Power targets return

Following the crash in the Four Days of Dunkirk race one month ago which left him with a broken collarbone, Irish professional Ciaran Power has indicated he will return to competition in the Irish road race championships on July 1st.

Meanwhile fellow professional David McCann continues the build-up to his title defence on Sunday in the Schynberg-Rundfahrt event. He finished in the main bunch in the Swiss GP Winterthur on Monday.

McCann's Ireland team-mates from the FBD Milk Ras, Morgan Fox, Tommy Evans, Aidan Duff and Mark Scanlon, also compete abroad on Sunday in the Ronde de St Quentin race in Northern France.

The team is completed by Eugene Moriarty, Paul Griffin, Michael McNena and Ray Clarke. David O'Loughlin is a notable omission. Scanlon is, according to his agent Frank Quinn, likely to limit his racing abroad to Irish team duties for the immediate future.

Ireland's women's road race champion Geraldine Gill finished second in a 60-kilometre event in Breic de Lodet last Sunday, then finished one and a half minutes clear of the field in Monday's race in Pluvigner.

The odds of more Irishwomen racing abroad have been enhanced by the announcement of a mid-summer domestic league, starting with a 10-mile time trail in Batterstown on June 19th. Information is available from Pauline McKay at 087 2651718.

Sean Kelly will make a presentation on the development of elite cyclists tomorrow at the NCTC national coaching forum. For details contact the ICF at 01 8551522.