The races at Banbridge and Cork on Sunday are the final outings before the road race championships for seniors and juniors the following week at Waterford although there will be some Irish involved in the programme of events on the Isle of Man next week.
Because of the ICF's poor financial state, national team director Richie Beatty was unable to plan for Ireland being represented in the Manx International race next Friday, but the promoters there invited a four-man Irish selection and Beatty named Ciaran Power, Philip Cassidy, Michael McNena and Tommy Evans for the assignment over three laps of the 37.75 miles TT circuit. Kanturk junior Denis Lynch, who performed so well in the Tour of Moray in Scotland last weekend, will also go to contest the Viking Trophy race over two laps.
The Noel Teggart memorial event is at Banbridge on Sunday with the Jim O'Leary memorial, a handicap, at Highfield, Cork. Cassidy goes to Banbridge and after his fine double triumph last Saturday and Sunday who can stop him from continuing on his all-conquering way?
Pat Power of the Comeragh club in Waterford is the promoter of the championship events. At first he said it would be four 25-mile laps for the seniors and then that had to be changed. However, after discussions on Wednesday night with the gardai and other parties involved it has been decided that the seniors will do six laps of 16 miles with four for juniors, starting and finishing outside the Waterford Glass Sports Centre. Entries close on Monday.
Unlike other sporting organisations, the Irish Cycling Federation continues with efforts to eliminate the use of performance enhancing substances. Two senior racing men were up before top ICF officials in the Dublin headquarters yesterday as, following urine tests in recent races, they had been found to have taken a banned product.
In cases where cheats are detected and the sport is brought into disrepute there should be severe penalties imposed, even to the extent of a ban for life. A statement will be issued by the ICF when the riders are informed of the outcome of their cases.
Italian cycling star Marco Pantani spent two hours with antidoping officials in Bologna yesterday, amid a report that his possible use of drugs could have dated back to 1995.
Pantani is in the spotlight after being kicked out of the Tour of Italy on June 5th, after failing a blood test.
