Katie George Dunlevy has followed on from the gold and silver medals she and tandem partner Eve McCrystal clocked up last week with another superb performance in a Paracycling World Cup. Dunlevy paired up with Linda Kelly for the tandem time trial at the Paracycling road World Cup in Elzach, Germany on Friday, and the duo dominated the 18 kilometre hill climb time trial.
They finished a staggering three minutes 54 seconds ahead of silver medallists Sophie Unwin and Jenny Holl (Britain), with the Polish tandem pairing of Justyna Kiryla and Aleksandra Teclaw four minutes 35 seconds behind in third.
“It was really tough. I am not going to lie,” Dunlevy said. “It was definitely a challenging course and a course for a time trial that I have never done before. We have had rolling time trials but never had a hill climb.
“Linda is a good hill climber and I am not so bad at it, so I thought we would have a really good shot at it. We just did our own race and gave it everything. We are delighted with that win.”
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Kelly is standing in for McCrystal, Dunlevy’s longtime tandem pilot, in the World Cup.
“I am absolutely buzzing about my first time trial, my first race abroad as well,” said Kelly. “It was a hilly one as a bonus, so my usual terrain. I am delighted.”
A number of other Irish riders also began their participations in this second round of the Paracycling World Cup. Declan Slevin was seventh in the men’s H3 time trial and Richael Timothy was eighth in the women’s C3 time trial. Gary O’Reilly (H5) and male tandem pairing Damien Vereker and Marcin Mizgajski were both ninth in their time trials.
Meanwhile several of Ireland’s track cyclists will begin their campaign today in the Tissot Nations Cup track races in Milton, Canada. First off is Orla Walsh, who will compete in the women’s sprint. Mia Griffin and Alice Sharpe are also in action today. Griffin will contest the women’s scratch race while Sharpe goes in the elimination.
