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Exactly two weeks after they broke their own national record, Ireland’s team pursuit riders went faster again while competing in the UCI Tissot Nations Cup in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Thursday.
The quartet of Alice Sharpe, Kelly Murphy, Lara Gillespie and Mia Griffin eclipsed their recent record by 2.180 seconds, improving their time over the 4,000-metre distance from 4 minutes 19.705 to 4 minutes 17.525.
Their margin of improvement is considerably greater than was achieved at the European Championships in Grenchen, Switzerland, on February 9th. On that occasion they bettered their old mark by just 0.033 seconds, making Thursday’s gain of over two seconds all the more impressive.
The squad finished fifth fastest out of 14 squads in the discipline. They will be in action again on Friday, where they will take on eighth-placed Italy. The Irish riders need to finish in the top four fastest times to advance to the medal finals.
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Griffin faces a busy day, with participation in the women’s elimination race to follow just over six hours after the team pursuit.
Meanwhile, Sam Bennett experienced frustration on Thursday’s fourth stage of the UAE Tour, with headwind making for a chaotic finale which in turn left his team completely out of position for the finishing sprint.
Bennett tried to recover but was too far back to contend for the win, which went to the Colombian rider Juan Sebastián Molano. Bennett sat up when it became clear the victory was gone, crossing the line in Dubai Harbour in eighth place.
World champion Remco Evenepoel (Soudal – Quick Step) retained the overall race lead.
The result is Bennett’s second frustration of the event. On Monday’s opening leg a 12 man breakaway group got clear and stayed out front to the finish, with Bennett best of the main bunch in 13th place.
“It was a long day and everyone knew that the victory would be decided in a sprint,” Bora-hansgrohe sport director Bernhard Eisel explained. “We are still analysing where and what we were lacking in the finale. But we definitely made it to the front too late.
“In the finishing straight the guys were a bit blocked in the headwind and Danny [Van Poppel] could never really get going with Sam on his back wheel. Of course, the result is miles away from what we hoped for today, as we really expected a lot in the finale. Tomorrow we’ll have another chance and we’ll see how we can do it better then.”
Although Bennett wanted to add another season win to the stage victory he took one month ago in the Vuelta a San Juan Internacional in Argentina, these early season races offer important opportunities for teams to perfect their bunch positioning and leadout efforts in advance of bigger targets such as the Tour de France in July.
There are two further opportunities for the sprinters before the race ends on Sunday. Friday’s stage to Umm al Quwain and Saturday’s leg to Abu Dhabi Breakwater are both expected to finish in bunch gallops. Bennett will hope that he and his team are better placed heading into the final 500 metres and that he has the opportunity to go for victory on one or both of those stages.
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UCI Tissot Nations Cup, Jakarta, Indonesia
Schedule for Friday, February 24th:
First round women’s team pursuit: 6.30am Irish time
Women’s Elimination race, Mia Griffin: 12.49pm Irish time
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