Lara Gillespie made a triumphant finish on Tuesday by winning the Giro Mediterraneo Rosa, marking the grandest victory in her road racing career so far. The champion from Enniskerry, who had previously earned titles in European track competitions, proved her dynamism throughout the five-day Italian race event. After finishing second on the first day, Gillespie won a solo stage by an awe-inspiring 70 kilometres, securing her standing as the race leader. She then defended her leading position with a win in a sprint race on the next stage which coincided with her birthday.
The concluding two days of the race had Gillespie showcasing her endurance in the uphill climbs, and managing to finish seconds behind team-mate, Federica Venturelli. Gillespie’s overall win was confirmed with her arrival a mere 21 seconds behind Venturelli. The 23-year-old concluded her triumph finishing three minutes and one second ahead of Venturelli in the overall standings, and also earning second position in the points competition.
Gillespie, alongside Kelly Murphy, Mia Griffin and Alice Sharpe recently earned official qualification for Paris 2024, thanks to their stellar performance in the team pursuit. Their impressive rankings in the Hong Kong Nations Cup and the Olympic rankings have also secured their spots in the madison and omnium events. Gillespie has chosen to remain with the UAE Development Team, prioritising her Olympic track objectives over climbing to WorldTour. However, her performance in Italy implies that it won’t be long before she receives an offer from the sport’s top level.
Meanwhile, young rising star, Patrick Casey gave an impressive performance in the recent Eroica Juniores, helping his team, Grenke-Auto Eder, secure a victory in the opening time trial and finishing third overall himself, just six seconds behind the winner. He described this as likely the most significant achievement of his career thus far and believes it will lead to future successes. Confessing to his struggles in the final stage due to constant attacks from his competitors, he expressed satisfaction with his overall performance.
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