Ten Riders Named for UCI Para Cycling Track World Championships

Ten riders will represent Ireland at the upcoming UCI Para Cycling Track World Championships. This year’s event takes place in Apeldoorn, Netherlands, from October 29th to November 1st.

Four Irish tandems pairings will make the trip; two male and two female.

Josephine Rizos (née Healion) will be piloted in the WB category by Robyn Beggs. Rizos is no stranger to racing at the top level, having ridden for Ireland at the 2024 Paralympic Games and taken two bronze medals at UCI Road World Championships previously. Rizos and Beggs will race the Kilo TT, Tandem Team Sprint and WB Sprint in Apeldoorn.

Katie-George Dunlevy and Alice Sharpe come together on the second WB entry. Both Dunlevy and Sharpe were in Paris in 2024; Dunlevy taking a silver and gold on the road, along with a silver on the track at the Paralympic Games, with Sharpe competing on the track with Ireland’s Olympic team pursuit squad. The pair will compete in the Kilo TT and Individual Pursuit in the WB Category.

Ciaran O’Toole made his World Championship debut last month on the road in Alabama riding with Con Scully. The Dubliner now makes his Track Worlds debut at the end of this month with experienced pilot Mitchell McLaughlin. McLaughlin previously piloted Damien Vereker at the Paralympic Games in 2024 and in numerous World and European Championship events. O’Toole and McLaughlin will compete in the Kilo TT and the MB Individual Pursuit.

Stephen de Vries and pilot Harvey Barnes take charge of the final Irish tandem for this year’s Worlds. The pair have previously ridden together in competition but the event in the Netherlands marks their first as a tandem pairing at the World Championship level. This pairing will ride the Kilo TT, MB Sprint and Tandem Team Sprint events.

Richael Timothy will ride in the WC3 category. The 2024 Paralympian took a European Championship title earlier this year on the road, and already holds three Track Worlds bronze medals; she took bronze in the Scratch race in both 2020 and 2023 and added another in the Omnium in 2023. 2026 will see Timothy ride the C-class Sprint, Kilo TT, Elimination and Scratch events.

Heather Jameson rounds out the Irish selection for this year’s Track Worlds. Having previously represented Ireland in athletics and association football, Jameson has exploded onto the cycling scene taking two bronze medals at her first European Road Championships and a silver at her first World Road Championships this year. Like team-mate Timothy, Jameson will ride the C-class Sprint, Kilo Time Trial, Elimination and Scratch events.

Coach Jamie Blanchfield welcomed the selection for this year’s Worlds; “We are excited to name the team for the Para-cycling Track World Championships in Apeldoorn. It's a good mix, with experienced riders who have medalled at this level before alongside new riders coming through the programme. A number of new riders, and tandem pairings making their World Championship debut show the depth we're developing as we build towards LA 2028. We're looking forward to seeing them race and continuing the positive momentum we have built this year”.

For more information on the event - click here