The Irish team has been in action at the UCI Cycling eSports World Championships, with Chris Dawson (formerly McGlinchey) producing the best ride of those selected to compete for Ireland.
None of the team advanced to the last race - the final 10 - in the men's or women's world title races. However, Dawson really showed what he is made of in the opening men's race, of three, against a stacked field of national team riders, some of them road pros.
The format this year was changed, with the world titles decided over three races. Everyone started the first event and the top 30 from that went through to the second event. And in that second race, only the top 10 progressed to 'Race 3', which was effectively the final.
In that third race, there were six sprints along the way, with the last rider across the line eliminated each time, leaving three to contest the final sprint for the medals. The format - three rounds, with elimination sprints in the last race - was the same for the separate men's and women's world title events.
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The races were held on Zwift’s new Scotland world, which was launched this month especially for these Worlds, and to coincide with the multi discipline World Championships - across road, track, BMX - later this year.
In the first men's race there were 82 starters, with Ireland's Dawson - the reigning eSports national champion and former cyclocross and downhill Irish champion - putting in a great shift and taking 8th place. That first round was won by Germany's Marc Mading, who would eventually go on to take bronze.
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While Dawson, now racing with his own team Dawson Racing, was 8th - and so easily made the top 30 to progress to the next round - Richard Barry of St Finbarr's CC was 44th and so missed going on to 'Race 2'. However, that was still a solid ride by the Irishman, finishing midway in the large, stacked, field.
In the second race, Dawson needed to place in the top 10 to advance to the final but finished in 21st at two seconds, perhaps paying for his efforts in bringing back a breakaway with 2km to go. However, his work on the front, dictating the pace deep into the contest, again underlined his abilities at this level.
The world title was won by Bjørn Andreassen, a 21-year-old Danish mountain biker. He kept his powder dry in the opening two rounds; doing just enough to continue in the competition. In the final race, for the medals, he attacked early and rode away to gold. He finished 14 seconds up on Germany's Jason Osborne, who won gold last year. Another German, Marc Mäding, was 3rd at 15 seconds.
In the women's event, Linda Kelly and Heather Foley were selected to ride for Ireland while Imogen Cotter got a wildcard entry from Zwift. Cotter was riding these Worlds 12 months after she missed out on representing Ireland at Worlds 2022 due to a career-threatening crash.
A total of 79 riders started the the women's first race, with all three Irish cyclists unfortunately missing out on the top 30, meaning they went no further in the competition. Kelly went close to making the top 30, finish in 37th, some three seconds down on winner Jacquie Godbe (USA). Cotter was 53rd, at six seconds, and Foley was 61st, at seven seconds.
The world title was won by Loes Adegeest of the Netherlands, who also won last year. This time around she proved best in a three-up sprint for the medals from Great Britain’s Zoe Langham and American rider Jacquie Godbe.
