Martin Irvine to join World Tour team as a Directeur Sportif

Martyn Irvine Set to Depart for World Tour Team

Cycling Ireland 15 September 2026


Cycling Ireland can confirm Martyn Irvine will depart at the end of the year, as he joins Women's World Tour team Lidl-Trek as a Directeur Sportif.

After a long and successful cycling career the Irish World Champion rider Martyn Irvine, retired from competition in late 2016

Irvine joined the organisation on a full-time basis in 2024 as High Performance Pathway Coach working with young athletes in both road and track disciplines, having previously coached the track squad through to the Tokyo Olympic Games. In that time the 2013 Track World Champion has helped multiple riders work towards road and track European Championship medals and has been integral to the growth and development of many riders now representing Ireland on the international stage.

Irvine said of his departure: “It’s a surreal feeling to be honest. Exciting but somewhat daunting at the same time. Thanks to Lidl Trek I’m going to get more exposure to the best races in the world. On the flip side, I’m very passionate about working with the National Team and leaving has a tinge of sadness. I’ve always said Irish riders have the ability to be world beaters and I’m proud to have been a small part of that trend over the last few years. Thank you to Cycling Ireland for the many opportunities I have been afforded.”

High Performance Director Iain Dyer added “Martyn’s tenure in this role will have a positive lasting impact on both the athletes he has coached, and the staff he has worked alongside. Martyn’s passion for high performance shone through in everything he did and he was greatly respected with everyone he worked with. Many young riders aspire for a career as a professional cyclist and Martyn had the gift of knowing what it takes and being able to convey it in a way that was both useful and inspiring. It’s a cliché to say he leaves big shoes to fill, but he genuinely does, and so now we’ll turn our attention to doing just that in the coming months.”

The impact Irvine has had on the emerging generation of Irish cyclists can not be understated, and the opportunity to step up to the highest level of the sport is a testament to the hard work he has put in in recent years.

Everyone at Cycling Ireland would like to sincerely thank Martyn for all his hard work, his impact and his professionalism during his time with the organisation. We wish him and Lidl-Trek all the best going forward.

Lidl–Trek is an American-Italian team financed by a supermarket chain and a bicycle brand, sharing the same staff and structure as the long established men's team

Martyn will be fulfilling his regular duties until the end of the year.

At the 2013 World Track Championships in Minsk, Martin Irvine won the Gold medal in the Scratch Race and also won a Silver medal in the Individual Pursuit - Picture credit: Paul Mohan / SPORTSFILE