Lydia Gurley has added to strong recent success by Irish track riders, taking a superb bronze medal in the scratch race at round four of the UCI World Cup in Christchurch, New Zealand, on Saturday.
She finished behind Kiwi rider Holly Edmondston, with Olga Zabelinskaya of Uzbekistan second. All bar one other rider finished a lap behind. It was her best result since taking a silver medal with Lydia Boylan at the Madison race at the European track championships.
Gurley's strong result is all the more impressive as she used up important energy riding the women's Madison race less than two hours earlier. She and Emily Kay took seventh there, with Australia's Alexandra Manly and Georgia Baker winning.
Robyn Stewart was 17th fastest in the qualifying round of the women's sprint. She then went through to ride in the 12th heat but was beaten by Jessica Lee Hoi Yan of Hong Kong.
The World Cup finishes on Sunday with a busy day of racing. Stewart will compete in the women's Keirin, Boylan will ride the women's omnium, Mark Downey and Felix English will race the men's Madison and Fintan Ryan will line out in the men's scratch race.
