Martin still flying in Catalonia

CYCLING/TOUR OF CATALUNYA:GARMIN-CERVÉLO rider Daniel Martin followed up his excellent fourth place on Wednesday's toughest stage of the Volta a Catalunya with 10th place yesterday into El Vendrell. His first cousin Nicolas Roche (Ag2r La Mondiale) was one place back in 11th.

They completed the lumpy stage in the same time as the winner Manuel Cardoso (Team RadioShack), as did their compatriot and Cardoso’s team-mate Philip Deignan.

There was no change in the general classification, with Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank-SunGard) retaining his race lead and Martin staying a superb fourth overall, 35 second back. Roche is 40th and Deignan 68th.

Martin will be encouraged by how he is going, particularly as he tends to gain form as the season progresses. The race continues until Sunday and he’ll aim to hold fourth or, if possible, to improve his position.

Roche is behind schedule this year due to injury issues in the winter.

He’s showing signs of improving form, but mechanical problems on Wednesday saw him perform below his expectations. He’ll look for an opportunity to chase a win in one of the three remaining stages.

Meanwhile, Martyn Irvine and Caroline Ryan will compete in the World Track Championships in Holland today.

Ryan will contest the women’s individual pursuit and will hope to show the same sort of form that earned her a silver medal in the World Cup in Cali.

The level of competition will be higher in Apeldoorn, but she has been working hard in preparation and will hope that things go well.

Irvine competes in the multi-event Omnium discipline, which begins today with the flying lap. He has taken top-five results in the individual pursuit and kilo events during the World Cup, and will be trying to get his strategy right in the tactical endurance events. If he can do that, a high overall finish is very possible.

Elsewhere, David McCann (Giant Kenda) was 20th on the sixth stage of the Tour of Taiwan. He finished in the peloton alongside the other contenders, and remains in third overall, 19 seconds off the race lead of Markus Eibegger (Tabriz Petrochemical Team).

Finally, the first international teams have been announced for this year’s An Post Rás. The Australian Drapac team and New Zealand national squad are returning a year after competing in the 2010 edition.

The Drapac riders had a very strong performance last year, with Joe Lewis taking a superb second on stage four to Tipperary, sixth on stage six to Gorey, and a fine eighth overall. Stuart Shaw was also fourth on stage eight to Skerries.

Lewis has moved teams but Shaw is expected to return and be joined by former Australian road race champion Darren Lapthorne, Rhys Pollock, Thomas Palmer and Floris Goesinnen.

Several riders of the New Zealand team are currently competing in the World Track Championships. Marc Ryan was part of the pursuit team who were fourth on Wednesday; he was sixth at the summit finish of Mount Seskin last year.

Shane Archbold was third into Gorey in 2010, while Cameron Karwowski, Aaron Gate, Myron Simpson and William Bowman are also in the running for one of the five team places.

“The teams rode well last year, and now that they have an idea of what the race is about we think they will be even more competitive,” said race director Dermot Dignam.

The 2011 An Post Rás will begin in Dunboyne, Co Meath, on Sunday, May 22nd, and will feature stage finishes in Portumna, Kilrush, Castleisland, Castletownbere, Blarney, Tramore, Kildare and Skerries.

FIXTURES

Saturday: Ciclisport GP, East Tyrone, 10am; Stagg’s Lucan GP, Batterstown, 10.30; Race Around Ireland information day, 10am-2pm in DCU.

Sunday: Dundalk Traders Cup and Women’s National League, round one, sign on at Dowdallshill GFC, races start 1pm; Rás Luimní, Caherconlish, 12.30; PJ Logan Cup, 11am, Gortgonis Sports Complex, Coalisland.