Martyn Irvine
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Irvine brings a huge wealth of knowledge and experience to the role, both as an athlete and as a coach. He competed internationally both on the road and track, including representing Ireland at the 2012 London Olympics.
A Rás stage winner and with multiple criterium National Championships to his name, Irvine had his greatest successes on the track, winning several national championships. 2013 saw Irvine crowned World Champion in the Scratch and take silver in the Individual Pursuit in Minsk, as well as a bronze in the Omnium at the European Championships in the Netherlands.
Ireland's Martyn Irvine with his gold and silver medals in Dublin airport on his return from the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Minsk, Belarus. Irvine won gold in 15km scratch race and silver in 4km individual pursuit. Dublin Airport, Dublin. Picture credit: Paul Mohan / SPORTSFILE
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Irvine also has extensive experience as a coach. He was a National Coach at Tokyo Olympic Games and in recent years has been working with range of Irish athletes, including at the recent UCI Road and Para-cycling World Championships in Zurich where Ireland claimed three medals and multiple top ten finishes.
Irvine’s new role within Cycling Ireland will help facilitate athletes to bridge the gap between competing in junior and under 23 ranks to progressing up to representing Ireland at senior and elite level.
This role is partly funded by Sport Ireland through the Development Coaching programme.
The expansion of the high performance team sees Michael Black step into the role of High Performance Pathway Lead.
The current development programme for athletes competing at junior level and aiming to progress to under 23 into senior has gone from strength to strength in the last 12 months. The programme not only provides athletes with additional coaching support but offers opportunities to travel and compete internationally, gaining valuable experience on the international stage.
2024 saw riders involved in the programme compete at various international events, including Junior Nations Cups. The results have spoken for themselves with riders showing great improvement throughout the season.
Speaking about the appointment and expansion of the development team, Black said:
"As we continue to expand our high-performance pathway. I am thrilled to welcome Martyn Irvine into the role of High Performance Pathway Coach. Martyn brings an impressive wealth of experience, not only as a world-class rider but as a coach with a deep understanding of what it takes to succeed on the international stage. His accomplishments, including his historic 2013 World Track Championship victory and multiple national titles, demonstrate his resilience, tactical intelligence, and commitment to the sport.
“Martyn’s appointment strengthens our team and reflects Cycling Ireland’s dedication to creating an environment where athletes can excel from junior to elite levels. His insight will be invaluable in guiding the next generation of cyclists, and I look forward to working closely with him to further enhance the effectiveness and cohesion of our High Performance Pathway."
Speaking about starting his new role, Irvine said:
“I’m excited to get started in this new role. It’s a brilliant opportunity to work with athletes in a long-term capacity and to really shape something. So often you only get to work with riders in preparation for one event and the long-term development of the rider can get overlooked.
“This role gives me a unique opportunity to work consistently with athletes on their development and performance while also working towards building Irish Olympic teams. I can’t wait to bring the athletes along on the full journey. I hope my own experience as an athlete and as a coach will really stand to me in this role.
“I’ve been involved in Irish cycling for some time and have seen the ups and downs of the sport. I think this role and focus on athlete progression is really positive and I’m looking forward to being part of it.”