Bunch Sprint for Boylan at Euro Champs

Bunch Sprint For Boylan in Elite Women’s Road Race at the European Championships

Exciting racing in the Elite Women’s Road Race at the UEC 2017 European Road Cycling Championships saw Ireland’s sole female racer, Lydia Boylan compete impressively to finish 38^th in the bunch sprint amongst a world class field. The 120.6km race was won by one of the world’s most decorated and successful cyclists, Marianne Vos (NED) with double World Road Champion Giorgia Bronzini (ITA) in second place. Olympic medallist Olga Zabelinskaya (RUS) rounded off the podium winning bronze. The European Championships take place from the 2-6 August in Herning, Denmark.

Boylan rode aggressively in a fast race, with an impressive attack at the halfway mark. After the race, the Dubliner was pleased with her performance, highlighting the dominance of the nine-person Dutch team –

“I wanted to be active in the race, while also conserving energy – knowing that it was likely to come to a bunch sprint. It was an interesting race – and hard when you are up against nine Dutch riders, who are all potential winners! That was a prestigious bunch to be competing in, and I was happy to get attention for the Irish jersey with my attack. But it was a fast championship race, and everyone was fighting for the front.”

The determined Team WNT Pro-cycling rider was well placed in a world class field of racers – “I didn’t want to be anonymous in the race, and I didn’t want to roll around at the back. I’m used to racing on my team, where the other girls are looking out for me, so I had to make sure as well not to burn my matches.”

Earlier in the day the U23 Men’s Road Race saw an impressive performance from the four-person Irish team, with Daire Feeley and Darragh O’Mahony finishing in 28^th and 34^th place respectively in the sprint for gold. Matthew Teggart and Michael O’Loughlin were just seconds behind them in 68^th and 96^th place.

Due to an injury Eddie Dunbar was unable to start the road race today, on a day where O’Loughlin was particularly active. Casper Pederson won the European Title, the Dane also competed in the Dublin Track Cycling International last month! Silver went to Benoit Cosnefroy (FRA) and Switzerland’s Marc Hirschi took bronze.

Tomorrow is the final day of racing at the European Road Cycling Championships, and will see the Elite Men compete for the title over a 241.2km course. The championships take place in Herning, Denmark, from Wednesday 2^nd – Sunday 6^th August.

ROAD RACE RESULTS:

Elite Women

Gold Marianne Vos (NED)

Silver Giorgia Bronzini (ITA)

Bronze Olga Zabelinskaya (RUS)

38^th Lydia Boylan (IRL)

U23 Men

Gold Casper Pederson (DEN)

Silver Benoit Cosnefroy (FRA)

Bronze Marc Hirschi (SUI)

28^th Daire Feeley (IRL)

34^th Darragh O’Mahony (IRL)

68^th Matthew Teggart (IRL)

96^th Michael O’Loughlin (IRL)

DNS Eddie Dunbar (IRL)