CYCLING IRELAND WOMENS TRACK SQUAD 2010-11

Selection criteria for membership of the Women’s Elite Team Pursuit Track Squad 2010-2011

The criteria below will be used for selecting 5 riders for membership of the  2010-2011 Elite Women’s Team Pursuit Track Squad:

Riders must score 70 or over to be considered:

The selection panel will score each rider and the final decision will be the Performance Director’s.

It is envisaged that best 6 riders will be selected. The track squad for 2010/2011 will be announced by 20^th August 2010.

Once on the squad, any member will be eligible to race in any event deemed suitable by the High performance Team. Further selection for Major Championships will be released after the squad has been announced. Minimum standards must be met to compete in Major championships. Squad members will be required to meet the required standards outlined above on an ongoing basis to remain on the squad. New members will be considered when they have achieved standards that are equal to or better than existing squad members. Squad members must make themselves available for regular testing. Cycling Ireland reserve the right to change the size of the squad.

Weekend Report:

The second half of the 4 day stage race in Czech Republic held mixed fortunes for the Irish girls. The warm weather and demanding route all took its toll on the entire field with only 103 finishers out of the 190 starters. Saturday morning brought the highest stage finish for the team with Caroline Ryan placing 30^th in the Individual TT coming in just over 2min30sec behind stage winner Trixi Worrack in the 21km stage, who at this stage looked well on her way to overall victory. Heather Wilson put in a good ride to finish 65^th over a minute further back.

In the evening stage of 100km, sharp hills were the order of the day again and the efforts of the weekend started to show with  the Irish team all feeling the effects of the previous 3 days efforts.  4 of the team endied up on the wrong side of the spilt in the main bunch finishing with the second large group on the road. Joanna Hickey abandoned towards the end after going out earlier on in the stage.

The final day saw Heather Wilson put in a strong performance to stay with the leading group of 60 plus riders until the final few km’s getting tailed on the last climb of the day. Fiona Meade showed her resilience by battling hard to have her best stage of the race staying with the leaders for a proportion of the stage before getting tailed out with a large group of riders after the halfway stage. Caroline Ryan, fatiguing from her efforts earlier in the race, found herself out the back in a large group before the halfway point of the stage along with Fran Meehan, how was plagued with punctures in stage one and three, and both pushed on to complete the 4 day event. This type of event was a new experience for most of the team and one that they will greatly benefit from when they venture back to this type of racing in the coming weeks.

Michelle Geoghegan, of the  Moving Ladies team showed her strength when she finished the final two road stages with leading bunch getting stronger as the race went on. Michelle has been based in Holland for the season.

Trixi Worrack of the Red Sun Racing team retained her overall lead and looked unstoppable over the 4 days.

Final Results:

62, Michelle Geoghegan

63, Heather Wilson

79, Caroline Ryan

89, Fran Meehan

90, Fiona Meade

DNF, Joanna Hickey

Following on from their recent stage race in Holland, Ireland’s Elite women continued their education in the Pro Women circuit when they lined out in the 4 day UCI 2.2 Krasna Lipa in Czech Republic with another field of 180riders. Today’s stage of 116km was run over rolling roads causing spilt’s in the bunch. Caroline Ryan and Heather Wilson put in solid performances to make the 65 rider leading bunch that dominated today’s racing over the rolling circuit. The final 3km’s were severe with a steep climb causing the bunch to spilt into small groups before the fast downhill section into the finish.

Caroline placed 52^nd and Heather 60^th both within 2minutes  of the stage winner and overall leader. Fran Meehan was unlucky to puncture at a crucial moment and ended up with a large group placing  114^th. Fiona Meade and Joanna Hickey had a difficult opening day but both finished the stage safely to continue tomorrow.

Irish International, Michelle Geoghan, of the  Moving Ladies team finished in 86^th position after losing contact with main bunch with about 20km remaining.

Today’s stage was won by Trixi Worrack from Germany of the Red Sun Cycling team from Sarah Duster of the German National Team with Romy Kasper of Red Sun completing the top 3.

Tomorrow’s stage continues with a tough 110km stage taking in more sharp climbs.

race report from Brian Nugent

The Irish Elite Women’s team finished the final 2 road stages of the UCI 2.2 Rabo Ster Eilanden 3-Day in very windy conditions. The wind caused havoc along the twisting lanes resulting in many crashes and spilts in the bunch affecting some of the Irish riders on both days. On Friday evening Siobhan Horgan put in a strong ride to finish in  83^rd position at 2min35min behind the winning break. Jennifer O Reilly, Kate Rudd, Heather Wilson and Michelle Geoghegan all came in the next group at 7min 42secs with Caroline Ryan arriving in the next group.

Cervelo Test teams Kirsten Wild again won the stage, this time in a sprint from her team mate Charlotte Becker to retain her overall lead.

On Saturday morning the race continued with a gruelling 135km stage again around the coast of Holland in driving wind and rain. Heather Wilson and Jennifer O’Reilly performed well to finish in the main bunch. Siobhan Horgan was unlucky to puncture at a crucial moment and ended up in large group containing the remaining Irish girls that were pulled out of the race on the finishing circuit.

The stage was won by Janneke Kanis of the Nederland Bloeit team with Kirsten Wild of the Cervelo Test team holding onto her overall lead. Jennifer O’Reilly and Heather Wilson finished 90^th and 92^nd overall respectively. Michelle Geoghegan of Movingladies finished in 99^th position.

The Irish contingent all gained valuable racing experience in the large fields with fast average speeds.

Irish International Michelle Geoghan, riding on the dutch Moving ladies team finished 158^th in  a time of 11.01. Cervelo Test teams Kirsten Wild won the stage in a time of 9.03, with her team mates Regina Bruins and Iris Slappendel finishing 2^nd and 3^rd respectively.  Marianne Vos multiple World and Olympic champion finished 7^th in  9.24 one place ahead of British World track champion Lizzy Armistead.

Tomorrow the race continues with a 115km stage around the coast of Holland, promising to provide hard racing in the windy coastal region. The conditions will test the Irish girls who are all members of the Elite Women’s exciting new high performance programme.

Photos from the TT can be found at the following links…

Caroline Ryan – HERE

Jennifer O Reilly – HERE

Siobhan Dervan/Horgan – HERE

Heather Wilson – HERE

Kate Rudd – HERE

Congrats to these talented athletes, we hope to have a report from Fran and Catherine  soon to hear what it’s like to have a Worldcup medal!

Orwell Wheeler’s Michelle Geoghegan took the National scene by storm in 2009, when the newcomer was dominant in every race she entered! Last winter she took the next step on the international racing ladder and joined the Moving Ladies Team in Holland. Read on for a report from the talented rider.

A weekend of racing in Holland.

The women’s commission is, as it turns out, pretty good at drawing blood from a turnip so for a quick report on a random weekend of racing with team Moving Ladies in Holland read on!!!

So its s big weekend of racing in Holland and Belgium comprising 2 races namely Omloop van Borsele (1.2) and a GP stad Rosselare (1.1). Omloop van Borsele consists of laps of a pan flat, notoriously windy, circuit. The neutralized section is only a couple of hundred metres. I was about mid way in the bunch when we turned off the main road about one km from the start and went onto much narrower roads. As usual there was a lot of screeching brakes and near crashes with people trying to move into non existent gaps in the never-ending battle to “stay at the front”.

Then there was the crash and subsequent pile up. I found myself on the wrong side of the pile up but with over half the peleton for company I wasn’t too panicked. However we were just about to turn onto the main road again and Cervelo had now hit the front and were driving a fierce pace. Race over. We never got back on to the bunch and were pulled after about 80km – disappointing is not the word!!!! I was raging with myself!!!

 The next day was a 1.1 so the first race for the team with race radios. I lined myself up right behind the lead car – I was staying in the front for at least the first 60/70km if it killed me after my race the previous day. 3km later and the lead car pulls off and I’ve finally managed to stay at the front through a neutral section and I’m up the front of the bunch. Life at the front is sweet. You might use more energy but there is no crashing, you are aware of the race and mentally it’s better. In the first 40km the race is flat and there is some wind. There are some attacks but nothing gets that far. Chris tells us at 30km that the climb is coming in the next 10km.

Approaching the climb and everybody is fighting to get to the front. I slip back a bit but I’m not in too bad a position at the start of the climb. The race takes in the climb twice with about 20km in between. The first part is the Monteburg which is about 800m with an average gradient of 7% and a max of 13%.

 This is followed by a short decent then a very sharp left and we are straight onto the Kemmelberg. This is a 400m cobbled climb with a max gradient of 22% and it’s wet!!!! People are falling over left right and centre and trying to run up the wet cobbles in their cleats with their bikes on their backs. Funny!!!! Because I lost my position before the climb I’m a little bit back and trying to pick my way between riders who are losing the battle!!!

Thankfully I get down the descent, catch a Team Columbia motorbike and along with one of the British National Team we make it back to the front group of 30 odd fairly easily. They aren’t interested in pushing it and in the course of the 20 odd km back to the climb the peleton is pretty big again and a lot of riders have managed to chase back. Second arrival at the climb and I decided its better to put energy into getting a good position now rather than having to chase back on later so I’m in a much better position than last time.

Unfortunately I can already feel something is not right and when I try to put power through the bike on a steep section the stabbing pain in my knee starts. I’m usually making up ground on the climbs but now I start drifting back. The cobbled climb is dry now but I struggle up it and get carried to the front group in a small group of riders – back in the bunch. The feed zone is coming up but what with the concentrating to be at the front and everything I’ve completely neglected eating and drinking and have 2 full bottles – oops.

Everything calms down.

Kirsten Wilde is sitting near me in the bunch and nothing is getting anywhere without her. This would be where I relaxed completely and stopped concentrating. About 100km on the clock and Chris tells us on the radio that there is a 500m cobbled section coming up and to come to the front. 500m – sure that’s nothing – I’ll be grand here. Big mistake as it turns out. This was where the pace went crazy – uh oh!!!

It’s all lined out and there are gaps forming. I’m constantly jumping and closing wheels totally on the limit and praying for a stall. Hanging on for dear life and the pace finally eases!!! It’s getting awfully quiet back here!! I’m actually the last rider in the line now as loads of riders have been shed. Have to move up. Make up maybe 20 places before the short ceasefire ends!!! We are now on the finishing circuit which we have to do twice and it’s all lined out again.

It’s a city centre circuit so lots of sprinting out of corners and now we are going over Dutch cobbles which aren’t that bad unless you haven’t eaten enough, have a stabbing pain in your knee and are having your legs ripped off by the strongest teams in the women’s peleton. Now people are dropping like flies and more closing gaps and then, bang, I’m cooked and just cannot do it anymore. A couple of riders behind me catch up with me including one of my team mates and we roll to the finish. I was disappointed not to have been able to hang on to the end and finish in what was a much depleted bunch.

Cees the soigneur has the can of coke ready at the finish. The pain in my knee was a small muscle tear and I spent nearly two weeks doing little or nothing to allow it to recover. Kirsten Wilde won. I finished 65th of 168 starters. I did some things right, a lot of things wrong, but hopefully I can learn from those mistakes and impove as the season progresses.

from left - Siobhan dervan (or now horgan), Michelle Geoghegan, Olivia Dillon

Cycling Ireland have recently announced their High Performance Programme and Squad. Read on for full details.

Cycling Ireland’s High Performance Women’s 2010 road and track race and training programme

The UCI races above are provisional and are dependent on gaining entry, rider availability and budget.

Please contact Brian Nugent for further details on any of these races or training camps.

Cycling Ireland’s High Performance Women’s 2010 road and track squad

 Women’s track and road squad:

1. Siobhan Dervan
2. Michelle Georgiana
3. Mary Costelloe
4. Caroline Ryan
5. Joanna Hickey
6. Adrienne McCarthy
7. Heather Wilson
8. Sinead Jennings
9. Olivia Dillon
10. Kate Rudd
11. Jennifer O’Rielly
12. Fiona Meade

Coach/Manager: Brian Nugent

Performance Director: Phil Leigh

Mary has started her season well, clocking up points in mixed races on the track, alongside Olympians and top national and local riders. See the results here ->  HERE

Full results here.

Day 3 was a big one for the men and women, with the priority of the Irish focus being on the Team Pursuit.

First off today were the men – who were just a second outside the ride off for bronze, in a time of 4.16. This time put them in 6th place overall. The Colombians won the event, on their home turf – and the atmoshpere was electric for the gold silver ride off.

The women’s pursuit team had a good neat ride, after an initial false start! And being the first Irish pursuit team to race, the standard is now set at a time of 3.45. This put them just inside the points, coming in 8th. The gold silver ride off was an exciting affair – with Canada and USA battling it out! Canada came home 2 seconds ahead of USA – and it’s interesting to note that both of these teams relied heavily on one seriously fast rider doing most of the work!

Soon after the men’s pursuit, Matt Brammeier lined up for the men’s scratch race. Matt rides for the Sean Kelly Team normally – and was 4th in the Scratch race in the Manchester World Cup. After qualifying for the final in second place, Matt put in a super race to eventually get 8th in the final of the scratch race.

Now with our first world cup competed, we all have set bench marks for ourselves and the rest of the team – and devastate those marks next chance we get.

A big thanks has to go to our support team. We were looked after superbly – coaches Brian Nugent and Tommy Evans, masseuses/physios Sandra ní Hodnae and Karen Doyle, and mechanic Brian Kenneally. Now we can just sit back and look forward to the long trip home… the last break before getting stuck into the task of getting faster..

In the individual pursuit Sinead knocked 2 seconds off the previous record, which was held by Louise Moriarty, with a time of 3min 53sec.

In the points race Ireland had two entries with Heather Wilson in heat one and me (Heather Boyle) in heat two. The racing was savage. Heather Wilson got through her heat based on her placing at the last lap. I, on the other hand, clocked up some more experience, and fitness work high on my agenda on my return to Irish soil! The constant change of pace left my lungs screaming!

Heather Wilson looked comfortable in her heat – and I am just after watching the final – and the pace looked hectic! The final was 80 laps of the 250m track – and after 6 laps Heather made a brave attack, to move away from the bunch – but today was a day when nothing was let go! She was sucked back into the field, and for the rest of the race relentless attacks and sprints were the order of the day! She eventually crossed the line towards the front – just outside the points – but with a credible 14th place in a high calibre field! I felt so proud watching my teammate do so well on TV, against the best in the world!!

Tomorrow the team lines up for the team pursuit – race starts at roughly 11.30am – which is 4.30pm Irish time.

Day 2 and the line up for the women is Sinead Jennings in the individual pursuit in the morning, and Heather Wilson and Heather Boyle in the Points race in the afternoon.

Yesterday evening Heather Boyle and Joanna Hickey raced in the heats of the Scratch race, with the main priority being to gain experience. Scratch races are bunch races on the track – world cup qualifiers are generally 30 laps of the track for women (7.5k) and the first ones to cross the line win/qualify.

Until the last lap we both were stuck in the bunch – but the final change of pace caught us out – and neither of us qualified. Super experience all the same.

The individual pursuit is a 3km race against the clock – with one person starting at either side  of the track – and basically go as hard as they can. Pacing is crucial for the pursuit – something Sinead is particularly good at.

The Points Race is similar to the Scratch race – but is 40 laps to qualify, and every ten laps there are points awarded to the first 4 over the line – 5 points for first, 3 points for second, 2 for third, and 1 for fourth place. If someone laps the field she gets 20 points. In the Manchester World Cup Heather Wilson raced this and won her qualifier, by lapping the field and picking up a further point in the final sprint.

From the men’s side – the guys are great – very helpful, and supportive. Yesterday Martyn Irvine did a super ride in the 1km – got 1.05, a new Irish record!! Savage – especially considering he is just getting back into health lately. David O Loughlin, the most experienced on the team, did a great race in his points qualifier, and eventually came 7th in the final. Young Marcus Christie also did a super ride in the individual pursuit – the 18 year old came 10th overall.

The support staff here have been deadly too – spoiling us, so we just gotta think about the racing – coaches Brian Nugent (for the women) and Tommy Evans, mechanic is Brian Kenneally (who had the horrible task of washing our road bikes!) and massage therapists/physio Sandra ni Hognae and Karen Doyle. Jenni Nason looked after us in Newport – we are so spoilt – could get used to this!

Today the line up for the women will be Heather Boyle and Joanna Hickey in the Scratch race.

Heather is in heat one – kick off at 3.30 pm colombian time (that’s 8.30 pm back home) and Joanna will start heat 2 15min later.

The start list can be found here ten to qualify for the final out of each heat.

The team pursuit team has been named – it will be Heather Wilson, Sinead Jennings and Joanna Hickey, with Heather Boyle as a reserve.

With the main focus of the Irish Sports Council funding being on the track, the women’s focus has been primarily placed on the women’s team pursuit – the prep for which kick started last year with a small group of athletes, and in recent months has further opened up.

In order to qualify for the world championships in Copenhagen, the team need to pick up a few points, so we are targetting Cali (Colombia) for some of these vital points. Preparation for this world cup started in Newport last week – when our group of 4 girls, with coach Brian Nugent, teamed up with the elite men’s group – under Tommy Evans, to practise team pursuit technique, pacing and to fine tune the legs and lungs!

Team Pursuit for women is relatively new – it’s a 3 km race, starting from standing blocks, and three girls. The three girls must also finish, with the time taken from the third rider. This differs slightly from the men’s event, which is 4km, with 4 starting, and only 3 needing to finish.

Off the start the first rider is attached to a starting gate, with the two others held by people lined up the track above her – and basically from there they blast off, find positions slotting in behind each other – pedal like crazy and every lap or so the front person peels off to the back.. and the idea is that the pace stays solid and very fast! In a nutshell…

Last week myself (Heather Boyle) and Joanna Hickey got a crash course in team pursuiting in Newport – and after 2 days of travel the four of us (with Sinead Jennings and Heather Wilson) are finding our feet in Cali, Colombia. The team that will race will be decided closer to race day (Saturday). In the meantime we will all gain experience from some individual events. Myself and Heather W will race the points race, Heather won her heat to qualify for the final in Manchester.. so this could be exciting. Joanna Hickey (previously raced in the paralympic games as a pilot for Catherine Walsh) will race in the scratch race, and Sinead will go in the Individual Pursuit.

It’s all very exciting preparing for the world cup – we all have our accreditation, the teams have all arrived, and it’s a super experience warming up next to world champions, and experts in the field. I can’t tell you too much about the city – as we are spending most of the time either in the hotel or at the track. The driving is crazy!! There’s one observation – also the people are really friendly – and there is a festival taking place along the river, the colours are awesome.

That’s all for now from Cali – lunchtime now… eat, sleep and train – that’s pretty much the order of the day – wouldn’t have it any other way!