Galway cyclist Fallon set for World U23 track test

GALWAY cyclist Thomas Fallon will represent Ireland at the 2013 UCI Juniors Track World Championships in Sir Chris Hoy’s Velodrome, Glasgow next week.

Currently on a training and preparation camp in Ghent Belgium, the Ballinakill rider will compete in the five day event from August 7 to 11. The world’s best Junior track cyclists will compete in the annual UCI event across a range of race disciplines, including Keirin, Sprint, Team Sprint, Scratch Race, Points Race, Madison, Individual time trial, Omnium, Individual pursuit, and Team pursuit.

Fallon, who also rides for the Vacansoleil team, is part of Cycling Ireland’s international summer training programme, the overall aim of which is to educate and develop riders across various disciplines to reach their full future potential.

In early July, Fallon was an integral part of the Stena Line Ireland team that featured so prominently on the International Junior Tour of Ireland. The six-day event is the longest (U-18) international junior stage race in the world at 500k and gives competitors the opportunity to determine if they’re fit to pursue professional careers.

The event, of which past winners include Nicholas Roche, was won by Ireland’s Eddie Dunbar but a selfless Fallon duly played his part in protecting his team-mate’s winning margin throughout the event.

Fallon’s rich vein of form has continued through from 2012 when, in addition to winning Connacht junior road race, time trial and hill climb championships, he also featured prominently on the Irish team that competed at the European Juniors last Summer.