THE STAGE win for Richie McCauley in the Tour of Malaysia and the domination by Martin Earley and Philip Collins in the two day race in the south of England last weekend helped to ease some of the disappointment in the failure of the Irish team to qualify for the Olympic road race.
However, this trio have switched their concentration from the road racing scene and it will be the turn of those chosen for the Girvan race in Scotland at Easter to try and maintain the successful run.
National team director Alasdair MacLennan has named the four man Irish selection for the Scottish three day event Mick O'Donnell and Stephen O'Sullivan of Bray, Willie Byrne (Sorrento) and Conor Lally (Dublin Wheelers). Tony Campbell is manager.
MacLennan points out that he has chosen this young team to gain experience and he added that he avoided picking riders from south of the Dublin region because of the travel involved and the alternative racing available in Blarney.
The team will have their final preliminary outing in Carlow on Sunday in the Des Hanlon memorial race over a testing loop of almost 90 miles around the county. It is the first of eight events to count in the Telecom Call card classic league.
The Carlow start is listed for noon. There are separate promotions over 70 miles for juniors, also the opening of their classic league, and for third category licence holders.
The weekend activity gets under way with the Mid Eastern Region's league race tomorrow. This fifth event in the series is the final one for the early part of the season and it has been switched to Batterstown, 11.0 a.m. Keith Bannon's second win last Saturday put him in the lead from Byrne 29 points to 22. The league will be completed with four late season races from August 31st.
The Dublin Wheelers two day for women, sponsored by TQ Paper, starts tomorrow morning with stage one of 40 miles at Swords. There is a four miles time trial behind the airport at 3.30 and the final stage on Sunday morning starts at the ALSAA complex at 11 a.m. and finishes back there after a circuit in north county Dublin of 46 miles.
Robin Seymour competes on Sunday in the promotion listed for Rosenallis following his win in the mountain bike race in the Phoenix Park last week. Monday is the closing date for entries for the Blarney three day race next weekend.
MacLennan leaves on Monday to go with Declan Lonergan to the World Cup track meeting at Cali in Colombia at Easter and in Havana the following weekend. Lonergan travels from his Sacramento base to Boston over the weekend and meets MacLennan in Miami for the flight to Colombia.
In addition to Lonergan taking part in his Olympic event, the points race, MacLennan said he will also contest the pursuit in Colombia and Cuba. Lonergan has signed for the Australian Giant team and will ride for them in the US Du Pont tour in May.
To qualify for the world championship events on the track riders must earn points in at least three of the World Cup meetings. Pursuiter Philip Collins is due to go to Italy and Greece in May and then he and Lonergan will take in the meeting in Germany before heading for Atlanta.
