Cycling Ireland has confirmed the team that will compete in the Ostend Para-cycling World Cup from May 4th to 7th.
The Para-cycling National Team will be in action while the Cycling Ireland Para-cycling Commission is supporting a development team competing in Belgium.
The national team are racing for the third weekend in a row after they took home two gold medals and a bronze from the Maniago Para-cycling World Cup last month.
The tandem pairing of Katie-George Dunlevy and Linda Kelly took home gold in the time trial and road race while Ronan Grimes also claimed bronze in the time trial in Italy.
The women’s tandem pairings also picked up more medals on Sunday, April 30th, competing in the road race at the UCI C1 Para-cycling classic in Flanders, Belgium. Members of the development squad were also in action.
A gold medal for Josephine Healion and Eve McCrystal represented the duo’s first victory together while Dunlevy and Kelly made it a one-two with a second placed finish.
The Irish national team remains unchanged from the Maniago World Cup selection, with all riders looking to build on an encouraging showing in Italy.
The Irish development squad, supported by the Cycling Ireland Para-cycling commission, consists of six individual riders.
Former Irish Paralympic and World champion Eoghan Clifford will also be racing as an independent athlete in the men’s C3 category after winning a bronze medal in the road race at the UCI C1 Para-cycling classic in Flanders.
Clifford’s perspective and experience of the racing environment in Para-cycling will add value to the learning and development of less experienced riders in the team gaining exposure at this World Cup level.
National Para-cycling Coach Jamie Blanchfield said, “We gained good momentum this week with some solid performances in the Ronde in Vlaanderen C1 event this past Sunday. We have a strong team to keep this momentum going into Ostend. The team are excited and ready to race in what will be their third international race weekend in a row, a great platform to build on for the rest of 2023.”
Ireland National Team
- Josephine Healion & Eve McCrystal – Women’s Tandem
- Katie-George Dunlevy & Linda Kelly – Women’s Tandem
- Damien Vereker & Mitchell McLaughlin – Men’s Tandem
- Ronan Grimes – Men’s C4
- Chris Burns – Men’s C2
- Declan Slevin – Men’s H3
- Richael Timothy – Women’s C3
Para-cycling Commission Development Squad
- Cormac O’Callaghan – Men’s C1
- William Clifford – Men’s C3
- Ivan Naluswa – Men’s C5
- Ray Murnane – Men’s H4
- Allister MacSorley – Men’s H4
- Scott Drummond – Men’s C2
