CYCLING
The cycling disciplines at the Olympics currently are road cycling, mountain biking, track cycling and BMX.
Cycling has been on the Olympic programme since the birth of the modern Olympic movement, and the 1896 Summer Olympic Games included a road race and five track events, all for male athletes only. Women’s cycling first featured on the Olympic programme in 1984 with the road race, and in 1988 they were included in the track cycling programme.
Up until Rio 2016 the programme centred around speed and power, so the inclusion on the 2020 programme of freestyle BMX places an additional focus on skill.
Ireland has a rich history of competing in cycling events in the Olympics with the highest results being in the men’s road race, where Ciaran Power finished 13th in Athens 2004, and Dan Martin also finished 13th in Rio 2016.
Olympic qualification varies by discipline:
Road Race and Time Trial: Based on international ranking points
Track Cycling: Based on qualification points earned at key events
Mountain Biking: Based on international ranking points
BMX: Based on a combination of international ranking points and allocation spots at the World Championships
National Federation: Cycling Ireland
International Federation: Union Cycliste Internationale
CYCLING NEWS
Performance Round Up – September
European Showjumping Championships The Irish Show Jumping team delivered an excellent performance to claim the silver medal in the team final of the FEI Jumping European Championship in Milano, Italy. Reflecting on his team's performance, Horse Sport Ireland Show Jumping High Performance Director Blake said: “It’s a brilliant result, we’ve been so consistent all season – but I’m getting …
Performance Round Up – August
World Cycling Championships It was a successful World Championships for Cycling Ireland – with the combined championships seeing Ireland represented in ten different events. During the second day of competition, the women’s team pursuit finished in 9th place. The team maintain a positive trajectory for Paris 2024 qualification with the top 10 ranked nations qualifying …
Team Ireland | UCI Cycling World Championships 2023 | Results
TEAM IRELAND AT THE UCI CYCLING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS August 4th Results & Report In the Track World Championships, Ireland’s women’s team pursuit squad finished 9th in the qualifying round, narrowly missing out on progression to the next round. The team maintain a positive trajectory for Paris 2024 qualification with the top 10 ranked nations …
Team Ireland | UCI Cycling World Championships 2023 | Results Read More »
Cycling Ireland Announce Track Team For 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships
Cycling Ireland have announced the Irish track teams that will compete at the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships in Glasgow and Scotland. The special multi-discipline World Championships will be held from August 3rd to 13th across a number of venues around Scotland and will see 13 World Championships contested. With less than a week to …
Cycling Ireland Announce Track Team For 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships Read More »
SELECTED ATHLETES
Lydia Gurley
LYDIA GURLEYEQUESTRIAN BIOGRAPHY Lydia put her PhD in renewable energy on hold to specialise in track. She has won two World Cups (2017 &2019) and was pipped for a 2018 European medal in Scratch. She and Lydia Boylan won European Madison gold in 2017 and clinched Ireland’s Tokyo Olympic place by finishing 11th at the …
Fintan Ryan
Fintan RyanCYCLING BIOGRAPHY Among Ryan’s Irish road titles are 2013 national junior road race champion and Irish senior criterium champion (2019). On track he’s been Irish Madison and Scratch champion and competed for Ireland at Europeans in 2015 (Team Pursuit) and 2016 (Elimination event). He joined UCI Continental team EvoPro team this year. OTHER CYCLING …
Shannon McCurley
Shannon McCurleyCYCLING BIOGRAPHY In 2016 Shannon became Ireland’s first female Olympic track cyclist in Rio, famously finishing 21st in the Keirin sprint event. In 2019 she won silver in Scratch at the European Championships and finished ninth (with Lydia Boylan) in Madison at the World Championships. Born in Melbourne to a Dublin mum and Belfast …
Felix English
Felix EnglishCYCLING BIOGRAPHY Felix has been competing on the Irish senior team for over ten years, and is based at the Irish training base in Majorca. Both of Felix’s parents are from Dublin. He won five British junior titles and famously beat Chris Hoy at the 2010 European Championships before declaring for Ireland in 2012 …
Mark Downey
Mark DowneyCYCLING BIOGRAPHY In 2017 Mark won two golds in the Points races at the World Cup in Apeldoorn and Colombia and was overall series winner in Points. In 2017 he also won World Cup gold in Madison (with Felix) at LA and was European U23 bronze medallist in Points. In 2018 he was fourth …
Dan Martin
Dan MartinCYCLING BIOGRAPHY Dan Martin is a stage winner in all three Grand Tours – the Tour de France (2013 & 2018), Giro d’Italia (2021) and Vuelta a Espana (2011 & 2020). In 2020 he was 5th in La Flèche Wallonne and had one stage win and two third places in the Vuelta where he …
Nicolas Roche
Nicolas RocheCYCLING BIOGRAPHY One of cycling’s most experienced riders, Nicolas has completed 24 Grand Tours and has had 64 Top 10 stage finishes, putting him third on cycling’s all-time list. He has finished fifth (2013) and sixth (2010) in GC in the Vuelta a Espana and won two stages of it (2013 and 2015). He …
Eddie Dunbar
Eddie DunbarCYCLING BIOGRAPHY Eddie, who played rugby for Sundays Well in his youth, is the only two-time winner of the Junior Tour of Ireland, was only 20 when he finished fourth in the Rás and won the 2017 U23 Tour of Flanders. After entering World Tour racing in 2018 he got a late call-up for …
Emily Kay
Emily KayCYCLING BIOGRAPHY Emily won bronze in the Omnium at the World Cup in Canada in January 2020 where she and McCurley finished seventh in the Madison. In 2019 she transferred to compete for Ireland, her grandparents are from Dublin. Her career for GB included a 2018 Commonwealth bronze in the Scratch race. She is …
