New KilometreTT National Record For Mullen At European Track Championships

Six Irish riders were in action on the penultimate day of racing at the European Track Championships in Grenchen, Switzerland where Eoin Mullen broke the Irish Kilometre record on his way to 10th position in the event.

First up on a hectic day of racing was Lydia Boylan riding the Scratch Race, the first of three races on day one of the Women's Omnium.

Boylan was comfortably in the bunch throughout the 40 lap race but found herself on the front a couple of laps from the finish and had to be content with 16th at the finish line.

Boylan rode strongly in the 3km Individual Pursuit to finish 14th in 3m45.223s and completed day one with 16th in the Elimination Race to lie 16th at the half way point in the competition.

Marc Potts made his debut in the 4km Men's Individual Pursuit, the Omagh rider recording 4m36.754s for 30th position.

Martyn Irvine went in the ame event, the former world silver Individual Pursuit medallist finishing tenth with 4m24.737s.

Fintan Ryan showed his fighting qualities as the Men's Omnium competition resumed on day two with the 1km Time Trial. Ryan touched a corner sponge and crashed in the closing stages of his four lap effort but he was soon back up on his feet.

After finishing 20th in the Flying Lap he came out fighting in the final event of the programme, the Points Race. The teenage Dubliner scored points in three of the Sprints during a number of attacks through the 160-lap race. He was clear of the field on the run to the final sprint but was caught inside the final 150m and finished the event 20th.

Felix English joined the pack for the Elimination Race where he produced a strong result to be the tenth rider taken out giving him a ninth place finish.

In her first international event with the Irish squad, former rower Eimear Moran recorded 37.226s for 10th place in the Women's 500m Time Trial while Eoin Mullen finished the final event of the day, the Men's Kilometre Time Trial, with 1m03.473s for 10th place.

Subject to final confirmation, that time eclipses the previous national record which stood to Martyn Irvine from the World Cup event at Cali in December 2010 by precisely six hundredths of a second.

Team Technical Director Brian Nugent paid tribute to the Irish squad after another busy day of racing:-

"The volume of racing on offer here provides a massive opportunity for our new and young riders to gain the experience needed to progress at this level.

"We've been entering riders in almost every event for maximum exposure to this type of competitive environment.

"The team have been taking every opportunity offered to them and it's exciting watching the growth that is taking place."

Tomorrow's final day of action at Grenchen begins at 9am Irish time with qualifying for the Keirin races where Shannon McCurley starts in Heat Two of the Women's Keirin and Eoin Mullen will be back in action in Heat Four of the Men's event.

Boylan resumes her Omnium bid with the 500m TT, the first of three races on Day Two of the event. Melanie Spنth and Josie Knight ride the Women's Individual Pursuit while Lauren Creamer rides the Women's Elimination race which concludes the week's racing.