Our 4 warriors done more than their best…and that is all you can ask…so well done, results will come if you get more chances!
That’s a wrap on another championship event. The weather gods weren’t on our side but at least the sun shone for the racing. Busy days in the pits with half-lap changes but thankfully we kept the riders going. Huge thanks to everyone who helped over the weekend and for the money raised to get riders there.
Time for me to step down as CX Coordinator for now and focus more on the riders I personally coach to help them develop, improve and chase their dreams.
(report Andy Layhe)
Darren Rafferty in action, the mud his biggest challenge!
Darren said ” Great weekend and experience at the European cyclocross championships in Italy. Crazy course with a lot of running and mud. Extremely tough conditions, starting from the back with Ciaran Dixon and managed to move up to 38th from a quality field of 68 riders, which was the best I could do on the day.
A huge thanks to Cycling Ireland Offroad Commission and Andy Layhe for the opportunity and to Liz, Paidi and Paul for their help over the weekend!🙂

Proper funding is needed to send such riders more often abroad and develop their skills, it also gives them a chance to improve their gridding place in future big races, as the off-road budget for the CX National team must be the poorest in Europe>> €2500 +€1100 from fundraising << and no room for more travels except mayor champ UCI races, and this also very limited in riders. Thankfully this time some parents could travel with them and help them with some costs, but this will not always be the case as financially it could be a burden to their parents too and my worry is that some talent maybe can not afford to travel when selected! Andy Layhe (photo above) done his best over the last few years as a manager and coach, but with such funding, he can not do miracles and we don’t expect that either, and with the resources he had, he did well…Unfortunately, he felt like Don Quichotte…Andy resigned before the European Champs but finished his job as promised till after this week…my hat off for that ..his teenagers done well as they had the proverbial mountain to climb, starting from the back in a top international field…They all moved up, some as much as 30 places, now that bodes for the future so long we can provide it (Dany B)

Recovery shakes very welcomed by the girls…
The girls at their feet..lol, great camaraderie the foundation of any of team
Girls (both same lap as the winner, 36 entries)
26. LALLY Roisin IRL +8:10
33. HARKNESS Darcey IRL +12:24
Boys (68 entries)
38. RAFFERTY Darren +7:18 (same lap)
59. DIXON Ciaran -1 LAP
Full results
http://www.uec.ch/en/event/99/2019-uec-cyclo-cross-jun-u23-elite-european-championships