Ryan wins UCI Dublin GP omnium but German class overpowers Irvine and Mullen

Caroline Ryan had a confidence-boosting weekend. Her focus is now firmly fixed on the Rio Olympics just two years away (Photo courtesy Adamstown Cycling Team)

Ireland’s Caroline Ryan has taken omnium victory at the Dublin International Track Grand Prix, but fellow top flight Irish international Martyn Irvine has been forced to settle for third in the men's event.

The former world scratch race champion and three-time medallist at the worlds; Irvine came up against a strong German combination who got the better of him this weekend.

The rides by the visitors underlined the calibre of athlete that was attracted to the meeting in just its second year.

On the second day of competition today, Sunday, on the Sundrive Road velodrome, Caroline Ryan scored most points in the points race - the last omnium race of six over the two days - when she lapped the field twice.

And earlier in the day she had finished in second place in both the flying 500-metre TT, in a time of 39.537seconds, and the 250 metre flying lap.

Those results consolidated the lead that she held from yesterday’s opening day of racing when she won both the 3km pursuit, an event she has been ranked No 1 in the world for long periods in the past couple of seasons, and also the 10km scratch race.

She was also second in the elimination race on Saturday; being beaten only by Sarah Inghelbrecht riding for the Belgian national team.

Ryan took victory overall after two days of competition with 277 points to 213 for Spain’s Catalina Rayo Ramis and 211 points for Inghelbrecht in third.

Irvine put in a great effort in the points race and would have won the omnium overall had he lapped the field, but he just ran out of road. Seen here in action on Sundrive Rd track today (Photo by [email protected])

In the men’s omnium, German’s Maximilian Beyer and Lucas Liss had forced Irvine into third place in the 15km scratch race yesterday, the event Irvine won at the Worlds 18 months ago.

And today it was that duo who gave the Newtownards man and his Team Ireland team mate Ryan Mullen a very hard time once again.

In the kilo TT, Liss set a new course record for Sundrive, clocking 1:06.543. Irvine was fourth; Ryan Mullen taking third and Beyer second.

In the flying 250m, Irvine broke the Sundrive record in a time of 14.869 secs. However, Beyer then flew around the lap in 14.444 and Liss went even faster; 14.167.

In the points race Irvine went from the gun and won the early sprints. He very nearly gained a lap and had he done so he would have won the omnium overall.

But as he was gaining on the back of the field, the finish approached and he ran out of road.

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Irvine and Mullen, both in Ireland kit, were unfortunately beaten on home soil. But the fact riders from abroad that are able to beat the world class Irishmen came here to race is a sign of the growing standing of the Dublin International GP. In here with them is Javan Nulty - the Irish U23 international who is getting stronger all the time - and a rider from the Belgian national team (Photo courtesy Adamstown Cycling Team)

The 51 points he scored meant he technically won the points race. But under new recently introduced rules, points are not awarded in the points race for first, second, third and so on.

Instead, the points tally scored during the race is added to the tally of points the riders have built up in the previous five races; where 40 points are awarded for winning, 38 for second, 36 for third and so on.

It meant while Irvine scored 51 points in the points race, the fact Liss scored 47 and Beyer 44 meant he only gained marginally on them overall.

But had he lapped the field, the points he would have been awarded for doing so would have been added to his overall tally and carried him past the two Germans to win overall.

Instead, Liss won on 241 points, Beyer was second on 236 and Irvine third on 229.

The quality of the ride by the Germans was underlined by the fact that Mullen was working for Irvine in that points race and was in great form; having broken the national 4km pursuit record on day 1 of competition yesterday with a time of 4:36.74.

On day 1, Mullen won that pursuit from Liss and Irvine. In the 15km scratch race Beyer and Liss were first and second, with Irvine third and Mullen puncturing. And in the elimination race Beyer won from Liss with Irvine in third.

We’ll have more a little later from the other races at the two day meeting.

Dublin International Track GP

July 12th & 13th: Sundrive Rd

Men's Omnium Final Results

Women's Omnium Final Results