The Irish cycling community gathered at the Carlton Hotel Blanchardstown on Friday evening to celebrate the remarkable success of Irish cyclists across multiple disciplines on the world stage.

2025 saw Katie-George Dunlevy and Linda Kelly claim their third consecutive double World Championship, winning both the Women’s B Time Trial and Women’s B Road Race.

Ronan Dunne once again took the downhill world by storm. For the second year running the Wicklow native won a leg of the UCI MTB World Series. He then went on to win a Bronze medal at the UCI 2025 MTB World Championships.

Fellow Wicklow native Lara Gillespie not only claimed European and World titles on the Track, but she also maintained an incredible balance between track and road, showing that she is a force to be reckoned with in both spheres.

2025 also saw Gillespie, along with Mia Griffin and Fiona Mangan, become the first ever Irish riders to race in the Tour de France Femmes.

There is no doubt that 2025 is a year to remember for Ben Healy – A stage win and stint in the yellow jersey at the Tour de France and a bronze medal at the UCI Road World Championships.

Spirits were also high as talk of the building commencing on the new Velodrome and Badminton Centre filled the room.

President of Cycling Ireland, Ciaran Cannon, made the opening remarks to get the evening underway. He commended the athletes and their achievements, saying that “2025 is a season that will live long in all our memories.”

Host Declan Quigley was joined on stage Katie-George Dunlevy, Linda Kelly, Ronan Dunne, Lara Gillespie and Ben Healy for a fireside chat which gave guests a unique insight into what 2025 was like for each of the athletes and their plans heading into 2026 and beyond.

Dunlevy spoke of how she remains as driven as ever. Each year brings its own challenges and 2025 was no exception. Her victory with Linda Kelly in the Women’s B Road Race was far from straightforward, the pair faced technical problems with their chain and wheel at different points in the race.

Dunlevy candidly explained how they focused on controlling the controllables and never gave up. She joked that her drive and determination come from her Donegal roots.

When asked if retirement was on the horizon, Dunlevy said she is taking it one year at a time, but LA is in her mind.

Linda Kelly echoed Dunlevy’s sentiment about the challenges they faced in 2025. The pair put their heads down and rode to victory despite the technical issues they faced during the race.

Kelly discussed how being on the tandem is now very much second nature to her and that her and Dunlevy have developed into a great partnership.

2026 will bring new challenges. Dunlevy and Kelly will remain paired together on the road but not on the track.

Ronan Dunne’s season had a far from perfect start. Having never broken a bone until this year he made up for lost time as a bad crash left him sidelined for a couple of months.

Dunne admitted it took a little bit to find his form again but there was no doubt he was back when he claimed in second World Cup win in Les Gets, making him the first non-French winner at the iconic venue since 2002.

He described the win as a weight off his shoulders, meeting expectations having performed so well in 2024.

He said: “It was a relief to get that win. I wanted to prove I could be consistent and fast. I was known as a rider who would win or go home in a helicopter!”

If consistency was what Dunne was after it’s what he got, on the back of his World Cup victory he went and won Bronze at World Championships. He added: “To get the medal for Ireland meant a lot.”

For 2026 Dunne hopes to build on his success, but he did get a big reaction on Friday when he admitted that he recently purchased a road bike and Lycra!

Lara Gillespie might be best known for her exploits on the road and track, but she explained to Quigley that she has a real love for off-road, adding that “Wicklow is the best place for mountain biking!”

When asked about how she balances her road and track commitments, Gillespie explained that combination of the two disciplines helps her keep her focus and that she thrives on the variety.

Chatting about what 2026 might bring, Gillespie has a similar plan in place as she did for 2025. On the road her focus will be on the Classics, especially the cobbles, and for the Track, although she won’t be racing at the European Championships to defend her title, she is firmly focused on the start of the qualification process for the LA Olympics and the World Championships later in the year.

It’s been a dream year for Ben Healy and one he can’t pick a highlight from. Speaking on Friday evening, he said: “You set high goals, and you think it’s ambitious to achieve them and then you pinch yourself when it actually happens.”

He chatted to Quigley about how he worked to refine his style of racing this year and the rollercoaster that was the 2025 Tour de France.

On his World Championship success, he thanked the team for their belief and support. Healy plans to build on the success of 2025 and is looking forward to 2026.

Ciaran Cannon and Dr. Una May, CEO of Sport Ireland, presented each of the athletes with an award to mark their achievements.

James Quilligan, CEO of Cycling Ireland, closed the evening. He thanked everyone who made 2025 such a success and outlined his hope for a collaborative approach for 2026 and beyond.