A three-rider team has been named for the UCI Track World Championships, taking place in Ballerup, Denmark from the 16th to the 20th of October.

Lara Gillespie and Mia Griffin will be joined by Junior European Champion Lucy Bénézet Minns. The athletes will be competing in the following events.

Lara Gillespie - Madison, Omnium, Points Race
Mia Griffin - Madison, reserve Omnium
Lucy Bénézet Minns - Individual Pursuit

2024 Paris Olympians Lara Gillespie and Mia Griffin will represent Ireland once again in Denmark.

A top ten finish for Gillespie in the Omnium event at the Olympics, including a win in the Tempo race, rounded off a consistent week on track for Gillespie. A strong showing in the Madison event, plus a new national record in the Team Pursuit event has her in flying form heading to Denmark.

2024 Rás na mBan winner Mia Griffin

Recent Rás na mBan winner Mia Griffin will also be donning the green again, having been part of the Team Pursuit squad in Paris. Griffin will join Gillespie in the Madison event on the first day of competition in Denmark. Griffin is also currently listed as Ireland’s reserve rider for the Omnium event.

Lucy Bénézet Minns

Lucy Bénézet Minns makes the jump to the senior ranks in what has been a massive year for the young rider. After taking gold in the UEC European Track Championships Point Race in July, a comprehensive win in the Junior National Championship on the road and strong performances in green at Rás na mBan and Watersley Ladies Challenge, Bénézet Minns will round out a busy 2024 with a trip to the Road World Championships in September and Track World Championships in October. The step up to the Senior Track team is key in rebuilding the squad in preparation for the LA Olympics in 2028.

Recent Olympians Alice Sharpe and Kelly Murphy were not available for selection so will not make the trip to Denmark, while Erin Creighton, the Paris 2024 reserve, will miss out due a recent bout of illness.

Cycling Ireland High Performance Director Iain Dyer said:

"With some riders unavailable for selection, we’re already in rebuild mode towards LA Olympic Games. Whilst it means we can’t continue where we left off in team pursuit in Paris just yet, it’s exciting to welcome Lucy into the team for her first World Championships at just 18-years-old.

"I’m sure being able to call upon the experience of Lara and Mia will help make it a positive introduction for her, and it would be good to see other young riders follow suit in this next Olympic Cycle too. Alongside this I am sure Mia and Lara will welcome the opportunity to get stuck into the bunch racing without a team pursuit in their legs first!"