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Last Updated: 2 Apr 2018 - 8:45:17 PM |
PARALYMPICS: FULL SQUAD OF CYCLISTS IN ACTION ON WEDNESDAY
By Cycling Ireland
4 Sep 2012,
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Irish Paracyclists Prepare for Time Trial in Brands Hatch
Wednesday 5th September sees the full Irish Team in action in Brands Hatch, where they compete in the Time Trial events on the Road. Going into this event Ireland boasts two top seeds in Mark Rohan and Colin Lynch, who are both World Champions in this discipline. Paralympic Silver Medalists in the Pursuit, Catherine Walsh and Fran Meehan, won a Bronze medal in this event last September in Denmark, and will looking to build their medal tally.
First in action in the morning is Cathal Miller, flag bearer for the Irish Team. Miller was disappointed with his result in the Pursuit, in a race where the World Record was broken twice. The talented Civil Servant from Dublin will be lining up against World Champions Italy, and will be 5th rider on the road in Brands Hatch.
Next up is Enda Smyth who is in the form of his life, having broken the National Record in both the Pursuit and 1km TT this week on the track. His biggest challenge will likely to be from Australian David Nicholas who won the Worlds in 2011. However, the US rider Joseph Bereyni stormed to victory in the Pursuit earlier this week, so is also one to watch.
Reigning World Champion Colin Lynch will look to turn his luck around from his narrow defeat in the Bronze Medal Ride Off in the Pursuit earlier this week, and will be watching out for 2008 Paralympic Champion Thirionet, who denied him this medal.
The Men’s Tandem of Brown and Shaw are also looking for revenge in Brands Hatch, following their impressive display in the velodrome, which just fell shy of a Bronze. This TT is somewhat an unknown for the duo, who did not race together in the Paracycling World Time Trial Championships last year. The Italians, who did not race on the track, are reigning World Champions in this discipline, and Australia will also be a threat.
The Women’s Tandem Time Trial will see two bikes competing once more, with Dunlevy and Fitzgerald first up. They won the World Cup in Spain earlier this year, and have been clocking PBs all week. Walsh and Meehan, who won the Silver medal in the Pursuit, were Bronze Medalists in Copenhagen, and switched their focus to the Road immediately. Speaking yesterday Walsh said “Rest has been critical over the last few days. This will be a hilly course, which isn’t ideal for us, but everyone will struggle out there. We are happy we rode the test event, as we feel familiar with the tricky circuit”.
Finally in action is Mark Rohan, Ireland’s double World Champion who is the top ranked H1 cyclist in the World. The Mullingar Handcyclist has been dominant since he started competing at this level in 2010. His main rival on Wednesday will be the Israel rider Lion, but with a long wait for the Road events, all competitors will have a hunger and restlessness to let their Games begin.
Follow the events live on line here: http://www.paralympics.ie/live/
Wednesday 5th September:
Provisional Time Table
TIME TRIALS
10.35 Cathal Miller C5
11.12 Enda Smyth C3
11.43 Colin Lynch C2
14.41 Brown and Shaw Men’s Tandem
14.59 Dunlevy and Fitzgerald Women’s Tandem
15.03 Walsh and Meehan Women’s Tandem
16.05 Mark Rohan H1
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