She may have only just moved up from the youth ranks to the juniors but that hasn't stopped Irish multi-discipline rider Emer Heverin from taking her first international podium result at the first time of asking as a junior in 2026.
Heverin is missing the National Cyclocross Championships in Co Cavan this weekend, thus foregoing the chance to take another Irish title after winning the U16 crown in Co Galway last year.
But as one door closes, another opens and today Heverin took a really impressive 3rd place in the scratch race at the Apeldoorn Next Gen Track Meeting in the Netherlands, where other Irish riders also excelled against many of the best juniors in Europe.
Heverin's result and those of the other juniors, coming after Max Fitzgerald took silver the junior Europeans last year, offers up some early evidence the pipeline of talent coming through on the Irish scene remains strong, though they must be given time to develop.
Advertisement
Heverin's scratch race - a 5km over 20 laps with 24 riders - was won by Greta Anderson. The 16-year-old Swede who has cleaned up on the 'cross scene in Sweden in recent months and also competed internationally, including at World Cups, in recent weeks. Maja Kløcker-Larsen, a second-year junior from Denmark, was 2nd in the event.
In the men's elimination race, Irish riders Elliott McKeegan and George Sevastopulo finished 5th and 10th respectively in a 24-rider field. The race was won by Johan Marius Andersen of Denmark, the Danish U17 road champion from last year who is also a top tier track and MTB rider in Denmark.
Related News
Aoife Craig and Heverin were in action for Team Ireland in the women's elimination race, with Craig 6th in the 19-rider race and Heverin placing 11th.
Sevastopulo was also in action in the men's points race, winning one of the sprints, and finishing in 6th place; Andersen of Denmark winning again.
In the men's scratch race, featuring 23 riders, McKeegan and Sevastopulo were again in action and finished 11th and 17th. The race resulted in a British 1-2 via Toby Tombs - 5th overall at the Quanta Capital Junior Tour of Ireland last year, and top 10 in all stages - and Albie Jones.
In the women's tempo race, Heverin and Craig were 10th and 13th in an event that produced another British winner in the shape of Mae Phoebe Taylor. In the women's points race, also won by Taylor, Heverin was Ireland's sole representative and placed 16th of 24 riders.
In the men's scratch race, McKeegan went up against 21 other riders from across Europe and claimed 5th place; the race won by James Daniel Thompson of Great Britain. In the women's scratch race, Ireland's Craig was 16th, of 24 riders, with British rider Taylor - clearly one to watch - winning again.
More to follow.
