Ryan Daly, a first-year junior from south Dublin, has put in a strong performance today at Trofee GP Sven Nys (CJ) in Belgium during his first trip to Europe for junior cyclocross racing.
The 16-year-old was thrown into a large international field - some 84 riders comprised of 13 nationalities - and more than held his own; demonstrating an ability at this level.
Though he raced at U16 level during 2024, he moved up to the junior ranks for the cyclocross season and made a swift transition into the national team set-up for the UCI Cyclocross World Cup in Dublin.
And that experience from the World Cup, and competing in Belgium and France in recent days, has clearly begun to show as Daly placed 29th from the 84 starters today.
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He finished 5:57 down on winner Arthur Van den Boer, the Belgian rider adding his latest win to his victory at Superprestige Diegem (CJ) on Monday and his 2nd and 3rd place finishes at the recent World Cups in Besançon and Hulst.
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Daly, who competes for Scott Racing at home, also rode the World Cup round in Besançon, France, on Sunday, placing 56th.
Irish junior cyclocross champion, Conor Murphy, was 16th in Besançon; a result he added to his 11th place at Superprestige Mol (CJ) on December 23rd.
Murphy did not ride today in Trofee GP Sven Nys, though Irish rider, Hannah McClorey, was 47th in the elite women's race, won by world champion Fem van Empel (Visma-Lease a Bike).
