Clifford Wins Bronze at the UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships in Apeldoorn
Eoghan Clifford has won a bronze medal in the Men’s C3 3km Individual Pursuit at the UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships in Apeldoorn, Netherlands today. The Galway based rider made his track cycling debut at Newport just 6 weeks ago and qualified as the third fastest rider in the Individual Pursuit earlier today, in a time of 3.39.945. In the race for bronze Clifford faced Russia’s Sergey Ustinov, and was pushed hard for the first half of the race, before pulling ahead to win by almost 2 seconds. In the Men’s C2 3km Individual Pursuit Colin Lynch finished in fourth place, with the bronze medal going to Arslan Gilmutdinov of Russia. The Championships run from Thursday 26th March until Sunday 29th March.
RESULTS EOGHAN'S PURSUIT QUALIFIERS
Racing opposite Ustinov in the final Clifford started steady, and confidently pushed through in the last kilometre “The Russian rider pushed me very hard in the final, and I only got ahead in the last kilometre, I tend to start slow, and am lucky that I recover well between efforts. In Newport I went faster in the final than in the qualifying round, so it was very positive knowing that I can do two similar times, or a better time, so close together. We were hoping for better times, but compared to Newport the times are slower, but probably at the time we underestimated the track, it wasn’t as fast as people thought, as only two went faster than me. The support team here has been great, so professional. Like I was disappointed this morning and they really picked me up so I was in great form for the final.”
RESULTS EOGHAN'S BRONZE MEDAL FINAL
Clifford, who is the reigning World Champion in both the Road Race and the Time Trial, is new to the track, making a bronze medal in the World Championships even more impressive “I was first on the track in January, and had my first race in Newport in February, so it’s been a big learning curve, learning how the track works.”
RESULTS COLIN'S PURSUIT QUALIFIERS
Lynch finished fourth in the C2 Pursuit, with the Gilmutdinov taking the bronze. After achieving a sea level personal best time this morning in the qualifying round, the hour turn around to the final did not allow enough recovery for him “This morning I had a good ride, and then in the final I did everything to plan, I rode as well as could be expected, but the only thing is with the really short turnover in time it didn’t give me enough time to recover. I’m disappointed that I couldn’t give the performance I’m usually capable of in the final. Fourth is still fourth in the world, it’s just when your sight is on the podium, it’s that bit more disappointing.”
RESULTS COLIN'S BRONZE MEDAL FINAL
Lynch and Clifford will compete again on Sunday in the Scratch Race. While this is a bunch race competition that has been in the World Championships since 2012, it is the first year that Ireland will compete. Lynch said “This is something new and different, the idea is to race safe and smart, it could be carnage.”
Tomorrow both the Women’s and Men’s Tandem will be competing in the Individual Pursuit events. Competition began in the Apeldoorn Velodrome on Thursday 26th March and will continue until Sunday the 29th March, with all competitions taking place during the day.
START LIST WOMEN'S PURSUIT QUALIFIERS
START LIST MEN'S PURSUIT QUALIFIERS
PROVISIONAL Competition
Schedule - Irish team at UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships
(All times quoted are Irish time; approximate and schedule may be subject to change)
| Day 1 – Thursday 26th March 2015 | Results | ||
| 10.15am | Colin Lynch | M C2 1km Time Trial | 9 – 1.19.83 |
| 10.45am | Eoghan Clifford | M C3 1km Time Trial | 9 – 1.15.448 |
| 4.40pm | Dunlevy & McCrystal | W B 1 km Time Trial | 8 – 1.13.566 |
| 5.20pm | Ryan & Shaw | M B 1km Time Trial | 12 – 1.06.323 |
| Day 2 – Friday 27th March 2015 |
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| 11.10pm | Eoghan Clifford | M C3 3km Individual Pursuit Qualifiers | Bronze Medal Ride off 3.39.945 |
| 12.40pm | Colin Lynch | M C2 3km Individual Pursuit Qualifiers | Bronze Medal Ride off 3.52.375 |
| 2.30pm | Eoghan Clifford | M C3 3km Individual Pursuit Bronze Medal Final | 3 – Bronze 3.39.724 |
| 4pm | Colin Lynch | M C2 3km Individual Pursuit Final | 3.55.543 |
| Day 3 – Saturday 28th March 2015 |
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| 8am | Dunlevy & McCrystal | W B 3km Individual Pursuit Qualifiers |
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| 9am | Ryan & Shaw | M B 4km Individual Pursuit Qualifiers |
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| 6.25pm | Dunlevy & McCrystal | W B 3km Individual Pursuit Finals |
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| 7.00pm | Ryan & Shaw | M B 4km Individual Pursuit Finals |
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| Day 4 – Sunday 29th March 2015 |
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| 7.30am | Colin Lynch Eoghan Clifford | M C1-2-3 Scratch Race Qualification |
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| 3pm | Colin Lynch Eoghan Clifford | M C1-2-3 Scratch Race Finals |
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