Post by manuel6b on Feb 22, 2013 1:21:04 GMT 1
Congrats to Martyn Irvine (Ards man) on winning silver in the individual pursuit at the World Championships and then gold in the scratch race.
FROM STICKYBOTTLE.COM
New World Track Champion Martyn Irvine has spoken about the motivation that spurred him on in Minsk, Belarus, today to gold and silver medals. He took Ireland’s first men’s track World Championship medals since Harry Reynolds in 1897.
The 27-year-old from Newtownards, Co Down, took the world title in the 15km scratch race after a glory or die effort with ten laps remaining. Around 45 minutes earlier he had just come off the track having been beaten into the silver medal position in the individual pursuit final by 21-year-old Australian Michael Hepburn.
In an historic day for the Irish and a monumental day for Irvine, the man himself sounded stunned after his victory.
“I’m not sure it’s hit me yet. I don’t know what to say,” he said.
“I just can’t believe I’m standing here with a rainbow jersey. I thought ‘if I don’t finish the scratch, oh well I’ve tried’. I just stuck to what I know, just committed 100 per cent and it paid off. I just got into the race and just stayed near the front, stayed out of trouble.”
“Once I went, it was all or nothing. I didn’t look back. It was full gas. I saw a shadow on my hip with two laps to go and I just dug a bit more. I was waiting for a crowd of people to pass me, but they never did and I’m looking forward to seeing the video.”
Irvine added that having raced against the very well resourced Team GB, and seen their set-up compared to Ireland’s much more modest resources, he was determined to make the best of his lot.
“I’ve been racing with them (Britain) for two or three years now. It’s some set-up. That put fire in my belly to do the best I could with the little I had. You couldn’t live on what I’ve been living on. I’ll guarantee I’m one of the least funded guys on the podium. That makes it even sweeter.”
Irvine qualified in the six-race omnium for the London Olympics but felt he performed below par there in finishing 13th after his 7th place in the event at last year’s World Championships.
Since London he has decided to ride individual events, and won silver medals at the UCI World Cup meeting in Glasgow in December in both the pursuit and scratch race.
He has also secured a professional contract with the Unitedhealthcare US-based ProContinental road team. He has gone there as part of the sprinters’ lead-out train, but with his performances today, the pecking order in that train may well need to change.
First up today, Irvine was second quickest in qualifying for the 4km individual pursuit in a time of 4:20.260, with the 21-year-old Australian Michael Hepburn quickest in a time of 4:18.456. He then went on to meet Hepburn in the final at 5pm Irish time but was beaten into the silver medal position.
Irvine barely had time to change his numbers and collect his silver medal when he was back in action again in the scratch race; a 15km, 60-lap race.
He attacked the field with 10 laps to go and hung on for a very famous win and coveted world title. Andreas Mueller of Austria was second and Luke Davison of Australia third.
With three laps to go, Mueller jumped across to Irvine. However, Irvine pushed again, crossing the line in first place.
While his medals today were the first in a men’s track event since Reynolds’ Worlds gold in 1897 in Copenhagen, Caroline Ryan took bronze in the points race at the Worlds last year. She was 5th in the individual pursuit in Minsk yesterday, in what was an amazing ride.
Cycling Ireland’s head coach Brian Nugent said of Irvine: “It’s hard to find the words. Absolutely astounding! That was the most exciting race I have ever seen. Martyn attacked 10 laps out and just held on and on. Even when the Austrian caught him and tried to pass on the last lap, Martyn just wouldn’t give in and kicked one last time to win; a great day for Irish cycling. It’s been years of hard work to get to this point, and all credit to Martyn and the entire team, especially Andy Sparks, who has worked tirelessly to see this happen.”
Cycling Ireland CEO Geoff Liffey said: “This is an historic and tremendous day for Ireland, with our first world track title in modern times. This result confirms Martyn’s ability, and confirms the progress being made by all the team working with him. It makes you wonder what more we could achieve if we had an indoor facility at home.”
FROM STICKYBOTTLE.COM
New World Track Champion Martyn Irvine has spoken about the motivation that spurred him on in Minsk, Belarus, today to gold and silver medals. He took Ireland’s first men’s track World Championship medals since Harry Reynolds in 1897.
The 27-year-old from Newtownards, Co Down, took the world title in the 15km scratch race after a glory or die effort with ten laps remaining. Around 45 minutes earlier he had just come off the track having been beaten into the silver medal position in the individual pursuit final by 21-year-old Australian Michael Hepburn.
In an historic day for the Irish and a monumental day for Irvine, the man himself sounded stunned after his victory.
“I’m not sure it’s hit me yet. I don’t know what to say,” he said.
“I just can’t believe I’m standing here with a rainbow jersey. I thought ‘if I don’t finish the scratch, oh well I’ve tried’. I just stuck to what I know, just committed 100 per cent and it paid off. I just got into the race and just stayed near the front, stayed out of trouble.”
“Once I went, it was all or nothing. I didn’t look back. It was full gas. I saw a shadow on my hip with two laps to go and I just dug a bit more. I was waiting for a crowd of people to pass me, but they never did and I’m looking forward to seeing the video.”
Irvine added that having raced against the very well resourced Team GB, and seen their set-up compared to Ireland’s much more modest resources, he was determined to make the best of his lot.
“I’ve been racing with them (Britain) for two or three years now. It’s some set-up. That put fire in my belly to do the best I could with the little I had. You couldn’t live on what I’ve been living on. I’ll guarantee I’m one of the least funded guys on the podium. That makes it even sweeter.”
Irvine qualified in the six-race omnium for the London Olympics but felt he performed below par there in finishing 13th after his 7th place in the event at last year’s World Championships.
Since London he has decided to ride individual events, and won silver medals at the UCI World Cup meeting in Glasgow in December in both the pursuit and scratch race.
He has also secured a professional contract with the Unitedhealthcare US-based ProContinental road team. He has gone there as part of the sprinters’ lead-out train, but with his performances today, the pecking order in that train may well need to change.
First up today, Irvine was second quickest in qualifying for the 4km individual pursuit in a time of 4:20.260, with the 21-year-old Australian Michael Hepburn quickest in a time of 4:18.456. He then went on to meet Hepburn in the final at 5pm Irish time but was beaten into the silver medal position.
Irvine barely had time to change his numbers and collect his silver medal when he was back in action again in the scratch race; a 15km, 60-lap race.
He attacked the field with 10 laps to go and hung on for a very famous win and coveted world title. Andreas Mueller of Austria was second and Luke Davison of Australia third.
With three laps to go, Mueller jumped across to Irvine. However, Irvine pushed again, crossing the line in first place.
While his medals today were the first in a men’s track event since Reynolds’ Worlds gold in 1897 in Copenhagen, Caroline Ryan took bronze in the points race at the Worlds last year. She was 5th in the individual pursuit in Minsk yesterday, in what was an amazing ride.
Cycling Ireland’s head coach Brian Nugent said of Irvine: “It’s hard to find the words. Absolutely astounding! That was the most exciting race I have ever seen. Martyn attacked 10 laps out and just held on and on. Even when the Austrian caught him and tried to pass on the last lap, Martyn just wouldn’t give in and kicked one last time to win; a great day for Irish cycling. It’s been years of hard work to get to this point, and all credit to Martyn and the entire team, especially Andy Sparks, who has worked tirelessly to see this happen.”
Cycling Ireland CEO Geoff Liffey said: “This is an historic and tremendous day for Ireland, with our first world track title in modern times. This result confirms Martyn’s ability, and confirms the progress being made by all the team working with him. It makes you wonder what more we could achieve if we had an indoor facility at home.”
