IRISH CYCLIST MARTYN IRVINE has secured a gold medal at the UCI Track Cycling World Cup in Manchester.
Irvine won the Points Race, beating Lasse Norman Hansen of Denmark, who finished second, while Italy’s Elia Viviani took the bronze.
Speaking after his victory, Irvine said: “That was a nice evening, the win changed the day around. I rode smart for the first half of the race, I didn’t want to race too much, but then I started to use my head.
“I looked around and other guys were grimacing more than me. I rolled off the front and got in the groove. A Spanish guy came across to me and we committed. It was all or nothing.”
Referring to his successful return following a serious hip injury, Irvine added: “I must have done something right in rehab, looks like I need to break a leg to get good results!”
In addition, Irvine’s fellow Irish athlete Caroline Ryan finished 5th in the Individual Pursuit, while Eoin Mullen was 7th in the men’s equivalent. Irvine and Ryan will now compete in the Scratch Race, while Mullen takes part in the Men’s Sprint.