Cycling News round-upIrish professional Philip Deignan rode strongly on yesterday's eighth leg of the Tour de l'Avenir in France, placing ninth on the 159km stage in Aurillac.
The Letterkenny rider came home in a group sprinting for fourth place on the stage, three minutes and 26 seconds after Credit Agricole's Bradley Wiggins soloed across the finish line for the win. Deignan's Ag2R Prévoyance team-mate Mark Scanlon was 50th, 5.46 back.
Deignan climbed well during the mountainous stage, placing seventh and sixth at the prime lines of two category one ascents.
Of the two, Scanlon is best placed overall. The Sligoman is lying 6.57 behind leader Lars Bak (Team CSC) in 21st place. Deignan is 73rd, 33.9 down. The race concludes tomorrow.
To mountainbiking, and this weekend Jamie Popham will be competing in Fort William in the last round of the World Cup. Popham had a heavy crash during the recent world championships, hitting the deck during the last practice session before the downhill race. The Eircom-backed athlete needed stitches but was able to carry on. He will be hoping for better luck this time round.
Meanwhile, an exciting battle is expected among some of Ireland's best junior riders this Sunday when they line out in the national road race championships in Ballinrobe. The contest will take place on a testing route of 110km, based in Tourmakeady, with the heavy and undulating roads of the Partry Hills set to ensure a worthy winner.
Among those expected to go well are defending champion Maurice O'Brien and the Belgian-based Ciarán Kelly, plus Michael Murray, Martin Munroe, Ciarán Cassidy, Seán Rock, Adam Armstrong, Ronan McLoughlin, Daniel Clifford and Urban Monks.
Elsewhere, the highlight of the women's season takes place with the running of the TQ Paper International this weekend. Several overseas teams are travelling for the race, which this year will be based around Balrothery.
Two teams will each bring six riders from the Netherlands, while another half dozen women are on the RG Charlottenburg Berlin squad. The main opposition to the overseas entrants comes from the Irish national selection of Colette Swift, Jenny Fay, Orla Hendron, Louise Moriarty and former national road race champion Julie O'Hagan.
The event comprises two road races and a 2km time trial.
