Ireland’s world championships campaign got underway on Sunday with the participation of two riders in the Elite time trial in Bruges, Belgium. Defending champion Filippo Ganna of Italy was quickest, beating the Belgian duo Wout van Aert and Remco Evenepoel by six seconds and 44 seconds respectively. Ryan Mullen was 33rd while Ireland’s second competitor, Marcus Christie, was 39th.
“I’m quite happy with my ride,” said Mullen afterwards. “It was a big improvement compared to last week at the Europeans.
“It was just lonely out there, the long straights, nothing but trees and windmills for company. I’m satisfied with the ride, I got it all out there. I just wish I had more to give at this moment in time but it is how it is and we’ll move onto the road race on Sunday.”
Next up are Ben Healy and Kevin McCambridge, who will compete in the under 23 men’s time trial on Monday morning. Darren Rafferty and Conal Skully will follow suit in the junior men’s time trial on Tuesday afternoon, with a number of Irish competitors then set to contest the junior, under 23 and elite road races between Friday and Sunday.
In the US, junior downhill competitor Oisin O’Callaghan finished a superb third in the final round of the 2021 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Snowshoe, West Virginia, on Saturday. The Limerick rider, who is racing with the YT Mob team, finished behind the British competitor Jordan Williams (Madison Saracen Factory Team) and the Canadian Jackson Goldstone (Miranda Factory Team), the current junior world champion.
At home, Matthew Teggart (VC Villefranche Beaujolais) outsprinted Daire Feeley (All human-VeloRevolution) to win the Shay Elliott Memorial Classic in Wicklow. Craig McAuley (Caldwell Cycles) completed the podium, while Caoimhe O’Brien (Torelli-Assure-Cayman Islands-Scimitar) beat Kelly Murphy (Team Rupelcleaning) to take the women’s prize.
Shay Elliott Classic Wicklow
A1-A2 event (165km): 1 Matthew Teggart (VC Villefranche Beaujolais), 2 D Feeley (All human-VeloRevolution), 3 C McAuley (Caldwell Cycles), 4 L Curley (Spellman Dublin Port), 5 M Dowling (All human-VeloRevolution), 6 G O’Neill (Caldwell Cycles), 8 L Watson (Powerhouse Sport), 9 G Swinand (Dan Morrissey-MIG-Pactimo), 10 C McCann (Inspired Cycling)
A2 podium: 1 Sean Mullen (Navan Road Club), 2 J Luke (UCD Cycling Club), 3 D Woods (Newry Wheelers)
Prime: Aaron Wade (Powerhouse Sport)
King of the Hills prime at Glenmalure: Matthew Teggart (VC Villefranche Beaujolais)
Leading Bray Wheelers rider: Conor Verbruggen
Ken Duff Memorial for A3 riders (95km): 1 Adam Gilsenan (CC Canturino Team), 2 R O’Connor (Orwell Wheelers), 3 J Meehan (VC Glendale), 4 R Byrne (Orwell Wheelers), 5 S Bolger (Killarney CC), 6 M Hoare (unattached), 7 P Ennis (unattached), 8 P Gallagher (Blarney CC)
Women: 1 Caoimhe O’Brien (Torelli-Assure-Cayman Islands-Scimitar), 2 K Murphy (Team Rupelcleaning)
Unplaced junior: Odhran Doogan (Veloce Club Pontivyen)
Prime: Odhran Doogan (Veloce Club Pontivyen)
King of the Hills prime at Glen Leading Bray Wheelers rider: Jamie Philipsmalure: Jamie Meehan (VC Glendale)
