Following on from a medal-laden Paralympic games last year, Ireland is set to send one of its biggest ever teams to next week's Paracycling Road World Championships in Pietermartizburg, South Africa.
In Rio, the Irish squad achieved phenomenal results with five medals, including two Time Trial titles, courtesy of Eoghan Clifford and the tandem pairing of Katie-George Dunlevy and Eve McCrystal.
Colin Lynch won a silver medal in the MC2 Time Trial, Dunlevy and McCrystal took silver in the Road Race, and Clifford was the bronze medallist in the MC3 Individual Pursuit.
The four medal winners and fellow Olympians are back in action as part of a 13-strong team that also features newcomers Ronan Grimes (MC4), Seamus Wall (MH3) and Andrew Nicholson (MC4).
The Championships runs from August 31 to September 3, with Irish riders competing on each day.
The first riders in competition will be Declan Slevin, Ciara Staunton and Wall in the Handcycling Time Trials.
Speaking ahead of the World Championships Cycling Ireland Performance Coach Neill Delahaye is satisfied with the progress of the team, with the women’s tandem becoming World Cup overall winners this season, and Colin Lynch being dominant in the Time Trials.
"We are hoping to build on the World Cup season where everyone performed well," said Delahaye. "We are excited to be racing again at this level, and hope they can do as well in the World Cups."
Delahaye noted that the hillier terrain in Pietermaritzburg adds an unknown element for the team: "The Time Trial course will present a different challenge to the World Cups, it is more technical and hilly, and it will bring something different to the table.
"All the Time Trials at the World Cups were pan flat. It will be a more sporting course."
Irish Team
Eoghan Clifford (MC3)
Colin Lynch (MC2)
Declan Slevin (MH3)
Ciara Staunton (WH2)
Peter Ryan (MB) with pilot Sean Hahessy
Damien Vereker (MB) with pilot Dermot Radford
Katie George Dunlevy (WB) with pilot Eve McCrystal
Seamus Wall (MH4)
Ronan Grimes (MC4)
Andrew Nicholson (MC4)
