Eoghan Clifford, competing in his first Paracycling World Championships, has won time trial gold for Ireland in the US today.
Ireland’s Eoghan Clifford has opened the Irish campaign at the UCI Paracycling World Road Championships by winning gold in the men’s C3 time trial in Greenville, USA.
The result was a huge one for the Galway man, who is competing for the first time at this level. Russia’s Sergey Ustinov was second, with Fabio Anobile of Italy taking bronze.
Clifford raced a conservative opening lap of the 16.6km test; made up of two laps of an 8.3km circuit.
However, after that controlled start the Irishman considerably upped the pace on the second loop, running out the winner and taking home the gold medal and coveted rainbow bands.
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“The conditions were hot, but not too breezy, and I knew early on that I was going well,” he said.
“I held back on the first lap, and on the second lap I emptied the tank. I knew I had done well, but I wasn’t sure about the podium.
“It seems that I pulled most of my time on the second lap, I could see the other guys suffering on the hills, and it gave me a boost. Today was a bit unexpected.
“I didn’t know where I’d rate, coming out I felt more confident about the road race, that’s where my experience lies. I have probably only ridden four time trials over the past few years.
“I just need to recover now and get ready for the road race on Sunday. I like hilly courses, at first I didn’t think this course would be too favourable, but after the TT course, I think it’s harder than I initially thought.”
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Last year’s bronze medallist, Colin Lynch had to settle for 5th place in the men’s C2 time trial. Clifford races again on Sunday in the men’s C3 road race.
The female tandem pairing of Katie-George Dunlevy and Eve McCrystal were denied a medal when they suffered a puncture at the start of the second lap, finishing in 6th place in the WB time trial.
The male tandem of James Brown and Bryan McCrystal finished in 9th place in their first road race together.
Next up is double Paralympic champion Mark Rohan, who races in the 8.3 km MH2 road race tomorrow, Saturday. Last year Rohan won silver in the same event.
The championships run from Friday 28th August until Monday the 1st September.
Colin Lynch was forced to settle for 5th place in his time trial today.
Irish Team for 2014 UCI Para-Cycling Road World Championships
- Mark Rohan, MH2 Time Trial, MH2 Road Race, from Ballinahown, Co. Westmeath
- Colin Lynch, MC2 Time Trial, MC2 Road Race, from Cheshire in England
- James Brown & Bryan McCrystal, MB Time Trial, MB Road Race, Brown from Stonehouse in England, McCrystal from Dundalk, Co. Louth
- Katie-George Dunlevy & Eve McCrystal, WB Time Trial, WB Road Race, Dunlevy from Maidenhead in England, McCrystal from Dundalk, Co. Louth
- Eoghan Clifford, MC3 Time Trial, MC3 Road Race, from Galway Bay CC, Co. Galway
Provisional Irish Schedule
| Day 1 – Friday 28th August 2014 | Results | |||
| 2.15pm | Colin Lynch | M C2 Time Trial 16.6km | 5th | |
| Eoghan Clifford | M C3 Time Trial 16.6km | 1st GOLD (22.41.63) | ||
| 5.15pm | Brown & McCrystal | M B Time Trial 24.9km | ||
| 5.15pm | Dunlevy & McCrystal | W B Time Trial 24.9km | ||
| Day 2 – Saturday 29th August 2014 | ||||
| 3pm | Mark Rohan | M H2 Time Trial 8.3km | ||
| Day 3 – Sunday 30th August 2014 | ||||
| 1pm | Eoghan Clifford | M C3 Road Race 77km | ||
| 1.02pm | Colin Lynch | M C2 Road Race 66km | ||
| 7.30pm | Brown & McCrystal | M B Road Race 110km | ||
| 7.32pm | Dunlevy & McCrystal | W B Road Race 88km | ||
| Day 4 – Monday 1st September 2014 | ||||
| 1.02pm | Mark Rohan | M H2 Road Race 33km | ||
- All times quoted are Irish time; schedule may be subject to change
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