It’s been an afternoon to forget for the Irish women’s team pursuit squad at the UCI World track Championships in Paris. The foursome were 16th in a time of 4:40:388 but will be better for the experience, having only come together for the first time last September.
By Brian Canty
It was a baptism of fire for the Irish women’s team pursuit squad in their debut at the UCI World Track Cycling Championships in Paris.
They finished last of 16 teams in this afternoon’s qualifying round.
The four-rider team of Lauren Creamer, Caroline Ryan, Josie Knight and Lydia Boylan clocked a time of 4.40.388, over 20 seconds slower than winner’s Australia who just about edged their great rivals Great Britain, with Canada third.
It was a disappointing start to the Irish squad’s campaign but with such an inexperienced line-up – three of the four only made their debut in the event last October - it was unfair to expect anything from them.
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The plan today had been for rising star Josie Knight to set the pace early on and the young Kerry woman did that – perhaps too well, in fact.
The team pursuit event is highly tactical where the time of the third rider over the line at the end of the 4 kilometres is taken.
The Irish women were making their debut at the UCI Track World Championships and can take a lot of heart from their performances over the last number of months.
But when Knight dropped off, as per the plan, that left Creamer, Ryan and Boylan to take it home.
However, Boylan lost contact with the pace set by Creamer and Ryan and accordingly, the clock was stopped when she crossed the line.
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But 4.40 is by no means a bad time; two seconds faster than the standard they set in qualifying in last month’s third round of the World Cup in Cali.
However, they were marginally slower than the preceding two rounds in Mexico and London, respectively.
“We were so excited about today, but it’s the first World Championships for a lot of the team,” said Caroline Ryan.
“We have great strength and depth and it’s so exciting going forward for next year.
Martyn Irvine will be looking to replicate the performances that saw him win a gold medal in the Scratch race in Minsk two years ago as well as last year in Cali where he took silver.
“We would’ve loved to have done ourselves justice today; I’m disappointed with that because we haven’t.
“Looking at that we’re going to be very disappointed. A lot has to happen for it to come right on the day.
“It’s not like we are looking for something that we haven’t seen.”
But she also stressed “there’s exciting things to come from this team”.
Next up is Martyn Irvine who gets his campaign underway at 9pm tomorrow with the 15km scratch race.
The Newtownards man won the world title in this event two years ago in Minsk and also took silver last year in Cali.
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