It continues to be an incredible week for Co Wicklow rider Lara Gillespie. For the third time this week, she claimed fourth place, this time riding in the Women’s Points Race at the 2024 UEC Track European Championships in Apeldoorn, The Netherlands.

This is the second individual event in which Gillespie has come within touching distance of a European medal, yesterday evening she was fourth in the Women’s Omnium.

Gillespie began the championships riding in the Irish quartet alongside Alice Sharpe, Mia Griffin, and Kelly Murphy to finish fourth in the Women’s Team Pursuit.

Tomorrow Gillespie and Sharpe will pair up for the Women’s Madison and Murphy and Erin Creighton will ride in the Women’s Individual Pursuit.

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Ireland Finish Fourth in Women’s Team Pursuit at UEC Track European Championships
Press Release 11th Jan 2024



Ireland got the 2024 season off to a strong start with a fourth-place finish in the Women's Team Pursuit Final at the 2024 UEC Track European Championships in Apeldoorn, The Netherlands.

After a difficult start in qualifying yesterday, Ireland finished fifth out of nine teams and came up against Switzerland in the first-round yesterday evening. Disqualification for Switzerland saw Ireland progress to the final where they faced Germany in a battle for Bronze.

The team for the opening qualifying round consisted of Erin Creighton, Lara Gillespie, Alice Sharpe, and Kelly Murphy. A planned change for round-one, saw Mia Griffin ride in instead of Erin Creighton. This team remained unchanged for the final.

Both Ireland and Germany got off to a strong start in the battle for the European Bronze medal, however, it was Ireland who posted the fastest first lap.

The reigning European and Olympic champions Germany set a strong pace as the gap grew between the two teams. Ireland finished in a time of 4:21:539.

Great Britain and Italy went head-to-head in the battle for Gold, it was Italy who came out on top and were crowned European Champions.

Today marks the second day of the championships which will run until Sunday 14th of January. Later this evening Griffin will compete in the Women’s Scratch Race. Tomorrow sees Gillespie compete in the Women’s Omnium.

Griffen and Gillespie will compete again on Saturday, riding in the Women’s Elimination Race and the Women’s Points Race respectively.

Following on from their encouraging performance at the 2023 World Championships Gillespie and Sharpe will combine for the Madison race on Sunday. Murphy and Creighton will both represent Ireland in the Women’s Individual Pursuit which also takes place on the final day of action.

The bid for Women’s Team Pursuit Olympic qualification continues, the team will head to Adelaide in early February and then on to Hong Kong in March for key Nations Cup events.

Image Credit: SW Pix

Live results from the European Championships can be found click here