oliver were never on the same time.

Darren Rafferty and brother and sister, Adam and Aliyah, have been in most Irish road teams in recent years, including for the Worlds. However, Aliyah has been in the female races and Adam is not yet in the elite ranks - for the Worlds - as he is still an U23.

But with Darren now a World Tour rider, and Adam sure to follow, it will only be a matter of time before the Co Tyrone siblings join the Roches and O'Briens as the only siblings to gains election onto an Irish senior team for a Worlds.