CYCLING:PAÍDÍ O'BRIEN had a solid showing in the 1.1-ranked Nokere Koerse race in Belgium on Wednesday, sprinting in 22nd at the end of the 196-kilometre event.
The Corkman was second home of the An Post-M Donnelly-Grant Thornton-Seán Kelly Team, crossing the line just behind English rider Daniel Lloyd, who was 17th. Quick Step professional Wouter Weylandt triumphed when he was quickest in the 35-man bunch gallop to the line.
The Irish Continental team will have their first official assignment of the year here this weekend when a squad takes part in the Rás Mumhan race. Team director Kurt Bogaerts has put the emphasis on the young riders for the four-day race, with Isaac Speirs, Mark Cassidy, Ronan McLaughlin and Denis Dunworth competing.
It is one of four big goals for the team in this country; the FBD Insurance Rás, the national championships and the Tour of Ireland are the others. The focus for the rest of the season will be on overseas events.
"The guys are really looking forward to going home and taking part in the Tour of Munster," said Bogaerts in recent days. "The team are well prepared after a few weeks of tough races and training and our aim will be to win one of the early stages. Hopefully we can push on from there and have a rider competing for the overall prize."
The Rás Mumhan begins today with a 70-kilometre stage, starting and finishing in Killorglin. Day two is 125 kilometres long and is based around Cahersiveen, taking in Valentia Island. Sunday's 100km stage starts and finishes in Waterville and scales the Ballaghbeama and Ballaghasheen climbs, while the final leg takes in laps of the Beaufort-Killorglin circuit.
Elsewhere, the Tour of the North and the Bertoni Gorey Three-Day offer more stage racing options, while the second round of the K-Capital Cup takes place in Moneyscalp Forest. This will see Robin Seymour and Niall Davis continue their three-race ride-off for the single slot available in the Olympic cross country race later this year. Seymour is ahead on points after finishing second in round one; Davis, in sixth, needs to perform strongly on Sunday.
FIXTURES - Friday-Monday:Rás Mumhan, Kerry. Stage one starts 4pm in Killorglin. Tour of the North, Ulster. Stage one starts 6pm at Stormont. Saturday-Monday: Bertoni Gorey Three-Day, Dublin/Wexford. Stage one starts at noon from Brittas. Sunday: K-Capital Cup, round two, Moneyscalp Forest, Co Down
RESULTS: NOKERE KOERSE (1.1)(Belgium, March 19th): 1 Wouter Weylandt (Quick Step) 196 kilometres in 4 hours 48 mins 31 secs (40.759 km/h); 2 J Roelandts (Silence/ Lotto); 3 A Greipel (Team High Road); 4 B Traksel (P3Transfer/Batavus); 5 S De Wilde (Willems Veranda's Continental Team); 6 Y Hutarovich (Française des Jeux) all same time.
Others:17 D Lloyd (An Post/M Donnelly/Grant Thornton/Sean Kelly Team); 22 P O'Brien (An Post/M Donnelly/Grant Thornton/Sean Kelly Team) both same time; 78 V Folkesson (An Post/M Donnelly/Grant Thornton/Sean Kelly Team) at 40 secs; 102 K Lisabeth (An Post/M Donnelly/Grant Thornton/Sean Kelly Team) at 2 mins 57 secs.
