Irish trio ready to take on the world
The latter two have been in camp in Cali just over a week now since they flew straight from a previous camp in Majorca, while Irvine joined the Irish team from a training camp in LA at the weekend, where he worked with renowned track coach, Andy Sparks.
Nugent explained that entering these championships with Ryan as the world’s number one at her favoured discipline, the Individual Pursuit, and Irvine as reigning champion in the Scratch race, has raised expectations.
“Caroline is really up for this and she and Martyn are here for medals. She’s strong and really ready for it. She took bronze in the Points race in Melbourne two years ago and of course she’ll be looking to go better than that,” said Nugent.
“It’s Ryan Mullen’s first World Championships so you don’t know what to expect, but he’s going strong and could do a good ride on the day.”
The outdoor track in Colombia has shipped some criticism, but, of more concern is the brutal schedule.
Should Irvine progress from Individual Pursuit qualifying on Thursday afternoon, he’ll have the final of the same event less than seven hours later. In between those events he’ll have a 15k Scratch final and a 40k Points race final the following day. Four events in 36 hours? No problem, says Nugent.
“A few years ago that would have worried us but with the guys have prepared for that and that’s the way track racing is gone,” says Nugent.
The championships start tomorrow and the Irish trio will ride a total of six events. Irvine takes in the Scratch race (Thursday), Points race (Friday) and Individual Pursuit (Thursday). Ryan rides the same three events (Individual Pursuit, Friday, Scratch race on Wednesday, and Points race on Saturday) while Mullen takes in the pursuit only (Thursday).
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