Ireland's Gillespie Wins Belgian Race
Irish rider Lara Gillespie claimed victory at the Le Samyn race in Belgium after a dramatic late sprint, pulling ahead of a breakaway group in the final kilometers. The 24-year-old rides for UAE Team ADQ and her win is seen as a major milestone in her burgeoning career.
The victory marks a significant step for Gillespie, who also claimed a third-place finish on a stage of the Tour de France Femmes last summer. Her win at Le Samyn comes after a series of near misses in the early 2026 season, including two second-place finishes at the UAE Tour Women in February and another runner-up spot at the Omloop van het Hageland just the day before her victory. This win improves upon her third-place finish in the same race last year. Gillespie's success is not limited to road racing; she is also the reigning world champion in the elimination race on the track. The 24-year-old from Wicklow is a multiple Irish national champion across road, track, and cyclo-cross disciplines, showcasing her remarkable versatility. In 2025, she became Ireland's first-ever elite European Track Champion and later won a world title in the elimination race. The Le Samyn des Dames is a challenging early-season classic in the Wallonia region of Belgium, often nicknamed a "mini Paris-Roubaix" due to its numerous cobbled sectors. The 133.4km race saw a decisive breakaway of ten riders, including Gillespie and her UAE teammate Elynor Bäckstedt, establish a significant lead over the main peloton. This group worked together to finish nearly three minutes ahead of the chasing pack. This victory continues a historic period for Irish women's cycling. In 2025, Gillespie was one of three Irish women to compete in the Tour de France Femmes for the first time, a significant milestone for the sport in Ireland. Her continued success on the world stage underscores the growing presence of Irish riders in the professional peloton.
