|
|
|
Last Updated: 7 Aug 2018 - 9:50:12 AM |
EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: Eighth Place for Shannon McCurley in the Scratch Race
By Heather Boyle, CI Communications Officer
3 Aug 2018,
|
Email this article
|
3rd August 2018
Shannon McCurley finished eighth in the Women’s Scratch Race at the European Championships in Glasgow today. The women’s 10km Scratch Race was a 40-lap bunch race, with the medals being awarded to the first riders over the line.
Czech rider Jarmila Machacova attacked at the halfway mark, in a bold move for a lap. As the bunch sat up three more riders jumped across, including Belgium’s Jolien d’Hoore, with reigning world champion Kirsten Wild soon after.
Riding strongly McCurley worked with the bunch on bringing it all back together, setting it up for a bunch sprint. Unfortunately, the 26-year-old had to settle for eighth on the line. Gold went to Kirsten Wild (NED), silver to Emily Kay (GB) and bronze to Jolien d’Hoore (BEL).
“I’m not completely overwhelmed but I’m happy enough with the ride,” said the determined McCurley after her race, “it didn’t pan out the way I wanted it to, but it’s my first event as an endurance athlete at a major competition, so it’s a good start.”
While the Australia born rider is no stranger to the big championships, this year she switched from competing in the sprint events to focusing on endurance races. As a Keirin rider she was Ireland’s first female track cyclist to compete at the Olympic Games – racing in Rio in 2016.
Speaking about switching to endurance racing McCurley said – “It’s definitely a big change, but I definitely much prefer doing the endurance races. In the keirin I was never a medal hope, I was just making up numbers, and that just didn’t sit well with me. Now I’m doing what I need to do.
“The Scratch Race is always my favourite event – I just haven’t ridden enough of them in the last four years! It’ll come back. It’s a great starting point for me – but I’m not here to make up numbers anymore. So I have the Elimination on Sunday and I’m hoping for a bit better of a result there.”
After a tough year of surgery and recovery following a leg injury McCurley is glad to be back racing, and to be competing in the event in which she won a bronze medal as an U23 rider at the European Championships in 2011.
“I’m three months post my last surgery so that put me out for a long time, which was pretty disheartening, like mentally it was probably the worst out of it. Trying to get my head around injury and everything. Just dealing with that as an athlete – that’s a big deal! Yeah – it’s great to be back.”
Over the six days of track racing the twelve-rider Irish team will compete in fifteen events in the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome in Glasgow. Next up is Felix English in the Men’s Scratch Race.
History is made this week when Glasgow and Berlin host the inaugural European Championships, an exciting multi-sport event bringing together some of the continent’s leading sports, including the existing UEC cycling championships.
RESULTS
Women’s Scratch
GOLD Kirsten Wild (NED)
SILVER Emily Kay (GB)
BRONZE Jolien d’Hoore (BEL)
8th Shannon McCurley (IRL)
----
2nd August 2018
EUROPEAN TRACK CYCLING CHAMPIONSHIPS - Women's Team Pursuit Make Championship Debut
The Cycling Ireland women’s talent team were the first riders on the track at the European Championships in Glasgow today – competing in heat one of the Women’s Team Pursuit. Their time of 4.57.325 was not enough for the development squad to progress to the next round of the event tomorrow. The multi-sport Elite European Championships run from the 2-12 August.
“We got to be the first athletes to step on the track – that was an honour,” said Hilary Hughes following her major championships debut today. The Irish team competing today also included Alice Sharpe, Orla Walsh and Mia Griffin.
The women’s talent team who are competing this weekend are a development squad who have been introduced to cycling and track cycling over the past couple of years, and they are relishing their experience – “It’s incredible to be here and to be competing with the greats, it’s a dream of all of ours. We are absolutely chuffed to be here.”
Hughes was ‘man four’ in the team pursuit, and though disappointed with their performance, quickly focused on learning and moving forward –
“Things don’t always work out how you want them to, but that doesn’t mean you stop. It just means you get back, regroup and work even harder.”
“We are a new team, this is our second big event,” the Dublin rider noted, “we have high hopes, we have big plans, and we will continue to work towards them best we can.”
The 32-year-old has been based in Majorca, the Irish track cycling base, for the past number of weeks with specific focus on the European Championships – “We have put in really solid work. We worked as if we were racing every day in terms of our mindset, our preparation, the effort, the work ethic. Our coaches have been on the ball, and they have worked with us to get the absolute best from us.”
Over the six days of track racing the twelve-rider Irish team will compete in fifteen events in the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome in Glasgow. Tomorrow Shannon McCurley and Felix English start in the Scratch Races. McCurley is making the switch back to endurance racing after competing in the Keirin at the last Olympic Games.
History is made this week when Glasgow and Berlin host the inaugural European Championships, an exciting multi-sport event bringing together some of the continent’s leading sports, including the existing UEC cycling championships.
RESULTS
Team Pursuit Qualifying:
1 Great Britain 4.19.330
2 Italy 4.21.928
3 Germany 4.25.187
4 France 4.27.310
5 Poland 4.27.786
6 Belgium 4.31.147
7 Russia 4.31.382
8 Ukraine 4.32.314
9 Belarus 4.34.097
10 Ireland 4.57.325
SCHEDULE:
Friday 3rd August 14.00 – 17.00 and 18.15 – 21.00
Women’s Scratch Race: Shannon McCurley
Men’s Scratch Race: Felix English
Saturday 4th August 08.45 – 11.00 and 13.45 – 17.00 and 18.45 – 21.15
Women’s Individual Pursuit: Mia Griffin, Kelly Murphy
Women’s Sprint 200m: Robyn Stewart
Women’s Points Race: Lydia Gurley
Men’s Omnium: Felix English
Sunday 5th August 8.45 – 12.45 and 18.45
Women’s Elimination Race: Shannon McCurley
Women’s Sprint: Robyn Stewart
Men’s Points Race: Mark Downey
Monday 6th August 13.15 – 16.40 and 18.45 – 21.00
Men’s Madison: Mark Downey, Felix English
Women’s Omnium: Lydia Boylan
Women’s TT 500: Orla Walsh
Women’s Sprint: Robyn Stewart
Tuesday 7th August 10.45 – 14.30
Women’s Madison: Lydia Boylan, Lydia Gurley
Women’s Keirin: Robyn Stewart
Men’s Elimination: Marc Potts
SUMMARY SCHEDULE:
Track – Chris Hoy Velodrome
Thursday 2nd August – Tuesday 7th August
Road – Glasgow City
Sunday 5th August – Women’s Road Race
Wednesday 8th August – Time Trials
Sunday 12th August – Men’s Road Race
Mountain Bike – Cathkin Braes Mountain Bike Trails
Tuesday 7th August (14.15 – 16.15) Men’s Mountain Biking
----
Official Website: www.glasgow2018.com
Cycling Ireland Website: www.cyclingireland.ie
CI Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cyclingireland
CI Twitter: @irecyclingfed
|
|
|
|