Following Ciaran Power's recent strong showing in the Tour of Italy, another Irishman surpassed his own pre-race expectations in last Sunday's world mountain bike championships in Sierra Nevada, Spain. Three months before he makes his Olympic debut in Sydney, Irish national champion Robin Seymour rode impressively to finish 34th in the cross-country event, 16 minutes behind race winner Miguel Martinez of France.
With only 50 riders in line to dispute the Olympic event, Seymour has a realistic chance of being in the top 20. Another with hopes of racing in Sydney is former junior world champion Mark Scanlon. The 19-year-old returned to Ireland this week to prepare for his first senior national championships on June 25th.
Last weekend Scanlon finished sixth overall in the Tour de Loire Atlantique, taking fourth, 10th and seventh in stages and securing second place for his CC Etupes squad in the teams classification. The Sligoman is due to race in s Sunday's Davis Cup road race in Ballina, while team commitments mean that David Loughlin O'Loughlin forfeits the event in favour of an under-23 World Cup race in Italy.
O'Loughlin travels to the Isle of Man to compete in the Manx International next Friday, alongside Ireland team-mates Paddy Moriarty, Tommy Evans and David McCann, before all four return for the national championships two days later.
Race favourites Ciaran Power and Morgan Fox have a busy schedule ahead; Fox has a number of events scheduled with his Tonissteiner team before attempting to recapture the title he won in 1997, while Power rides in the Circuito Montagne in Spain.
Another Irishman, Aidan Duff, returns from his Nantes base next week, although his arrival on Thursday means the Dundrum rider will miss the Stephen Roche GP which starts at 7 p.m. the previous evening. Meanwhile, Sean Kelly lines out as part of a large field in the testing Wicklow 200 randonnee this Sunday while the following Saturday the Irish Society for Autism hold their annual sponsored cycle. Starting in Kilkenny, the route passes through New Ross and Enniscorthy and finishes in Wexford. Contact the Irish Society for Autism at 01 8744 684 for information and sponsorship cards.
