THE next international engagement for an Ireland team is a trip to France in April for the Tour de l'Oir et Cher, but the new Premier club in Clonmel have five representatives on duty in Southampton this weekend in the Europa two day race that was won last year by Martin Earley.
Declan Byrne had high hopes for his Premier squad but they have not had the expected successes - their only win was registered by Micheal Fitzgerald in the Mid Eastern Region's league race last Saturday at Bray.
Fitzgerald was second and fourth in the other events in that league but, like his clubmates he failed to make an impression in the more important Sunday races at Navan and Ballyboughal. Their best other placing was Declan Hanrahan's fourth at Carrick on Suir on Monday.
However, Fitzgerald, Hanrahan, Paul Butler, Raymond Clarke and John Wall have been chosen for the Southampton assignment. There is a 72 miles stage tomorrow with a time trial on Sunday morning and then the final stage in the afternoon.
This means Fitzgerald will not be defending his lead in the Mid Eastern league event at Clonee tomorrow - he has 28 points while Willie Byrne is on 22 with Colm Bracken next on 16.
Dublin Wheelers have an entry of 30 for the TQ Paper sponsored two day race for women tomorrow and Sunday. Geraldine Gill, Marie Boyle and Susan O'Mara, who were first, second and third in last year's championship are included, with Deirdre Murphy of the US, three teams from England and one from Holland.
The activity is based at the Dublin Airport sports complex with stage one tomorrow morning (11.0) over 48 miles with a one mile time trial at 3.30. Then the final stage is over a different 48 miles on Sunday, 10.0.
The Tour of Ards is on tomorrow at Newtownards with the Tralee hill climb also listed. On Sunday the Coombs Connor memorial races are at Drogheda while Ras Luimni at Cahirdavin provides an interesting clash between the Limerick clubmates David Houngan and Brian Quinn who have both registered two wins already this season.
Today is the closing date for entries for the Amev three day race from Brittas to Gorey and back next weekend. First category licence holders are excluded and Sam D'Arcy is accepting the first 160.
For the three day promotion, being staged instead of the usual event at Blarney over Easter, entries should go to Paddy O'Callaghan and Jim Wilson. Stage one tomorrow week will be from Cork to Killorglin with a hill climb time trial there the next morning followed by 17 laps of a three miles circuit. The final Monday stage will be back to Cork.
Frank Barrett of Thermos King has availed of an opportunity to go to French club Lorient. Former clubmate Padraic Quinn switched from Lorient to Dijon and Barrett has taken his place.
David McCann made a slow start with his new club, Pontivy, but he was 20th in a race last weekend.
Sean Kelly leaves today for Austin in Texas to take part in a leisure spin in aid of the Lance Armstrong cancer fund. The 25 year old Texan, who won the World Road Race Championship at Oslo in 1993, is making good progress after testicular cancer halted his career last October. He is back in training and hopes to be racing again before the end of the season.
