The first of two days in the UCI Class 2 event, Ireland’s best domestic track cyclists rubbed shoulders with a number of international stars at Sundrive Velodrome.
There were perfect conditions as sunshine and light winds made for great racing, with a mix of Irish and international riders picking up medals.
The first final of the day saw Annalise Murphy take victory in the women’s scratch race, breaking away from the main bunch with two laps to go.
The 2016 Olympic silver medallist sailor has regularly competed in road cycling events in recent years, but impressed many after her clever attack left the chasers with too much to do before Murphy crossed the line.
Annalise Murphy said:
“I’m absolutely delighted. I only started on the track only two months ago, so this is my first-ever race. I was trying not to disturb anyone or anything. I know I’ve good power, but I don’t know exactly when to use it but each lap I was learning what was happening.”
“With two laps to go I just thought I’d go for it and see what happens. I guess I was lucky, I got a gap on the girls and the last lap was so hard – I didn’t know how I was going to hold on.”
Israel’s Mikhail Yakovlev proved he was head and shoulders above the rest in the Men’s Keirin, his late burst before the home straight earned him a victory over a bike length ahead of Norbert Szabo in second and Hamish Turnbull in third.
In the Women’s Sprint, Orla Walsh was the one to watch as she breezed through qualification, but she was made work for gold in the final as she took on Lara Gillespie, edging the first heat before a comprehensive sprint sealed victory in heat two. Deirbhle Ivory sealed bronze with victory over Gabriella Homer.
The Men’s Omnium provided some late drama as Aaron Wade led heading into the final points race, but some excellent racing saw Anders Fynbo take the overall win with Facundo Gabriel Lezica in second and Wade finishing in third.
Irish National Team duo Lara Gillespie and Emily Kay proved strongest in an entertaining Women’s Madison Final, taking first place ahead of the pairing of Aoife O’Brien and Erin Creighton in second as Spectra Cannondale’s Lucy Nelson and Gabriella Homer completed the podium.
Oisin Ferrity dominated in the Junior Men’s events, taking comprehensive victories in the scratch and elimination races to take the overall win.
Results
Junior Men’s Overall
1st – Oisin Ferrity (Team Caldwell Cycles)
2nd – David Harrington (Orwell Wheelers)
3rd – Adam Cullen (Barrow Wheelers)
Men’s Keirin
1st – Mikhail Yakovlev (Israel)
2nd – Norbert Szabo (ASC-SEPSI-SIC)
3rd – Hamish Turnbull (Team Inspired)
Men’s Omnium
1st – Anders Fynbo - 125 (Spellman-Dublin Port)
2nd – Facundo Gabriel Lezica - 122 (Toot Reparto Corse)
3rd – Aaron Wade - 104 (Cortizo Aluminium Team)
Women’s Madison
1st – Lara Gillespie & Emily Kay (Ireland National Team)
2nd – Aoife O’Brien & Erin Creighton (Spellman-Dublin Port & McConvey Cycles)
3rd – Lucy Nelson & Gabriella Homer (Spectra Cannondale)
Women’s Scratch
1st – Annalise Murphy (Longcourt Hotel – NCW)
2nd – Lara Gillespie (UAE Development Team)
3rd – Lucy Nelson (Spectra Cannondale)
Women’s Sprint
1st – Orla Walsh (Nopinz Motip Racing Team)
2nd – Lara Gillespie (UAE Development Team)
3rd – Deirbhle Ivory (Longcourt Hotel – NCW)
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Photos credit: Ronan Ryan/Sundrive Velodrome