CYCLING: With the road season drawing to a close, the final Irish team for 2002 has been named to take part in the Tour of Okinawa in Japan next month. It had been hoped Irish professional David O'Loughlin would be able to make the most of his good form to lead the team in the 1.5-ranked race, but due to other commitments the Mayo rider is unable to travel.

Instead, Paul Healion has been called up to join Eugene Moriarty, Paul Griffin and Tim Cassidy in the squad for the race, which will take place on November 10th.

Healion is one of the few internationals who has continued to train hard this late in the season, due to his ambition of breaking the Dublin-Waterford record, but after being ahead of schedule in last weekend's effort he was hampered by a change in the weather in the final 20 miles of the solo test.

To cyclo-cross racing, and the second round of the national league takes place tomorrow at Big Wood, near Newry. National champion Robin Seymour was fastest last weekend in Lurgan Park, overcoming most of his six minute 30 second handicap to finish second, but it was the junior rider Michael Mulvena who held off the field to take a fine win.

Mulvena will tomorrow aim to repeat the feat during the race, which runs on a reverse circuit to last year's course. More information is available from Conor Campbell of Newry CC at (048) 41739039.

Finally, two weeks after the death of Eddie Tobin, Irish cycling is mourning the unexpected passing of another highly-regarded official who did much for the sport. Kieran Hammond, an affable and warm-hearted member of the Orwell Wheelers cycling club, passed away while out cycling last Sunday and was laid to rest this week.

Kieran dedicated much of his time to the running of events, including the Noel Hammond Memorial classic league race and Orwell's inter-club league. He was also a volunteer on races such as the FBD Milk Rás and had an important role in furthering the participation of visiting international teams.

Kieran had many friends in the sport and, as one of his team-mates put it, "nobody had a bad word to say about him. He was a really, really nice guy". He will be missed by all who knew him.