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A strong Irish team battled intense heat and tough competition at the Watersley Ladies Challenge in the Netherlands over the weekend.
A time trial on Friday, 30th of August followed by 90km and 74km stages on Saturday the 31st and Sunday September 1st respectively saw a team of four Irish riders compete with some of the best Junior talent from around the world.
This round of the Nations Cup Series opened with a 6.4km time-trial. A very impressive performance from Lucy Benezet-Minns saw her take second place on the stage, with team-mate Aliyah Rafferty also making the top 10. Rafferty took 7th place, just 16 seconds off the podium. Aine Doherty slotted into 64th place with Kate Murphy taking 119th on the day.
The tough 90km Stage 2 saw Aliyah Rafferty leading the charge for the Irish contingent, coming in 44th, with Benezet-Minns arriving in 53rd place just six seconds behind her team-mate. Aine Doherty was next across the line for Ireland in 67th with Kate Murphy in 93rd.
A heavy crash on the final stage saw just 85 riders out of 136 day one starters make it to the finish. All Irish riders managed to make it to the finish, and another top 10 finish saw Lucy Benezet-Minns ensure an overall 7th place finish. A 30th place finish on the final stage saw Aliyah Rafferty end the race inside the top 20, at 15th overall. Kate Murphy’s 44th place on stage three saw her take 55th overall. Finishing 75th on the final stage meant a 61st place finish overall for Aine Doherty.
Aliyah Rafferty also managed to take 7th place in the Young Riders Classification.
Overall the four Irish representatives put in a very impressive performance in tough conditions, battling intense heat all weekend and avoiding a crash taking out such a large chunk of the field.
Junior Team announced for Watersley Ladies Challenge
August 24Cycling Ireland is thrilled to announce the participation of its Junior Women's National Team in the prestigious Watersley Ladies Challenge 2024.
The Watersley Ladies Challenge, scheduled to take place from 30th August-1st September at the Sports and Talent Park in Watersley, the Netherlands, is renowned for its challenging courses and high level of competition. The event is a key fixture in the international junior cycling calendar and offers an invaluable opportunity for young riders to gain experience and showcase their talents on a global stage.
This event, part of the Nations Cup series, marks a significant milestone as it has been several years since an Irish Junior Women's team has competed at an international race of this stature.
The team representing Ireland at this year's event includes four of the country’s most promising young talents: Lucy Bennezet Minns, Aine Doherty, Kate Murphy, and Aliyah Rafferty. Under the experienced guidance of team manager, Barry Monaghan, these riders are set to take on the best junior cyclists from around the world.
Michael Black, National Pathway Lead for Cycling Ireland, highlighted the significance of this participation: "Competing in the Watersley Ladies Challenge is a tremendous opportunity for our junior women's team. The Nations Cup series represents the pinnacle of junior racing, and it's been some time since we've had a team at an event of this magnitude. The experience these riders will gain—both in terms of racing and the exposure to international competition—will be invaluable for their development. It’s a testament to the progress we’ve made in nurturing young talent, and we’re confident that Lucy, Aine, Kate, and Aliyah will make Ireland proud on the world stage."
The Watersley Ladies Challenge will see teams from across the globe compete in a series of races, each designed to test the riders' endurance, skill, and tactical acumen. For the Cycling Ireland Junior Women’s team, this event is not only about competition but also about growth, learning, and the continuation of a pathway that aims to develop the next generation of elite cyclists.
Rhiannon Dolan to represent Ireland at Junior Track World
Rhiannon Dolan was Ireland’s sole representative at the recent UCI Junior Track World Championships in Luoyang, China.
Update 27th August
This was Dolan’s World Championship debut, having announced herself to the international scene at the UEC Junior Track European Championships in Germany earlier this year.
Dolan opened her World Championships account with an 8th place finish in her qualifier for the Scratch event on the morning of Wednesday, 21st of August. Having managed toa avoid a large crash early in the race, she finished the day with a very strong 17th place in the final.
She returned to action on Thursday for the Elimination race. Having again placed 8th in the morning qualifier, she took 13th overall in the final in a very strong field.
The Omnium would be her final event of the Championships. Unfortunately a DNF on the Friday saw her finish in 18th overall. A heavy crash in the Omnium saw her ultimately pull out of the Points race later in the week.
A strong showing at the World Championships, in addition to an appearance at the European Championships, 2024 has been a great first year for Rhiannon Dolan representing Ireland at this level.
The 2024 Junior Track World Championships take place in Luoyang, China August 21st to 25th.
Press Release 23rd August
17 year old Rhiannon Dolan will be Ireland’s representative in Henan Province. She is due to contest the Elimination, Scratch, Points and Omnium events.
Dolan is no stranger to international competition, having represented Ireland at the UEC European Championships earlier this year in Cottbus, Germany. After a strong performance in the Elimination event there, she will no doubt look to carry her form onto the world stage.
In China, Dolan takes to the track first on day one, Wednesday 21st of August, in the Scratch event.
Day two will see her take part in the Elimination race, with qualifying in the morning followed by finals later in the afternoon.
On day three she takes to the track again in the Omnium, with events spread across the day.
Dolan’s final day of competition will be day four, as she competes in the Points race. The 10km event takes place in the morning with the 20km distance in the afternoon.
A full list of start times is available - click here