Ireland win Gold and Bronze in Women’s B Road Race at UCI Road and Para-cycling World Championships

“To have two Irish bikes on the podium, us and then Eve and Josie, it was just textbook," said Katie-George Dunleavy.

MORE SUCCESS: Katie-George Dunlevy and Linda Kelly have won Gold at the World Championships. Pic: ©INPHO/James Crombie

Irish women’s tandem bikes claimed Gold and Bronze medals in the Women’s B Road Race at the UCI Road and Para-cycling World Championships.

Katie-George Dunlevy, piloted by Linda Kelly, finished first on Wednesday afternoon while Josephine Healion, piloted by Eve McCrystal, finished in third to continue their great form from recent weeks between the Paralympic Games and the Individual Time Trial at the World Championships.

Dunlevy and Kelly entered the race as reigning World Champions following their victory in Glasgow last year and for Healion and McCrystal this race marked the end of what has been a successful partnership as the latter retires from piloting at the elite level.

Both Irish bikes were dominant throughout the 84.7km course. Healion and McCrystal held onto the lead for significant section of the course, gaining almost one minute on their nearest rivals.

As the race moved into the closing section the two Irish tandems worked closely with Sophie Unwin, piloted by Jenny Holl, the same British bike that won gold in this event at the recent Paralympic Games.

Dunlevy and Kelly showed their strength and determination, learning from what unfolded in Paris they edged away from Unwin and Holl. They finished the race with a 1:23 gap to the British bike who had to settle for silver.

Healion and McCrystal had a fairytale ride, coming home closely behind Unwin and Holl, to claim bronze. This marks Healion’s first medal at championship level

“To have two Irish bikes on the podium, us and then Eve and Josie, it was just textbook," said Dunleavy.

"What we were hoping for, what we were dreaming for, we were hoping to get that in Paris, but we didn’t. We came away with Silver, I was actually disappointed not to defend my title but to do it here at the Worlds, I’m so proud of us.

“It was an amazing race, really enjoyed the course, it was a bit of everything. It’s just really exciting, it’s great to have these courses for tandems and I just hope that in the future they’ll be more challenging like this with hills and descents and everything technical, because you know we’re well able for it.

Just to have a combined championships is amazing, it’s been fantastic and hopefully there will be more like these.

“We have a whole team behind us so it’s really to thank the team, and my family, my parents, my partner and all my sisters and everyone. We’ve a great support team believing in us so we believe in ourselves as well and that just helps so much.”

Kelly added: “We did have a good think about it afterwards when we got home and before we got here. We had a chat with our coach, obviously we had a chat with our teammates Eve and Josie, and just talked about tactics as well as power and speed.

The type of course that it is as well, it did play to our strengths up the hills, going very fast down the descents you’re hitting 70 to 80 km/p, a lot of turns. So we did have a lot of thinking about it.

“We’re just so happy to come back and do the double two years in a row.”