Hero welcome for Irish cyclists

The two Cycling Ireland competitors at the 2017 UCI Junior Track Cycling World Championships got heroes welcomes from family, friends, school pals, club cycling representatives and supporters on their cheerful arrival home in Dublin airport late last night, writes Tom Horan.

JB Murphy and Xeno Young, silver medal winners at the recent European Championships, this time out added to their medals’ collection having won bronze and silver respectively at the 2017 UCI Junior Track Cycling World Championships in the Velodromo Fassa Bortolo, Montochiari — located between Milan and Verona in north Italy.

JB, having crashed hard in the qualifiers, clocked up the points consistently and put in a fantastic solo attack with ten laps to go. He was passed just short of the finish line but powered over for his Points Race podium finish World Championship bronze medal — an incredible result for the Murphy Surveys Kilcullen Cycling Club young rider.

Shortly on the day after JB's success, Powerhouse Sport rider Xeno Young guaranteed his place on the World Championship podium for his Individual Persuit silver medal. His incredible time of 3:15.5 is the new Irish Junior Track Cycling record.

Kilcullen Cycling Club representatives Liam and John Walker had just flown home from their roles with the Irish team at the World Championships but made their way back to Dublin Airport to add to the welcome for JB and Zeno.

Well done to JB and to Xeno on a most memorable day for Irish cycling and best wishes for continued success with more medals for the collections in the future.

(Photos: Tom Horan.)