The Irish team pursuiters have broken their own national record at the European Track Championships in Grenchen, Switzerland, on their way to 5th place in the competition.
Also in action today, Mia Griffin was 10th in 16-rider elimination race - won by world champion Lotte Kopecky. Orla Walsh was in action in the qualifying round of the women's sprint, placing 16th in the 21-rider field.
In their second ride at the Europeans today, the Irish team pursuiters - Alice Sharpe, Mia Griffin, Kelly Murphy and Lara Gillespie - bettered the Irish record they set last year; a strong ride considering last year's record ride was much faster than they had ever ridden before.
To beat that today - even though it was by just 33 hundredths of a second - was a more than solid performance in what was their first outing in the qualification process towards the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
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Today, the Irish faced Poland in Round 1 and beat them by just over four seconds. However, Ireland's time (4.19.705) was not enough to better any of the big four nations in the event - France, Germany, Great Britain and Italy - meaning the Irish did not advance to the medal ride-offs.
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The four big nations filled the top four positions in qualifying yesterday - with Ireland 5th. And while the Irish line-up upped their game today, they were still fifth fastest.
The Great Britain team - which includes former Irish rider Josie Knight - was fastest in qualifying and fastest again today in Round 1. They then went on to beat Italy in the gold-silver ride, with the Germans beating the French for bronze.
After the team pursuit Round 1, Mia Griffin was in action again in the elimination race, taking 10th after a strong start. Tour of Flanders 2022 winner Kopecky today added Europeans gold to her world title in the event.
The Belgian, who rides for SD Worx on the road, took gold ahead of defending champion Valentine Fortin (France) with Dutch woman Maike van der Duin, who rides for Canyon-SRAM on the road, claiming the bronze medal.
Orla Walsh was first in action today in the sprint qualifiers, where the top 11 riders went into the 1/8 finals and the riders place 12th to 21st went into the 1/16 finals. As Walsh was 16th - in a time of 11.159 - she went into the 1/16 finals. In that round, Walsh was beaten by Ukraine’s Oleksandra Lohviniuk, meaning the Irish woman went no further in the competition.
Tomorrow, Friday, Conor Rowley is in action for Ireland in the men's sprint while Griffin - now competing on the road for World Tour team Israel Premier Tech Roland - riders the four-race omnium. Europeans scratch race bronze medal winner from 2021, JB Murphy, will also be in action tomorrow, when he takes on the scratch race.
