Connor first on the road

CYCLING: The World Road Race Championships will begin in Salzburg this coming Tuesday and a squad of nine riders will represent Ireland.

The campaign will begin with Ryan Connor's participation in the under-23 time trial on Wednesday. Connor was seventh in the TT at the Triptyque des Barrages in Belgium last weekend, and also took sixth in the mountains classification.

The following day national TT champion and Irish record holder David McCann will ride in the elite time trial, aiming to improve on his 15th place in the 2004 edition. Navigators Insurance rider David O'Loughin will also travel for the race against the clock.

Next up will be Ireland's sole women's representative, Siobhan Dervan, who is riding the women's road race next Friday. She has shown strong form in recent events, including her fourth place in the mountains classification of the Euregio Ladies Tour last week and 16th overall there.

One day later, Connor will be joined by Seán Kelly ACLVB M Donnelly team-mates Páidí O'Brien and Mark Cassidy as well as VC La Pomme's Daniel Martin in the under-23 road race. Martin seems like a good bet for a strong performance following his victory earlier this month on the final stage of the 2.2-ranked Giro della Valle d'Aosta. He finished second overall.

The world championships end with the elite road race and McCann will be joined by two promising young riders, Nicolas Roche (Cofidis) and Philip Deignan (Ag2R).

Both earned their place after strong rides in the Tour de l'Avenir, with Roche winning a stage and finishing 10th overall, and Deignan taking second on a mountain leg. He ended the race 22nd overall.

Fixture: Sunday - Epic Blast MTB race, Ballinastoe Woods (near Roundwood). Starts 10am.