Sport

Racing goes on despite unrest at the top

While there is considerable unrest at the top in Irish cycling with threats of resignations by the cabinet of top FIC officials…

By JIM MCARDLE
Fri Jun 05 1998 - 01:00

While there is considerable unrest at the top in Irish cycling with threats of resignations by the cabinet of top FIC officials if the president Pat McQuaid does not clarify some important matters, the racing programme goes on and the Mayo Grand Prix at Castlebar on Sunday (1.0) is the fourth of 10 events to count in the Callcard Classic League.

It will be over three laps of a circuit of 28 miles through Pontoon and as there has been no dominant personality this season it is very tight at the top of the table with Mick O'Donnell of Bray just one point ahead of Kieran MacMahon (O'Mara's, Limerick).

Tommy Evans won the opening race of the competition at Carlow, with Ciaran Power and Brian Kenneally second and third. MacMahon was then first at Ballyboughal and although Evans was not in the top 10 he still shared top place with MacMahon and held the leader's jersey going into the Shay Elliott trophy race at Bray.

O'Donnell was the winner there and as he had five points from sixth place at Ballyboughal he went to the top with 20 points. MacMahon is on 19 while Evans and Paul Griffin have 16 each. Next in order are Kenneally on 15, David Hourigan 14, Power, Philip Cassidy, Bill Moore and Neil Teggart on 12 and Eddie O'Donoghue 11.

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As Mark Scanlon has won both junior events, at Carlow and Ballyboughal, he is out on his own on 30 points in the junior section with Thomas Hogan and David Kenneally next on 18 and 14. Their race, over two laps, gets under way at 1.15.

Somebody in the Castlebar lineup will have the new title of Leinster champion. The FIC switched from the regional set-up this year to a provincial system and the Swords club promote the first Leinster road race championship tomorrow at Ballyboughal (1.0).

Newry Wheelers stage their McKinley three-day race at Warrenpoint, starting this evening (7.0) while the Munster championships at Killorglin have been switched from Sunday to tomorrow.

National team director Richie Beatty has named a squad of 11 from which five-man teams will be chosen for the under-23 European road race in Sweden in August and the World championships at Valkenburg in Holland in October. Included are Aidan Duff, Ciaran Power, Michael McNena, David O'Loughlin, Colm Farrell, John Grant, Paul Healion, Eddie O'Donoghue, Christopher Greene, David McQuaid and John McCarthy. Beatty also announced yesterday that Mick O'Donnell will lead an Irish team with McQuaid, O'Loughlin and Grant in a twoday race at Elgin in Scotland next weekend.

Sean Kelly and Stephen Roche will be at the Veterans Association's Wicklow 200 and Wicklow challenge on Sunday. Both events start at Milltown at seven o'clock with the challenge over the shorter 100 kilometres route through Roundwood and over the Wicklow Gap and Kelly takes part in that. He and Roche will be at the Manor Kilbride checkpoint and feeding station to greet the participants. Entries, at £10 each, to Dick O'Brien at 24 Dowland Road, Walkinstown, Dublin 12. There were over 350 in up to yesterday morning and the organisers expect about 500.

An overdue Stephen Roche video was launched in Dublin last evening. Like The Sean Kelly Story it is a David Bromley production and includes the highlights from the Dublin man's highly successful career, particularly his great 1987 treble of victories in the Tours of Italy and France and the World championship.