Mullen to make history as Ireland qualifies record six rides at UCI Track World Champs

Caroline Ryan hit the big time at the 2012 Worlds, can she reach those heights again?

Irish riders have qualified for six events at next month’s UCI World Track Championships, with Cycling Ireland having named three riders to fill the quota of all places available to it.

Martyn Irvine may have secured a contract to ride on the road with Unitedhealthcare and already begun his season in France, but the London Olympian is not hanging up his track wheels just yet and he fills one of the three places at the Worlds in Minsk in three weeks time.

Having ridden the Omnium in London – which is six events run over two days – Irvine now has the versatility to slot into a number of races on the international track scene and will ride both the individual pursuit and the scratch race in Minsk.

In December he took silver medals in those events at the UCI World Cup meeting in Glasgow and while he was clearly on top form there it will be interesting to see how his preparations for the road season ahead have impacted his punch on the track.

Also on the Irish team for the Worlds is the bronze medallist from last year Caroline Ryan.

She got onto the 2012 podium in the points race in what was a fantastic result for herself and for Ireland. And she goes back to the Worlds this time to ride a very busy schedule that will see her take in three events; the individual pursuit, the points race and scratch race.

She recently rode strongly and aggressively at the UCI World Cup in Mexico where she was 5^th fastest in the pursuit qualification round and just missed out on the ride-off for bronze. She also attacked the field early in the points race and lapped everyone, though that was negated when other riders also gained a lap and she eventually finished 11^th.

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Lastly but by no means least, young Eoin Mullen has also qualified for his first Worlds and will ride the sprint in Minsk, an historic first for any Irish rider. It is a major assignment for the 19-year-old but his period living and training at the UCI World Cycling Centre in Switzerland appears to be paying off significantly, and he broke the 10 second mark for the first time in the 200m sprint qualification TT round at the Mexico World Cup.

Like Ryan – and indeed Irvine – Mullen goes into this Worlds with the wind at his back and having displayed some really good form of late.

Coach Brian Nugent said: “Eoin has created history by becoming the first sprint rider to qualify for the World Championships. This in itself is a fantastic achievement, and it is great to see the new generation of cyclists coming through. With Ireland lining up in six events, this is the largest representation that we have had, and we will be on the hunt for another Worlds medal.”

Racing at the World Championships takes place between February 20^th and 24th.