CYCLING OLYMPIC PREVIEW AND TOUR NEWSNICOLAS ROCHE and Philip Deignan get Ireland's Olympic cycling campaign under way tomorrow in the Elite road race. The 245.2-kilometre event over an arduous course will see some tough battles being fought out in Beijing.
Deignan has not raced lately, preferring to hone his form with specific training sessions. Like the Donegal rider, Roche also took part in a mountain training camp in France, but then elected to ride the Tour de Wallonie last week. He showed excellent form in the 2.HC event, finishing seventh overall and placing fourth, 12th and 15th on stages.
He and Deignan have been acclimatising in China for several days and have ridden the course of the race. It begins with a flat 80-kilometre section to the base of the main climb, then takes in seven loops of 23.8 kilometres. The hill will play a crucial part in the contest, being 11 kilometres long, averaging four per cent but including gradients of up to 10 per cent.
"The course is hard and the conditions also," Roche said yesterday. "It is hot, very humid and foggy. There were only two days where we saw the sun! It's hard enough to breathe here but I guess at this stage it's going to be the same for everybody."
When asked what his expectations were, he said that himself and Deignan would find out on the day. "We have no idea how we will do. Philip and I did our maximum to be in peak form. I think now it's just a case of waiting, seeing, and hoping neither of us has a bad day!"
Following the road race, Ireland's David O'Loughlin will line out in the individual pursuit next Friday and Saturday. Robin Seymour goes in the mountainbike event on Saturday, August 23rd.
Meanwhile, the organisers of the Tour of Ireland have confirmed the final three teams for the race. Boy Van Poppel - son of the former Tour de France green jersey winner Jean Claude Van Poppel - was fourth in the final stage last year and will front the Rabobank team. Team-mate Thomas Berkhout was second to the line in Dublin last year, and finished in the same position in the Tour of Normandy this season. Former Rás Mumhan stage winner Thomas Rabou will also be on the team.
Kenny Dehaes is the likely leader of the TopSport-Vlaanderen squad. Former Tour of Spain points victor Malcolm Elliott returns. The 2.1-ranked event begins in Dublin on August 27th and concludes five days later in Cork.
WEEKEND FIXTURES: Today: Lurgan Criterium, starts 7pm. Tomorrow: Pursuit workshop with Olympian Phil Collins, starts at Sundrive Road, 11am; West Down GP, Katesbridge, starts 11am. Tomorrow - Sunday: Ballinrobe two-day, stage one starts in Ballinrobe, 3pm (for more details contact Eamon Marrey at 087 7646416). Sunday: Tour of Armagh, Ulster Classic League round 7, starts Craigavon Watersports Centre, noon; Swords GP cancelled due to roadworks; IVCA DMS, Kentstown, starts 9.15am.
