Ireland will send a six-strong team to the 2018 UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands next week.
The championships take place from 28 February to 4 March and a busy schedule will see Irish in action in each day of the competition.
The team is made up of Lydia Boylan, Mark Downey, Felix English, Lydia Gurley, Marc Potts and Robyn Stewart. Cycling Ireland achieved qualification spots in all targeted events, including the madison, which is a new event on the 2020 Olympic Programme.
While new on the Olympic programme, Ireland has already enjoyed considerable success in this event, which is a type of replay race on a bike, with the duo of Lydia Boylan and Lydia Gurley winning a silver medal in this event at the European Championships last October
That went with the gold and silver Track World Cup medals won by Mark Downey and Felix English last year.
Belfast native Robyn Stewart will be in action on Thursday following a solid showing in her first Track World Cup season.
The former British National League hockey player has become the first Irish woman to qualify in the sprint at the world championships, and will also be competing in the event at the Commonwealth Games in April.
In addition to the Madison with English, Downey will be competing in the points race, an event in which the Team Wiggins rider excels.
The multi-discipline omnium has been on the Olympic programme since 2012, and Ireland will be fielding a rider in both the male and female events – Boylan competes on Friday 2 March, with English in action the following day.
Ireland has enjoyed success in the scratch race too – with Martyn Irvine sensationally becoming the world champion in this event in 2013. Marc Potts will be making his worlds debut in the scratch in Apeldoorn having scored top five finishes in the event at World Cups this season.
Gurley is the first rider in action for Ireland, competing in the Race on Wednesday, 28 February. Gurley won a bronze in the Cali World Cup last year and finished fourth in the event at the European Track Championships this season.
