Cycling: Road National Championships

Part of Members' Statements – in the Northern Ireland Assembly at 10:30 am on 25 June 2024.

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Photo of Philip McGuigan Philip McGuigan Sinn Féin 10:30, 25 June 2024

OK. I was about to congratulate and pay tribute to another club from the North that will be delighted with the results over the weekend, namely Island Wheelers from Coalisland, which has shown that dedication to promoting youth cycling can certainly produce amazing results. Amazing results for that club, but particularly for the Rafferty family, who are leading the way in cycling. I pay tribute to and congratulate Aliyah Rafferty, who came second in the junior women's time trial, and I also congratulate her brother Adam, who won the men's under-23 time trial championship at the weekend.

In particular, I pay tribute to and congratulate Darren Rafferty for his success in winning the men's elite road race championship at the weekend. Darren is now a professional cyclist, plying his trade across the Continent and doing great things. As Irish national road race champion, he is following in the footsteps of some of the greats of our sport here in Ireland. I have no doubt that he will do Irish cycling proud in the rest of this season, next season and in his racing career across Europe, wearing the illustrious Irish national cycling jersey. I wish him well in that.