Dec 02,2024
Belgium's Michael Vanthourenhout and Dutch cyclist Lucinda Brand took the senior individual glory in the third renewal of the UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup in Dublin.
Over 180 athletes from 16 nations arrived on the Sport Ireland Campus for the second round of the 2024 series.
Where Irish weather is often seen as a deterrent for some sports, cyclo-cross fans and riders look forward to challenging muddy conditions. The purpose built 3,500m course included various technical elements and obstacles such as the sand pit and boards which riders had to negotiate.
In the elite women's race, which included the Under-23 category, over 50 riders took to the course, including reigning World Champion Fem Van Empel. Van Empel faced tough competition, with five national champions, including last year’s Dublin winner Brand included in the field.
Brand looked in control from the outset and ultimately came home 24 seconds ahead of Van Empel who had to settle for second.
Also picking up the same position as she did in 2023, Zoe Backstedt completed the podium for Great Britain.
Esther Wong made her debut for Ireland and finished as the highest-placed Irish rider in fourth.
She said: "Feeling really good, it was a really good atmosphere and really fun racing in the green jersey for the first time in front of the Irish crowd, I felt really supported."
Fans were treated to a fast and furious display in the elite men's race.
A crash at the boards on the first lap took out several of the favourites.
The Belgian contingent of Toon Aerts, Vanthourenhout, Eli Iserbyt and Joran Wyseure kept the pressure on last year’s winner Pim Ronhaar for the Netherlands and Felipe Orts Lloret for Spain.
As riders made their way around the eighth and final lap, Lars Van Der Haar and Laurens Sweeck were also in the mix.
Leaving it until the last turn to pull a gap out, Vanthourenhout finished narrowly ahead of Aerts in second and Orts Lloret in third.
There was a strong Irish contingent of Dean Harvey, Travis Harkness, Tadhg Killeen and Michael Collins in the Under 23 men’s race.
Two-time reigning Irish senior champion Harvey got off to a strong start and maintained a good position throughout the race to finish in 20th as Belgian Jente Michels won, with his compatriot Aaron Dockx finishing runner up and David Haverdings of the Netherlands completing the podium.
Harvey said: "It was quite tough, as it usually is, but I’m happy enough. I did my best with what I had. I couldn’t really complain, nothing really went wrong so I did what I could."
"I knew it was going to be tough to be in good form for this after taking a break after the road season, but I’ve been getting better each week."
There were six Irish riders among the 40 taking to the course for the junior men's race.
Reigning national champion Conor Murphy was the first Irish rider to cross the finish line in 14th while Curtis McKee, Ryan Daly, Hugh Óg Mulhearne, James Armstrong and Cameron Henry all put in solid performances, gaining invaluable experience racing on the international stage.
Victory went to Soren Bruyère Joumard for France as Belgian riders filled the remaining two places on the podium, with Giel Lejeune in second and Lennes Jacobs in third.
Greta Lawless is one of Ireland’s rising cycling stars, and the 17-year-old dug deep to come home in tenth place in the junior women's race, the highest placed Irish rider today.
She said: "I had exams just this week and I was sick the week before so not the most ideal run up but once the race started, I just forgot about it and started picking off the riders."
It was worth the journey over for American rider Lidia Cusack who topped the podium. She was followed home by Lison Desprez for France in second and Rafaelle Carrier for Canada in third.
