CYCLING: The Irish team for this year's world road race championships departs tomorrow for the Canadian city of Hamilton, where the six-day event is taking place.
The championships start on Tuesday with the junior women and under-23 time trials and run through until Sunday week, when the world's top professionals will scrap it out for the right to wear the coveted rainbow jersey.
Ireland is sending a squad of 10 riders to Hamilton. Nicolas Roche will be the first to race when he contests the 30.8 km under-23 time trial on Tuesday. The 2001 world rowing champion Sinead Jennings goes as Ireland's representative in the following day's elite women's TT, by virtue of her excellent victory in the Irish qualification event last Saturday, while juniors Theo Hardwick and Barry Woods also race against the clock on the same 20.8 km course that day.
Thursday sees the elite men's time trial take place over two laps of the circuit and here David McCann - who won the men's qualification TT last Saturday - will square up against the top pros.
The programme of road races begins on Friday. Roche, Denis Lynch and Philip Deignan are aiming for a strong performance in the 173 km under-23 event, which takes place over 14 laps of the gruelling, hilly course. On Saturday, Hardwick, Woods, Paul Brady and Mark Cassidy line out in the junior contest, while Sinead Jennings takes part in the elite women's road race, both events are 124 km long.
The climax of the week is next Sunday's elite men's race, which is 21 laps and 260 km in length and sees the riders grind up the tough Niagara Escarpment a staggering 42 times. First division professional Mark Scanlon wears the green jersey in this one and is hoping to cap off his fine debut season with a good ride. He has his final warm-up this weekend in the Paris-Tours classic race.
Due to her world championship participation, Sinead Jennings has had to withdraw from the TQ Paper International two-day this weekend. Over 70 riders are due to take part in the three-stage race, which is being held near Dublin airport and begins tomorrow with a 64 km road race. A flat 2km time-trial follows in the afternoon and then on Sunday the event concludes with a tough 74 km race.
This year's TQ Paper International is the biggest ever women's contest in Ireland and with competitors from Germany, the Netherlands and the UK aiming for the top prizes, it is set to be a hard-fought affair. The Irish challenge will be lead by strong Ireland and Leinster teams.
In other news, Cycling Ireland hold the "Talent Spot" skills competition for underage cyclists in Ballinrobe, Co Mayo this weekend. More details are available from Padraig Marrey at 087 7992857.
Finally, Eugene Moriarty's fine performance in the FBD Milk Rás earlier this year was recognised at a ceremony last weekend when won the award for the Kerry Sportstar of the Month for May.
FIXTURES
Saturday 4th-Sunday 5th: TQ Paper International Ladies 2 day, Dublin Airport. Stage 1 has an 11 a.m. start; Talent Spot competitions, Ballinrobe. Open to all riders underage of 14 years. More information from Padraig at 087 7992857.
Sunday 5th: Munster Hill Championship, Abbeyfeale. Starts 2 p.m.; Coast Run charity cycle, Abbeyfeale. Starts 9 a.m.
