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Para-Cycling Team Announced for Maniago World Cup

ByEmma Porter |

Cycling Ireland has announced the team that will compete in the Maniago Para-cycling World Cup event from April 20th to 23rd.

It comes after a successful 2022 season saw the Irish Para-cycling squad pick up two gold medals as well as a silver and bronze medal at the 2022 Road World Championships.

Ten athletes will compete in Italy across the time trial and road race events in the squad’s first major outing of 2023 and the beginning of their 2024 Paralympic Games qualifying campaign.

The time trial events will take place on Thursday and Friday, April 20th and 21st before the road race events on Saturday and Sunday, April 22nd and 23rd.

The tandem pairings of Josephine Healion & Eve McCrystal and Katie-George Dunlevy & Linda Kelly will race in the women’s TT and road race. Damien Vereker and Mitchell McLaughlin will ride in the men’s TT and road race.

Road Race world champion Ronan Grimes will ride the men’s C4 TT and road race while Chris Burns will compete in the men’s C2 events.

Richael Timothy will compete in the women’s C3 events while Declan Slevin will ride in the men’s H3 events.

Slevin competes in the time trial on Thursday, April 20th while the rest of the team will compete in the time trial events on Friday, April 21st.

Slevin races in the road race on Saturday, April 22nd while the rest of the squad will compete in the road race events on Sunday, April 23rd.

National Paracycling Coach Jamie Blanchfield said, “We are excited to name such a strong and experienced team for the first Para-cycling World Cup of 2023. This event marks the first of our Paris 2024 Paralympic qualifying campaign.

“The European Time Trial Championship winning pairing of Katie-George Dunlevy and Linda Kelly will again team up for this round of the World Cup. Experienced pilot Eve McCrystal will pilot Josephine Healion, a bronze medalist from last year’s World Championships. To have such strength in depth within our female tandem programme is very exciting.

“Mitchell McLaughlin will take to the start line piloting Rio Paralympian Damien Vereker in what will be this pairing’s first outing in international Para-cycling competition.”

Ireland 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

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