CYCLING NEWS:LESS THAN a week after taking an excellent 15th in the Tour de France, Nicolas Roche (Ag2r La Mondiale) will line out tomorrow in the San Sebastian Classic, aiming for a strong performance.
Many of the top performers from the Tour de France will take part, including the winner Alberto Contador (Astana), and the hilly event should see those riders make the most of what is left of their form from that race.
Philip Deignan will also participate, seeking to build form after a long break from competition.
On Sunday, Daniel Martin (Garmin Transitions) will begin the Tour of Poland. Martin was an excellent third in last week’s Brixia Tour and heads to the longer stage race determined to ride well.
Two of Ireland's younger riders will soon have their chance to compete against big pro teams when they begin two months as stagiaires(trial riders) on the An Post Grant Thornton M Donnelly Seán Kelly team.
Philip Lavery and Stephen Halpin were yesterday named as trialists on the team. Both have been based in Belgium this season. Halpin will be the first to start, lining out alongside An Post riders Mark Cassidy, Connor McConvey, Ronan McLaughlin and Mark McNally in the Suir Valley three-day this weekend. “We have been monitoring their progress closely for quite a while now and they both have serious potential,” said team manger Kurt Bogaerts.
The Suir Valley race is one of the rare Irish appointments for the Belgium-based squad. Now in its fourth year, it is continuing to grow and the organisers hope to attain UCI ranking status in the future.
Among those taking part will be two Isle of Man teams, with the A squad being led by former FBD Rás winner Andrew Roche. There will also be an Irish Under-23 squad, the An Post riders, plus a host of domestic teams.
The action gets under way tomorrow afternoon in Clonmel with a 113.4km race, starting and finishing in the town. Two stages follow on Sunday, a hilly 92.8km road race and then a short evening time trial of 2.5km. Overall victory will be decided by Monday’s 98.9km road race.
Last year’s winner David McCann will not be taking part. Last weekend he finished an excellent fifth overall in the Tour de Quinghal Lake in China.
FIXTURES– Saturday-Monday: Suir Valley three-Day, Clonmel. Stage one starts at 1pm. Saturday: Mountnugent GP, starts 7pm; Sunday: IVCA Age Standard Championships, Summerhill, starts 9.15am. Monday: Drogheda League Race, Donore, starts 7.30
