Full Team Confirmed for the Track Cycling World Championships in Minsk

Cycling Ireland has announced a three person team for the upcoming Track Cycling World Championships in Minsk on the 20-24 February. Riders Martyn Irvine, Caroline Ryan and Eoin Mullen are currently finalising their preparation for the World Championships having qualified through the World Cups.

Olympian Irvine will race the Individual Pursuit and the Scratch Race, events in which he took a silver medal at the World Cup in Glasgow last December. In the colours of his new team, United Healthcare, Irvine is completing his preparation racing in France, before joining the rest of the team two weeks before the competition begins.

Ryan, who is the reigning Bronze Medalist in the Points Race, will be racing in the Individual Pursuit, the Points Race, and in the Scratch Race. Both Irvine and Ryan are aiming to place in the top five in the world in their events, which given recent results is a realistic goal.

Mullen will be racing in his first Senior World Championship, and is competing in the Sprint event. Mullen has been based in the World Training Centre in Aigle for the past year, and his performances have been consistently improving.

Coach Brian Nugent said "Eoin has created history by becoming the first sprint rider to qualify for the World Championships. This in itself is a fantastic achievement, and it is great to see the new generation of cyclists coming through. With Ireland lining up in six events, this is the largest representation that we have had, and we will be on the hunt for another Worlds Medal."

Racing at the World Championships takes place between the 20-24 February.

Full Team:

• Martyn Irvine: Individual Pursuit, Scratch Race
• Eoin Mullen: Sprint
• Caroline Ryan: Individual Pursuit, Points Race, Scratch Race