Cycling ColumnWith the May 22nd start date drawing ever closer, FBD Insurance Rás organiser Dermot Dignam has confirmed the participation of professional teams from Canada, the Netherlands and Britain in the eight-day race.
Andrew Randell, stage winner into Castletownbere three years ago, is returning at the helm of the Jet Fuel Coffee team. The Canadian squad will be co-led by Stig Somme, with support from promising young riders Zach Bell, Kevin Miller and Mark Pozniak. The team is racing in Belgium to prepare for the Irish tour.
The British Recycling.co.uk team looks particularly dangerous, as it features two previous winners. Paul Manning, 2001 champion, and 2003 victor Chris Newton will be backed by Rob Sharman, Shaun Snodden and Ben Greenwood in their challenge for overall honours, and either could triumph.
Dutch Team B&E also have previous experience of the race. Their line-up is Tino Haakman, Richard Kooijman, Aldo Klomb, Sander Lormans and Gerard Windhouwer. In all, six pro teams will be part of the UCI-permitted maximum of 200 entrants who line out in the 2.2 ranked event.
In other news, the highly promising downhill rider, Jamie Popham, is one of just nine sportspeople who successfully appealed their 2005 Irish Sports Council carding award this week. Popham performed below par in the world championships last year because of the after-effects of a broken ankle, but is very much of comparable ability to other riders who were granted €11,500 this year.
He was given nothing in March, highlighting the inflexibility of the assessment system, and while he succeeded in securing €4,600 this week, the amount is still far less than the amount he needs to ride a full international programme this season.
Popham is disappointed with the decision but even worse off are fellow MTB riders Robin Seymour, Tarja Owens and Michelle McCartney. These three had their appeals dismissed. They will be forced to seriously consider their participation in international competition after what seems to have been a somewhat over-the-top cull in Irish sport.
The 2005 Cycling Ireland track league will begin tomorrow with an open day in Sundrive Road, Kimmage, running from 10am until 4pm. All are welcome. The first league race proper will follow this coming Wednesday, starting at 7pm.
FIXTURES
Saturday: Galway criterium, starts 7pm. Contact Pat O'Donnell at 086 8159134. McArdle Cup, Knockbridge. Starts 11am.
Sunday: Coombes Connor Memorial, Donore. Contact Gerard Campbell at 086 8192205. Tommy Sheehan Memorial, Carrick-on-Suir. First races at noon. Kearney Cycles Galway Bay GP, starts 1pm. Tour of the Mournes, Newry. Starts noon. Munster DH League round three, Killaloe. Starts noon. XC NPS round 3/Leinster XC league round two, Ravensdale. Starts noon.
