CYCLING: The return of the powerful Team Bianchi Nordic squad has been confirmed for this year's FBD Milk Rás, with the Scandinavian squad likely to be one of the most powerful in the race. Last year's runner-up, Tobias Lergård, is returning with the intention of winning the event outright.
He will be ably backed by fellow Swedes Jonas Holmkvist and Petter Renäng, Finland's Kimmo Kananen and Glenn Bak of Denmark.
Team Bianchi Nordic will be transported to Ireland by race backer Stena Line on May 21st, two days before the start of the eight-day world-ranked event.
Earlier this week race director Dermot Dignam announced the participation of another overseas entry, the New York-based CRCA/Sakonnet Technology team. The Under-23 squad will be one of a large number of foreign teams lining out this year.
In other news, Paul Griffin yesterday took the lead in the king of the mountains competition in the Tour of Hellas in Greece. He was third and first across the summit of the day's two climbs and now leads that classification by one point. Griffin was 43rd in Tuesday's prologue and is in much the same position overall, the next two stages having been decided in bunch sprints.
To mountainbike news, and a five-rider Irish squad will compete tomorrow in the fourth round of the Liquigas Cup in Brianza, Itlay. Robin Seymour, Tarja Owens, Barry Nolan, Lewis Ferguson and Glen Kinning left yesterday evening for the race.
Meanwhile, the first round of the weekly Cycling Ireland track league will be held on the Eamonn Ceannt track in Sundrive Park, Dublin, tomorrow. Three categories will be employed: underage, elite 1 and elite 2, and track bikes are required by all. For more information, contact Will Byrne on 086 8047839.
Finally, two good stage races are being run this weekend. The Tour of Ulster starts tomorrow with a 70-mile stage between Emyvale and Enniskillen, which includes three categorised climbs. Also getting underway is the Corkman Three-Day in Kanturk, open to everyone bar first category seniors.
FIXTURES
Saturday/Monday: Tour of Ulster. Stage one starts in Emyvale, Co Monaghan, 11.45. Corkman International Three-Day and Youth Three-Day, Kanturk.
Saturday: Cycling Ireland Track racing league, Sundrive Road, 1.30.
Sunday: Cycling Ireland XC NPS Round Two, Ballinastoe Wood, Co Wicklow. Underage racing 12.15, main event at 2.30. National tandem championships tt, Boot Inn. IVCA 50 mile DMS, Kentstown, 10 am.
Monday: Emyvale McQuaid Tyres CC (with Tour of Ulster), 11 am.
