Irish team have medal hopes in World Track Cycling Championships

Lydia Gurley is the first of the six-strong Irish team in action at the UCI World Track Cycling Championships which get underway in Hong Kong Velodrome on Wednesday.

Gurley goes in the women’s scratch race, the only Irish rider in action on the first day of the event, which concludes with the men’s madison on Easter Sunday.

Team Ireland has won six medals at this level since the beginning of the season in October: three golds, one silver and three bronze medals, and the team has medal-winning ability here, too.

On Thursday, Felix English will be the sole rider flying the flag for Ireland, competing in the scratch race. English has won gold and silver in the madison with Mark Downey this year.

Publication of British cycling report postponed again

---

World snooker chairman Barry Hearn tells Ronnie O’Sullivan to ‘grow up’

---

Banbridge and Three Rock level at top of Hockey League

---

Van Avermaet prevails in ‘Hell of the North’

---

Unbeaten

Downey then goes the points race on Friday, an event in which he has been unbeaten since the World Cup in Apeldoorn last November.

Lydia Boylan is also in action on Friday, competing in the newly formated omnium. Boylan and Gurley team up for the madison on the following day, Easter Saturday, when European bronze medallist, Anna Turvey, will be testing her speed in the individual pursuit.

Sunday will see Rio Olympian Shannon McCurley compete in the keirin, with Downey and English closing the World Championships race programme with the madison, an event in which they won gold at the last World Cup in Los Angeles.