Ryan Mullen, Martyn Irvine and Caroline Ryan will chase medals for Ireland at the Euro Track Champs today, but Shannon McCurley (above) has already taken an excellent 7th place in the scratch race.
Shannon McCurley put in the stand out performance for the Irish team on the third day of racing at the European Track Championships in Baie-Mahault, Guadaloupe yesterday.
Based in Australia where she has been making progress every season since winning a bronze medal in the U23 scratch race at the Europeans back in 2011, yesterday McCurley fought very well to take 7th place in the elite women’s scratch race.
Compatriot Lydia Boylan came home 20th in the same race.
The Irish squad will today, Saturday, have its three biggest guns in action in the shape of Caroline Ryan, Martyn Irvine and Ryan Mullen.
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Former world scratch race champion and omnium bronze medal winner at the Europeans last year, Irvine endured a day to forget on the first of two days racing in his omnium contest in Guadaloupe.
He finished 11th in both the scratch race and individual pursuit; having won gold and silver at the world championships in the former in the past two years and taken pursuit silver on the same stage two years ago.
Ryan Mullen is due into pursuit action today, an event he finished 4th in at the elite World Championships in Colombia earlier this year (Photo: Guy Swarbrick)
And having performed well below par in those first two races, his woes were compounded when he was caught out early in the elimination race, leaving him 13th overall in the competition going into the second day of racing today.
Eoin Mullen was in action in the men’s sprint event last night and his time of 10.522 in the 200metre qualifier was quick enough to put him into the last 16 head-to-heads.
However, he was then beaten in the next round by Czech Adam Ptacnik, thus ending his involvement in the contest.
Cormac Clarke and Thomas Fallon were in action for Ireland in the points race, where both were listed as non finishers.
Cycling Ireland head coach Brian Nugent said he was especially impressed by McCurley on what was a tough day for Team Ireland in the French Caribbean.
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“That was a super ride by Shannon; she rode a tactically good race, and used her strength at the finish to push hard for a top placing,” he said.
Irvine’s rides in past few years have perhaps led to unrealistice expectations of silverware every time he races. And with his first day of the omnium a laboured showing in the context of his palmares, Nugent suggested all bike riders simply needed to take the rough with the smooth.
Martyn Irvine has bagged medals at a fast clip in recent seasons. He's having a more testing time at the Europeans so far, but that's bike racing.
“Martyn had a difficult day and struggled with the conditions,” he said, with the weather having been very hot and wet at different times on the outdoor track.
“Anything that could go either way in the races just went the wrong way for him, but that’s bike racing and we’ll just keep working away.”
And while Fallon and Clarke did not finish the points race, Nugent was happy with their approach and said both were banking significant experience in these championships.
“The younger guys on the team are gaining so much experience from the races,” said Nugent.
“They are so hungry to race and recognise the opportunity available to them by just being here, that they are giving it absolutely everything. As a coach you couldn’t be happier when you see that across the board.”
Today, Saturday, Irvine continues his omnium while Caroline Ryan - a former bronze medalist at the Worlds - races in the women’s omnium.
And Ryan Mullen is also in action in the pursuit, an event he was 4th in at the elite World Championships in Colombia at the start of the year.
Since then he has won the silver medal in the U23 time trial at the World Road Championships, missing out on gold by less than half a second.
The Europeans conclude on Sunday.
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