Irish Close to Medals at Paracycling World Championships in Switzerland

Ireland's Katie-George Dunlevy and sighted pilot Eve McCrystal missed out on bronze by the narrowest of margins in the Women's Tandem Road Race at the Paracycling World Road Championships in Notwil, Switzerland, on Saturday (August 1st).

Last year's silver medallists went to the finish line with the Netherlands pairing of Odette Van Deudekom and Kim Van Dijk after 77.5km of tough racing on a hilly course with the Dutch bike just getting the verdict after the judges consulted the finish line photo.

Earlier Eoghan Clifford was the most active rider in a cagey battle in the MC3 Road Race over 56km, the Galway native finishing fifth after a valiant attempt to add to the World Time Trial gold medal he won in style on Thursday.

As the established star of MC3 racing, Clifford found himself heavily marked by the other nations in a very tactical affair which ultimately helped Masaki Fujita to make a clean getaway.

Clifford was fourth in a group of eight bikes sprinting for silver and bronze just under a minute and a half behind the Japanese rider.

Peter Ryan and sighted pilot Dermot Radford produced another strong showing in the Men's Tandem Road Race to finish 15th, the relatively inexperienced pairing showing well to beat bikes from the USA and Germany among others in the 108.5km event.

Colin Lynch was out of luck in the Men's C2 Road Race, the former world time trial champion listed as a non finisher.

Afterwards, head coach Neill Delahaye reflected on another strong day in Notwil.

"Today was a very positive day for the squad. I am satisfied no one could have done more than they did on the day.

"All our riders rode very well on a particularly demanding course and each demonstrated their ability and capacity to race competitively amongst the strongest nations in the world.

"It was particularly close for Katie and Eve. To be in contention for a medal at the end of a race like that really shows the work they have put in and how they are still continuing to improve.

"Eoghan was very heavily marked in his race. It was very difficult to get away with negative tactics being employed by some nations.

"He could not have done more on the day but even in such a cagey race he was at the sharp end all the way to the line and we learned a lot from it.

"Peter and Dermot hung tough for their whole race. I was impressed with their grit, determination and drive to make a race of it.

"The podium bikes were far ahead but the lads finished ahead of bigger, more established nations which was a big step up for them in the hardest Para Cycling Worlds course to date.

"Colin's race took place in miserable conditions this morning.  The hilly parcours was always going to be a big challenge and so it proved although he really went deep to stay in contention until he had nothing left."

For full results during the Paracycling World Road Championships see:-

http://www.uci.ch/para-cycling/ucievents/event/uci-para-cycling-road-world-championship-nottwil-road-2015/50083/widgets/start-lists-results-170811/

 ‘Please note: Images of the Irish bikes in action at the World Championships will be distributed reproduction fee free from Sportsfile www.sportsfile.com 01-4547400’

Irish Team for 2015 UCI Para-Cycling Road Championships, Nottwil, Switzerland

Colin Lynch, MC2 Time Trial, MC2 Road Race, from Cheshire in England

Peter Ryan & Dermot Radford, MB Time Trial, MB Road Race, both from Tipperary.

Katie-George Dunlevy & Eve McCrystal, WB Time Trial, WB Road Race, Dunlevy from Maidenhead in England, McCrystal from Dundalk, Co. Louth

Eoghan Clifford, MC3 Time Trial, MC3 Road Race, from Galway Bay CC, Co. Galway

Coach – Neill Delahaye

Manager – Tommy McGowan

Mechanic – Gerry Beggs

Physiotherapist – Johnny Loughrey

PROVISIONAL Competition Schedule - Irish team at UCI Para-cycling Road World Championship

(All times quoted are Irish time; schedule may be subject to change)

Day 2 –Saturday 1st August 2015     

7am    Colin Lynch        M C2 Road Race 56km     

8.30am Eoghan Clifford    M C3 Road Race 56km     

12pm     Ryan & Radford    M B Road Race 108.5km     

12.02pm Dunlevy & McCrystal    W B Road Race 77.5km

 
About Classification in Paralympic Sport: Classification is a unique and integral part of Paralympic sport. It provides the structure to separate athletes with similar levels of impairments into groups, or classes as they are commonly known, so they can compete in fair and equal competitions against one another, and ensure that winning is determined by skill, fitness, power, endurance, tactical ability and mental focus. This same principle exists in non-Paralympic sports where athletes are classified according to age, gender or weight divisions to allow for as fair competition as possible.

 
In para-cycling there are fourteen classifications based on functional disability type. B refers to the tandems, where the stoker is blind or visually impaired, and the pilot is sighted. H represents the handcycling events, and C refers to cyclists on regular and also adapted, solo bikes, who may have cerebral palsy, limb impairments and amputations. In these events the categories have numbers denoting the level of impairment, the lower numbers the more severe the impairments and the higher less so.
 
For more information on Para-cycling visit:
http://www.uci.ch/para-cycling/about/