Katie-George Dunlevy and pilot Linda Kelly retained their Women’s B individual time trial world title in Huntsville on Saturday, leading an Irish gold and silver double as Sinead Greenan and pilot Alice Sharpe claimed silver on their World Championship debut.
Dunlevy and Kelly completed the 29.2 km course in 36:55.48 to secure their fourth consecutive World Championship time trial title. Greenan and Sharpe followed in 37:28.08, finishing 32.60 seconds behind their teammates and 20.71 seconds ahead of Great Britain’s bronze medallists Sophie Unwin and Jenny Holl.
Dunlevy said: “It’s absolutely unbelievable, very surreal and a huge relief. I felt pressure going into the race, but to deliver the ride and come away with a fourth time trial title is the stuff of dreams. When you stand on the podium, all the work and sacrifices feel worthwhile. To have Sinead and Alice there as well makes it even more special.”
Kelly said: “The conditions were brutal, like a furnace. We settled into the first four kilometres and then started to build while managing the heat over two laps. Jamie was giving us the gaps to the British bike and that gave us confidence to push harder. With two kilometres to go, we could see them ahead and gave everything to the finish. Hearing it was an Irish one two was amazing.”
Greenan said: “It’s pretty unbelievable. It feels like a dream at the moment and it’s still hard to believe, but the silver feels even sweeter after such tough conditions. The heat was the hardest part. On the second lap, I just focused on reaching each corner and telling myself there was one less to go.”
Sharpe added: “It’s amazing and I’m so proud of Sinead. We only came together for our first World Cup in Belgium, so to already be standing on a World Championship podium is pretty special. It’s a testament to all the work she has put in. To achieve this in her first year of racing is incredible, and I’m excited to see where we can go together.”
The result gave Ireland its first two medals of the 2026 UCI Para Cycling Road World Championships and placed two Irish tandems on the same World Championship podium.
Heather Jameson finished fifth in the Women’s C2 individual time trial on her World Championship debut. Jameson covered the 14.6 km course in 23:37.70, with Great Britain’s Amelia Cass taking gold in 21:17.96.
Jameson said: “I’m absolutely delighted. I don’t think I could have asked for much more. I gave it everything I had and really felt like I did that. There were a few hairy moments through some of the corners, but it was great fun and so enjoyable to be on the bike.”
Richael Timothy placed ninth in the Women’s C3 individual time trial, recording 23:04.73 over 14.6 km. China’s Xiaomei Wang won the world title in 20:43.44.
Timothy said: “It was really good to get a hard effort in ahead of Monday’s race. Ninth is a good result and I’m probably closer to the medals than I was last year, so there’s progress there. I was faster than the last time I raced here, which was the goal. Now the focus turns to the road race.”
Damien Vereker and pilot Mitchell McLaughlin were eighth in the Men’s B individual time trial, finishing the 29.2 km course in 35:01.57. Ciarán O’Toole and pilot Con Scully placed 11th in 36:35.28, gaining one position on the second lap. France’s Elie de Carvalho and Mickaël Guichard took gold in 31:56.01.
O’Toole said: “I think we put in the best performance we could, especially in the heat. It definitely started to get to me on the second lap, but it was a good performance and I’m happy with it.”
Scully added: “It was a new experience competing at the Para Cycling World Championships. It was a good time trial and it’s great to have the first race completed. The legs may have been a little off the pace, but I’m very happy with the effort.”
Day Three moves to the road races, with Allister MacSorley and Steven McGowan returning to action for Ireland. Both men will race over five laps of the 13.8 km circuit, covering 69.0 km.
Day Two Results
Saturday, 5 September
Irish athlete Event Place Time
Richael Timothy Women’s C3 individual time trial 9th 23:04.73
Heather Jameson Women’s C2 individual time trial 5th 23:37.70
Ciarán O’Toole / Con Scully Men’s B individual time trial 11th 36:35.28
Damien Vereker / Mitchell McLaughlin Men’s B individual time trial 8th 35:01.57
Sinead Greenan / Alice Sharpe Women’s B individual time trial 2nd 37:28.08
Katie-George Dunlevy / Linda Kelly Women’s B individual time trial 1st 36:55.48
Day Three Schedule
Sunday, 6 September. Times below are the official race start times.
Ireland is six hours ahead of Huntsville.
IRL US Irish athlete Event
9:00PM 3:00PM Allister MacSorley Men’s H4 road race
69.0 km
11:30PM 5:30PM Steven McGowan Men’s H3 road race
69.0 km
