World junior champion Mark Scanlon of the Sligo Club is to sign a one-year contract with the Dutch Rabobank amateur squad over the weekend and he will be racing with them next season.
Following discussions with team officials in Holland last week, the young Sligoman, who was 18 on October 10th when he won the world title at Valkenburg, was happy with the set-up and he had a medical check by the team doctor in Eindhoven. After another discussion with agent Frank Quinn it was decided, pending a favourable medical result, he would sign for one year with a view to turning professional when the contract is reviewed next September. Scanlon will be living near Eindhoven and a full programme of races has been drawn up for the squad - 16 were included this year. A clause in the contract is that he will be available for international duty with some Irish teams and he will be entitled to visits home, particularly for the Irish championship.
As world champion it is expected that Scanlon will get one of the top government grants at the next share-out. He received just £1,200 this year but now he has to cope with the huge jump from junior to the under-23 category. With very little likely to cause controversy among the 24 items on the agenda at the annual general meeting of the FIC in Malahide tomorrow, it should all be completed speedily. No elections are necessary as Jack Watson, Peter Thornton, Paddy Griffin, Sean O'Callaghan and Pat Clarke have no opposition as secretary, treasurer, PRO and heads of the under-age and sporting committees. There is, however, an important proposal by Clann Brugha that the name of the association and company be changed from the Federation of Irish Cyclists to the Irish Cycling Federation.
There was Northern opposition to this title a few years ago and some delegates may not be in favour of reverting to the ICF but it seems a logical choice.
Thornton shows a healthy balance after the year's prudent activities. Following expenditure of £416,611 there is a surplus of £60,170. The costliest item again on his list was £89,736 in expenses for teams on international duty but there was the bonus of Scanlon's triumph.
There is no budget for 1999 in Thornton's report. He states that this is because the FIC is heavily involved in the preparation of a business strategy plan which will determine the receipt of funding from the Irish Sports Council and the future direction of the sport. He maintains that the plan should be approved and in place before drawing up a budget for next year.
