New team set for South Africa

CYCLING: The new Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group team will get their first international assignment under way when they fly out to South Africa this Sunday.

Conor Murphy, John O'Shea, Andrew Roche, Derek Burke and John Dempsey are travelling with team manager Myles Gallagher to the 2.2-ranked Giro del Capo, which runs from Wednesday to Sunday week.

The team was launched in a slick presentation in Milltown on Tuesday, joining the Seán Kelly Racing Team as one of Ireland's two continental-level set-ups this year. This is the first time the country has had teams of this standard, and boosts chances that more Irish riders will go on to strong professional careers.

Former professional Morgan Fox will act as team captain, and he has been impressed. "I think it is probably second to none, in terms of developments in Irish cycling over the last 10 or 15 years," he said at the launch.

The team is backed by a number of sponsors, the biggest being the car dealership Murphy and Gunn and the property developers the Newlyn Group. Stephen Murphy says he is fully committed to the project.

The team will feature 14 riders in 2006, and will have a good programme of international and domestic races. It comprises Fox, Murphy, Roche, O'Shea, Burke, Dempsey, Paul Healion, Adrian Hedermann, Philip Finegan, Simon Kelly and John Wall, plus the young riders Mark Nestor, Barry Nolan and Urban Monks.

Meanwhile, Irish cycling is in mourning following the loss of 1954 Rás stage winner Mick Christle earlier this week. The brother of former organiser Joe Christle, he also won the Irish road race title.

"Mick was a very amiable guy, but also one with steely determination who was physically and mentally very strong," said Rás director Dermot Dignam. "He was way ahead of his time as regards coaching methods, too."