Swift aiming to hit top gear in spearheading Irish challenge

NECESSITY is the mother of invention, goes the old adage. It held true when Colette Swift arrived in London some years ago and walked straight into he middle of a tube train strike and had no option but to buy a bike to commute across the city to work.

On Saturday the Fermoy-born cyclist will spearhead Ireland’s challenge in the elite women’s road race at the world cycling championships in Verona.

Most of the attention will be focused on Friday’s Under-23 road race when Philip Deignan and Nicolas Roche, son of the legendary Stephen, will go to the line among the medal favourites.