Ciara Doogan has gotten Ireland’s campaign at the World Junior Track Championships off to a fine start with a battling sixth place finish in the Points Race at UCI headquarters in Switzerland today.
The 18-year-old from Donegal was in the mix throughout, taking five points for winning the fourth sprint of the 100-lap, 20km race. She sat fourth in the points standings for much of the race and eventually finished level on five points with Nicolle Wendy Borges (Brazil) and Minhwa Kim (Korea), the Irishwoman securing sixth thanks to her superior finishing position of seventh at the final sprint.
It’s another top six finishing position in a major championship event for Doogan. The event was won by Italy’s Letizia Pater-Noster.
Team Coach David Muntaner expressed satisfaction with Doogan’s performance:- “We’re really happy with how Ciara raced today,” said Muntaner. “She rode really well throughout and was all the time at the front trying to fight for points and to take a lap.
“She looked better than she did in the European Championships last week and every time she goes on the track she seems to get better and better. All in all, it’s a great start to week for the Irish team.”
Tomorrow’s representative in green in Aigle is Xeno Young who rides the Men’s Scratch.
You can watch footage of the Points Race in the video below from the 46:00 mark.
