Katie-George Dunlevy and Linda Kelly chasing more gold after latest World Cup success

They recorded a time of 37 minutes 50.63 seconds in Saturday’s time trial

Paralympic gold medallist Katie-George Dunlevy is now teamed up with Linda Kelly. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho
Paralympic gold medallist Katie-George Dunlevy is now teamed up with Linda Kelly. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho

Katie-George Dunlevy and Linda Kelly are aiming to follow on their latest Paracycling World Cup gold medal with more success on Monday evening. The tandem duo clocked up time trial victory in the Huntsville Alabama World Cup on Saturday, and will line out in the road race later today.

Dunlevy and Kelly recorded a time of 37 minutes 50.63 seconds in Saturday’s time trial, completing the 29.6km course a full 45.96 seconds faster than the Britain’s Sophie Unwin and Jenny Holl.

A second Irish tandem of Josephine Healion and Eve McCrystal were fifth, two minutes 44.84 seconds back.

Dunlevy and Kelly previously took gold medals in the discipline in the two previous rounds of the World Cup this year, held in Maniago in April and Ostend in early May. Healion and McCrystal were fourth in both.

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The Irish squad is running a dual tandem campaign this year in order to try to qualify an extra bike for the Paris paralympics.

European time trial champion Ronan Grimes was just outside the medals in the C4 category, finishing fourth, just 14 seconds behind the bronze medallist.

Men’s tandem duo Damien Vereker and Mitchell McLaughlin had the best time trial result of the three rounds, netting fifth.

Also fifth was women’s C3 competitor Richael Timothy, while C2 rider Chris Burns placed ninth, Declan Selvin (H3) was 18th and independent entrant Allistair MacSorley was 13th in the H4 TT.

Slevin and MacSorley the first participants of the Irish riders in the road races, with their events taking place on Sunday. They placed 16th and 12th in the H3 and H4 event respectively. The other riders are all competing in the road races today.

Shane Stokes

Shane Stokes

Shane Stokes is a contributor to The Irish Times writing about cycling