News

Cycling Ireland has announced a team of three males and one female athlete to compete at the UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships in Lievin, France.

Recently crowned National Champion Esther Wong will represent Ireland in the Women’s U23 race. Wong made her debut for Ireland late last year, and has already worn the green jersey at the Cyclo-cross World Cup round in Dublin, where she was the highest Irish finisher, and on the track at the Grenchen Track Classic. Wong had a hard-earned victory in the National Championships at Ballinasloe last weekend, where a tough course and stiff competition pushed her right to the finish line.

Having recently defended his Cyclo-cross Junior National Championship title, Conor Murphy will once again represent Ireland in Lievin, riding in the Junior Men’s race. Murphy represented Ireland at last year’s Cyclo-cross World Championships in Czechia, where a mechanical upset his strong start. More recently Murphy has represented Ireland at World Cup level, including finishing top of the Irish riders at the UCI World Cup in Dublin in December, and a very impressive 16th place at the World Cup in Besançon, France.

Murphy will be joined in the Men’s Junior race by 2025 National Championship second and third place finishers, Curtis McKee and Ryan Daly.

McKee comes into this World Champs having had a strong domestic season, which included taking wins in two rounds of the National Series, as well as winning the Junior race at the UCI C2 event in Clonmel. McKee represented Ireland for the first time at the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup in Dublin in December, the 2024 U16 National Champion will no doubt look to end his Cyclo-cross season on a high in France next week.

First year Junior Ryan Daly rounds out the Irish contingent travelling to Lievin. Daly also made his debut in green at the UCI World Cup in Dublin, but has taken every opportunity to race internationally since, riding at the Cyclo-cross World Cup in Besançon, and putting in solid performances at cyclo-cross races in Diegem and the Baal GP Sven Nys in Belgium over the Christmas period.

Riders will have a bank of experience to pull from as recent Cycling Ireland Hall of Fame inductee, and 18-time Cyclo-cross National Champion Robin Seymour takes the reigns as Team Manager.

All four Irish riders will be in action on Sunday, February 2nd. The Men’s Junior race will take place at 10am Irish time, with the Women’s U23 race following at 12pm Irish time.

A full schedule of events is available HERE.