“I want to be a professional rider on the track; the first one from Ireland”

Sheridan is looking forward to making more progress in 2013 and beyond

By Caroline Martinez

The ‘Neenan Travel Talent Team 2020’ has unveiled its 2013 line-up, with twenty girls from 11 to 15-years-old involved in every cycling discipline. The squad is only going into its second season but has already produced some great results.

One rider who epitomises what the set-up is all about is the young Orwell Wheelers rider from Wicklow, Naoise Sheridan.

The 15-year-old already has an impressive palmares. She is the U16 national champion on the track in no fewer than three disciplines; sprint, scratch race and 500m TT.

“I got a good few medals,” she says of the 2012 season.

“I got three golds on the track and two bronzes at the road nationals. There was a lot of support from the team overall.”

On the track in 2012 she went up against the senior women for the first time at Sundrive Rd. She not only competed in the summer and autumn leagues, but also in the International Track Day and the Duane Delaney Memorial and is already regularly winning races at all levels; underage and senior.

“Sprinting and endurance on the track are my biggest strengths,” she says.

“Racing with the women is a lot more competitive and it's really fun. You have to push yourself that little bit harder and there's always a couple that you can't beat. They're that much older and they have more experience. But it just pushes you to go harder and make yourself better.”

As part of the Talent Team 2020 she got her first taste of racing on the road against overseas riders at the Errigal International Youth Tour.

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“My best moment this year was when I got up the big cat 2 climb at the Errigal Youth Tour. I really didn’t think I was going to get up it. I thought I was going to stop and fall over. But I got up it three times.”

She added she would love to compete abroad next year.

“We're hoping to send three girls to the European Youth Olympics in 2013 in Utrecht so hopefully I'll be picked for that. I also hope to get picked for the Youth Tour of Scotland. I wasn’t picked for it this year.”

Cycling Ireland’s track commission sent some underage riders and juniors for a weekend of racing in Alkmak in the Netherlands last November, an experience that Naoise is not about to forget.

She is disappointed that the lack of funding means she might not be able to ride at an indoor velodrome next year.
“Alkmar was an amazing experience. You can't compare it with anything else. The banking was so steep and it's so much faster. I can't wait to be back up on the boards again.”

Naoise and the rest of the 2020 squad got to meet with Team GB star Olympian Wendy Houvenhagel last weekend in Dublin at the official launch of the 2013 Talent Team.

“It's so insightful, she has so much to say. It’s great to hear about how she got where she is. It’s very motivational. This makes me want to be better. I want to be a track pro when I grow up. The first one in Ireland.”

With Neenan Travel on board again for 2013 as the Talent Team 2020’s main financial backer, Cycling Ireland had helped the squad in 2012 but it is not yet clear if that support will be available again in 2013. Sprint Design Inc also sponsors the girls’ leisure wear, with further backers still being sought.