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Last Updated: 2 Apr 2018 - 8:45:17 PM |
TRACK RIDERS PREPARING FOR COPENHAGEN WORLD CUP
By Shane Stokes
4 Feb 2009,
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A number of Irish track riders are currently in Aigle training prior to the final World Cup of the season, the Ballerup/Copenhagen round which will be held from January 13th to 15th.
Several riders competed in the Beijing World Cup last month. David O’Loughlin was an excellent third in the individual pursuit, while the team pursuit line-up of O’Loughlin, Paul Healion, David McCann and Martyn Irvine posted a time of 4 minutes 13.9 seconds, netting seventh and breaking the Irish record. Sean Downey also rode solidly in the scratch and points race competitions, while Healion was 17th in the kilometre TT.
The squad training in Aigle is practically the same, although Dominic Jelfs is in for Downey as he is away on a UCI training camp.
The team are likely to ride the same events in Copenhagen, and need to hit specific targets to ensure funding from the Irish Sports Council. The final line-up will be announced later this week.
An Irish team will then travel to the track world championships, taking place in Poland from March 25th to 29th. Thus far only O’Loughlin has qualified. He was an excellent sixth in Manchester last year. Following the worlds, he is expected to revert to road racing. This season he will compete as part of the An Post M. Donnelly Sean Kelly team, which will be launched in Belgium next week.
In related news, Cycling Ireland received twelve applications for the post of High Performance manager, with half of these were from overseas candidates. A meeting will be held tomorrow relating to this. The candidates are currently being shortlisted, and an appointment to the position is expected next month.
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