Ireland has taken a gold medal at the UCI World Championships in Scotland after new tandem pairing Katie George Dunlevy and her pilot Lindon Kelly won the Women's B TT today. Team Ireland would perhaps have taken a second medal but for Josephine Healion and Eve McCrystal being unable to start today after Healion was ruled out on medical grounds.
That disappointment aside, there was unconfined job at the finish today when Dunlevy, already a multi Paralympic and world champion, and Kelly combined to win their TT by a very considerable margin.
After their flat out effort, in a time of 37:28, led the way in the 16-bike race by 1:01 from Britain pair Unwin-Holl. The French pairing of Centis-Delzenne were 3rd, some 1:54 down on the new Irish world champions.
“I’m over the moon. It was a really hard race, I think I blew a bit halfway, but I just tried to give it my all," said Dunlevy after the winning ride. "Linda did a fantastic job, it’s her first title, I’m delighted for her – she's put so much hard work in.
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"To come away with another rainbow jersey is unbelievable. Every medal means so much, it’s just that hard work but also to give back to the team behind us. There’s no pressure (in the road race). We’ve got that gold there already, we’re just going to go into the road race and make it a hard race. There’s no pressure, (we’ll) enjoy it and looking forward to it.”
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Kelly was equally delighted, taking her first world title with new tandem partner Dunlevy and doing so at the super-Worlds so close to home.
“We knew that the course suited both of us. It’s just a course that you would have more momentum on if you select the right gears and take the right lines. I’m absolutely thrilled with my first title,” Kelly said.
Also in action today in Scotland, Kelly Murphy was 30th in the elite women's TT, some 4:02 down on new champion Chloe Dygert (United States). Damien Vereker and Mitchell McLaughlin finished 9th in the men's B TT, with Ronan Grimes 6th in the men's C4 TT.
More to come.
