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Cycling Ireland has announced four Irish riders have been invited to compete in the 2024 UCI Track Champions League.

Last year Lara Gillespie competed in the league. Gillespie will return again this year and will be joined by Mia Griffin, Erin Creighton and Lucy Bénézet Minns.

The league will get underway at the end of this month in the Vélodrome National de Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, Paris on the 23rd of November. This is the same velodrome that hosted the track cycling for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

Rounds 2 and 3 both take place in the Omnisport Apeldoorn, in The Netherlands on the 29th and 30th of November.

Lee Valley Velodrome in London in will host the penultimate and final round of the league. The same as the second and third rounds, these will take place over the course of one weekend – the 6th and 7th of December.

The UCI Track Champions League runs as a league format with each of the five rounds featuring the same race programme. Riders compete and score points in either the Sprint or Endurance categories.

The Sprint events are the Sprint and Keirin, and the Endurance events are the Elimination and Scratch.

A maximum of 18 riders can compete in each category, meaning 72 riders will compete in total – 36 men and 36 women.

To have four Irish riders invited to compete in the league shows the progression and development of the track cycling team. The league will conclude what has been a very successful season which included record-breaking performances, the first ever Irish Women’s Team Pursuit team competing in the Olympic Games and just last month Lara Gillespie claiming a bronze medal at the Track World Championships.

Speaking about the league and the inclusion of the four Irish riders, Cycling Ireland National Track Cycling Coach Dan Henchy said, “Irish riders have featured in each of the first three seasons of the UCI Track Champions League but it’s testament to the strength of our women’s endurance group that we’re able to boast four entrants for season four.

“Lara had a fantastic experience last season, culminating in an elimination race win in front of a packed crowd in London. She credits the Champions League with accelerating her development towards the Paris Olympic Games and this time out will be looking to challenge for more victories following her recent bronze medal at the UCI Track World Championships.

“We also have three riders making their Champions League debut. Mia and Erin have been focused on the team pursuit in the last year but are outstanding bunch racers too. They both have a strong sprint, and the short race formats will suit them down to the ground. Lucy completes the line-up of Irish riders, fresh off a senior debut for the National team in Ballerup. She’s already a Champion in her own right with a points race win at the Junior Track European Championships this year and I’m excited to see her get the opportunity to rub shoulders with some of the best riders in the world.”

Click here to find out more about the UCI Champions League.