The Irish team's efforts may not have yielded a hoped-for medal, or even a top 10 placing, but the trio of Aoife O'Brien, Caoimhe O'Brien and Lara Gillespie rode very strongly deep into the final of the 108km race on the Col du Van course in the Netherlands today.
Gillespie was best of the Irish on the day - crossing the line 25th and some 38 seconds down on Dutch winner Ilse Pluimers. However, the end result only captured a snapshot of the Irish team's ride today.
More often than not at these championships, Ireland does not send an U23 women's team, with the Irish selectors concluding again and again down the years that we did not have the talent to take to the start line. Indeed, before today's race, Ireland entered riders in the U23 women's race at the Europeans only twice since it was first run way back in 2006.
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Lara Gillespie of Team Ireland fighting hard right at the front ? on Col du Vam in the U23 women's road race at #EuroRoad23
Aoife O'Brien has crashed and is chasing the bunchpic.twitter.com/dmz8NKe6Km
— StickyBottle.com ? ? (@sticky_bottle) September 22, 2023
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Caoimhe O'Brien was the only rider in the race last year and she finished, becoming the first Irish cyclist to complete the U23 women's event at the Euros. Yet today, from small beginnings, the Irish team went into the race with a real shot at a medal, with Gillespie, and with two proper bike riders in the O'Briens supporting her.
Gillespie was notably at the front of the bunch on the Col du Vam climb; this level now holding no fear or any mystery for her having won two U23 European titles on the track this year and competed on the road all season for the UAE women's development team or its World Tour squad.
Similarly, though the O'Brien's are young - 19 and 21 years - there are now very experienced operators who regularly complete in Europe, for their club teams. And today the strength of the trio - though ultimately not converted into a medal or top result - was clear to see.
Aoife O'Brien crashed twice today, before the race reached the circuit, but got a bike change, chased hard and regained the group; a very strong ride in itself. And though she later paid for those efforts, after a couple of passages of the climb, she showed great character to get back in the game.
Her sister, Caoimhe, remained in the bunch with Gillespie until deep into the contest, only beginning to lose some contact on the penultimate passage of the climb. And while Gillespie was at the front, competing with the best, until deep into the final lap, she missed the boat when the winning attack went with 6km to go.
From that move, Pluimers of the Netherlands took gold, by one second from Anna Shackley (Great Britain), with Linda Zanetti (Switzerland) taking bronze on the same time. Gillespie had to be content with 25th at 38 seconds. Caoimhe O'Brien placed 49th at 4:25 while Aoife O'Brien was 81st at 8:49.
