In an exhilarating race at the prestigious cycling world road championships in Zürich, Switzerland, the Irish pair Katie-George Dunlevy and Linda Kelly have claimed their second gold medal. On Wednesday morning, they achieved a remarkable victory in the women’s B (tandem) road race, having broken away from the pack during the four-lap event’s second-to-last lap. Earlier, they and their Irish team colleagues Josephine Healion and Eve McCrystal, along with chief competitors Sophie Unwin and Jenny Holl, had pulled ahead.
As the final lap began, Dunlevy and Kelly surged past the other tandems, crossing the finish line a mere three seconds before their rivals. Their lead then grew, resulting in a decisive victory. Unwin and Holl ended up finishing 1 minute and 23 seconds later, while Healion and McCrystal earned commendable bronze medals, trailing by a further 16 seconds.
This latest triumph follows the pair’s gold medal win at Sunday’s time trial, echoing their success at the Paralympics TT in September. After being bested by Unwin and Holl at the Paris road race, this victory was particularly sweet for Dunlevy and Kelly. The pair also successfully defended their road race title from Glasgow last year.
The bronze medal and the accomplishment of placing two Irish bikes on the podium will be hugely significant for Healion and McCrystal. McCrystal, who is retiring from international competition at the age of 46, has worked with Dunlevy in the past, securing with her several world titles and three Paracycling gold medals. Later, McCrystal began racing with Healion in road events as a strategy to win more medals while also sharing her vast experience.
The bronze medals serve as an appropriate tribute to their dedication and effort. Despite ranking fourth in last year’s world championship road race, as well as in the Paralympic Games road race and the previous Sunday’s time trial, they improved their result on Wednesday for McCrystal’s farewell event.