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Cycling Ireland is proud to announce a team of three males and one female athlete to compete at the UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships in Lievin, France.
Esther Wong
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Recently crowned National Champion Esther Wong will represent Ireland in the Women’s U23 race. Wong made her debut for Ireland late last year, and has already worn the green jersey at the Cyclo-cross World Cup round in Dublin, where she was the highest Irish finisher, and on the track at the Grenchen Track Classic. Wong had a hard-earned victory in the National Championships at Ballinasloe last weekend, where a tough course and stiff competition pushed her right to the finish line.
Conor Murphy
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Having recently defended his Cyclo-cross Junior National Championship title, Conor Murphy will once again represent Ireland in Lievin, riding in the Junior Men’s race. Murphy represented Ireland at last year’s Cyclo-cross World Championships in Czechia, where a mechanical upset his strong start. More recently Murphy has represented Ireland at World Cup level, including finishing top of the Irish riders at the UCI World Cup in Dublin in December, and a very impressive 16th place at the World Cup in Besançon, France.
Curtis McKee
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Ryan Daly
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Murphy will be joined in the Men’s Junior race by 2025 National Championship second and third place finishers, Curtis McKee and Ryan Daly.
McKee comes into this World Champs having had a strong domestic season, which included taking wins in two rounds of the National Series, as well as winning the Junior race at the UCI C2 event in Clonmel. McKee represented Ireland for the first time at the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup in Dublin in December, the 2024 U16 National Champion will no doubt look to end his Cyclo-cross season on a high in France next week.
First year Junior Ryan Daly rounds out the Irish contingent travelling to Lievin. Daly also made his debut in green at the UCI World Cup in Dublin, but has taken every opportunity to race internationally since, riding at the Cyclo-cross World Cup in Besançon, and putting in solid performances at cyclo-cross races in Diegem and the Baal GP Sven Nys in Belgium over the Christmas period.
Riders will have a bank of experience to pull from as recent Cycling Ireland Hall of Fame inductee, and 18-time Cyclo-cross National Champion Robin Seymour takes the reigns as Team Manager.
Cycling Ireland Off-Road Commission Cyclo-cross Coordinator Tim O’Regan said: “The Cycling Ireland Off Road Commission & Cycling Ireland are delighted to give these riders the opportunity to race at this level at such a young age. As a 2nd year Junior, Conor, we hope will build on last years World Championship experience and push for a result we know he is capable of on the right day. Ryan and Curtis have shown commitment, improvement over the Season and the current form to be competitive as first year juniors.
They should benefit from this experience as second year juniors next season. Esther Wong is in her first year at U23 level and our view is for her to benefit and build to the highest level in the coming years. Much of her racing this Season at UCI level has been in Elite fields and we are excited to see her race in an U23 field which should provide her with greater opportunity.”
Cycling Ireland Head Coach Neill Delahaye said: “While there were certainly some difficult decisions to be made in selecting the team for this years CX Worlds, as a HPU, we are very satisfied in yet another positive collaboration with the ORC and happy to be able to field a competitive team. The team has a lot of potential not just for this event but also for the future and we hope they can not only deliver their best performance for this race but bank the experience as a stepping stone towards future success.
It is a young team that has demonstrated their ability and commitment to the discipline in a number of UCI races this Season to date and also displayed strong current form in the Nationals last week. We wish Tim O’Regan all the best in his recent appointment as the ORC CX Co-Ordinator. He has appointed Robin Seymour and Keith Colville to staff the event so we know the riders are in excellent hands and will be well supported to deliver their best on the day”
All four Irish riders will be in action on Sunday, February 2nd. The Men’s Junior race will take place at 10am Irish time, with the Women’s U23 race following at 12pm Irish time.
A full schedule of events is available - click here