EVEN in the absence of so many of the top men there was a bright opening to the season last weekend with good, keenly fought competition. The action continues tomorrow at Clonee and Bangor with Dundalk and Blarney the venues on Sunday.
There were 76 in the Mid-Eastern Region's league on Saturday and 81 took part in the main event at Navan on Sunday. The strong wind posed a big problem, but greater efforts will have to be made by riders and officials to keep to their own side of the road - there were passages, during the races I saw on Saturday and Sunday, when it was very hazardous for all road users.
Although some of the participants were obviously well short of peak fitness those, who were to the fore in the closing stages at Navan, showed the benefit of sound winter preparation and David Hourigan was very impressive in his successful reappearance after an absence of almost three years.
Hourigan said afterwards that he would be going for the Kiely Cup at Blarney on Sunday and the opposition there is likely to include Paul Butler and Ciaran Power, who were on duty in the Tour of" Malaysia.
When the team of six for Malaysia was announced Richie McCauley was understood to be the only one not joining a club in France this season and his inclusion was because of his experience as a stage winner in Malaysia last year. However, it now appears that Butler and Power are not going to France and the acting national team director Frankie Campbell will be requesting an explanation from them.
Entries close next Wednesday with Sam D'Arcy for the Amev Irish Road Club's annual St Patrick's Day handicap from the Brock Inn outside Finglas, to Drogheda and back. March 22nd is the closing date for their Easter three-day promotion from Tallaght to Gorey and back.
The southern region of the FIC have stepped in to fill the breach caused by the cancellation of the Blarney three day at Easter. The four-stage race now has the backing of the region with stage one on Easter Saturday from Cork to Killorglin. Stage two is a 1 1/2km hillclimb, with the afternoon stage over 17 laps of a three-mile circuit. The event returns to Cork on Monday via an alternative route.
