Two Medals for Irish riders on first day of European Championships

A fantastic first day of competition at the UEC European Road Cycling Championships in Drôme Ardéche, France, saw two Irish riders grace podiums in two separate events.


Two-time Junior National Time Trial Champion Conor Murphy took second place in the Junior Men’s Individual Time Trial, just 4.6 seconds behind the recently crowned Junior World Champion Michiel Mouris of the Netherlands. Murphy led at the first three splits over the 24km course, losing the lead in the last section.

Murphy’s team-mate David Gaffney finished just outside the top-10 in 11th, with Matthew Walls rounding out the Irish contingent in this category in 22nd.

Reigning U23 TT National Champion Adam Rafferty took the bronze medal in the U23 Men’s European Championships, again over 24km. Rafferty took third behind two Belgian riders, Jonathan Vervenne in first and Matisse Van Kerckhove in second, with just 6 seconds separating the top three.

Irish rider Seth Dunwoody continued his strong year, taking 16th in this morning’s TT.

Rafferty’s younger sister Aliyah was also in action this morning. The reigning Junior Road Race and TT National Champion took home 22nd in the Junior Women’s race.

Ireland’s Lucy Benezét Minns rode in the U23 Women’s event, with the 2024 Junior Track European Champion taking 25th.

All of these riders, plus the rest of the twenty-strong team, are in action in their respective Road Races this weekend.

RESULTS


Men Junior Individual Time Trial - 01/10/2025 Loriol-Étoile (59 finishers)

1. Michiel MOURIS NED 30'49''61 - 46.71 km/h
2. Conor MURPHY IRL 30'54''25 +4''64 46.59 km/h
3. Løvstrup Julius BIRKEDAL DEN 31'17''09 +27''48 46.02 km/h
4. Jan JACKOWIAK POL 8:06.82 (3) 31'38''79 +49''18 45.50 km/h
5. Eñaut URCAREGUI SANZ ESP 31'45''11 +55''50 45.35 km/h
6. Karl HERZOG GER 31'57''99 +1'08''38 45.04 km/h
7. Davide FRIGO ITA 32'00''29 +1'10''68 44.99 km/h
8. Nicholas VAN DER MERWE BUL 32'02''06 +1'12''45 44.95 km/h
9. Mikolaj LEGIEC POL 8:24.34 32'09''65 +1'20''04 44.77 km/h
10. Johan ELTOFT DEN 32'17''17 +1'27''56 44.60 km/h

Other Irish
11. David GAFFNEY IRL 32'19''63 +1'30''02 44.54 km/h
22. Matthew WALLS IRL 32'57''35 +2'07''74 43.69 km/h


Men U23 Individual Time Trial - 01/10/2025 Loriol-Étoile (35 finishers)

1. Jonathan VERVENNE BEL 30'27''96 - 47.26 km/h
2. Matisse VAN KERCKHOVE BEL 30'29''62 +1''66 47.22 km/h
3. Adam RAFFERTY IRL 30'34''01 +6''05 47.10 km/h
4. Maxime DECOMBLE FRA 30'43''34 +15''38 46.87 km/h
5. Mads LANDBO DEN 30'54''63 +26''67 46.58 km/h
6. Nicolas MILESI ITA 30'57''86 +29''90 46.50 km/h
7. Hector ALVAREZ MARTINEZ ESP 30'59''22 +31''26 46.47 km/h
8. Rik VAN DER WAL NED 31'03''17 +35''21 46.37 km/h
9. Alfred CHRISTENSEN DEN 31'08''41 +40''45 46.24 km/h
10. Arthur BLAISE FRA 31'14''20 +46''24 46.09 km/h

Other Irish
16. Seth DUNWOODY IRL 31'49''50 +1'21''54 45.24 km/h

Women Junior Individual Time Trial - 01/10/2025 Allex-Étoile (51 finishers)

1. Paula OSTIZ TACO ESP 18'38''00 - 39.28 km/h
2. Magdalena LEIS GER 18'40''41 +2''41 39.19 km/h
3. Oda Aune GISSINGER NOR 18'48''57 +10''57 38.91 km/h
4. Megan ARENS NED 18'51''44 +13''44 38.81 km/h
5. Roos MÜLLER NED 18'54''28 +16''28 38.72 km/h

Other Irish
22. Aliyah RAFFERTY IRL 20'05''29 +1'27''29 36.43 km/h

Women U23 Individual Time Trial - 01/10/2025 Loriol-Étoile (36 finishers)

1. Federica VENTURELLI ITA 34'17''12 - 42.00 km/h
2. Anniina AHTOSALO FIN 35'05''88 +48''76 41.02 km/h
3. Luca VIERSTRAETE BEL 35'08''78 +51''66 40.97 km/h
4. Nienke VINKE NED 35'25''00 +1'07''88 40.65 km/h
5. Stina KAGEVI SWE 35'26''17 +1'09''05 40.63 km/h

Other Irish
25. Emilie Lucy BENEZET MINNS IRL 37'41''26 +3'24''14 38.20 km/h