This weekend two Irish track cyclists, Martyn Irvine and Caroline Ryan, compete in the World Championships in Holland, with their sights set on top performances in the Men’s Omnium and Women’s Individual Pursuit.
The first Irish rider to race is Ryan in the Women’s Individual Pursuit, who will compete on Friday afternoon March 25th. The Kildare rider will be looking to build on her performance in the Cali World Cup where she finished a fine 4th. The individual pursuit is a 3km time trial, with the rider racing against the clock. The rider has one chance to produce a time fast enough to qualify for a medal “ride off”. The top 4 finishers contest the medals.
Irvine’s Omnium bid kicks off with the Flying lap on Friday.
The Omnium is a new event to the Olympic Programme, comprising of 6 events, with points awarded to riders depending on where they finish. Throughout the World Cup Series Irvine has consistently produced top ten results in highly competitive fields, being particularly strong in the individual efforts like the pursuit and 1km time trial. Irvine will be hoping for a good result in the Omnium, as Olympic points achieved in the World Championships are worth more than those achieved in any other event.
The squad have been preparing for the World Championships in Majorca with their coach Andy Sparks.
