Scanlon out to maintain form

Halfway through the NCBI Stena Line Junior Tour, the battle for the final yellow jersey is beginning to heat up. Three stages remain in the race, 175 miles which ensure a worthy winner at race's end on Sunday afternoon.

This evening's action sees the riders tackle 54 fast miles from Dunboyne, starting at 6.30 p.m., then at 11 a.m. tomorrow the field assembles for the toughest stage in Roundwood. Over 60 strength-sapping miles, the riders tackle the category one climbs of Luggala and Sally Gap twice before finishing on the outskirts of the town at the end of the second lap.

A vastly transformed general classification is guaranteed after the mountain stage, but Sunday's concluding 61 miles in the Blessington - Dunlavin area provides one final opportunity to depose the race leader.

In addition to this race's green-jerseyed quartet, more Irish team members are competing in the French Mi-Aout Bretonne race, which started yesterday and runs until Sunday. Morgan Fox, David McCann, Tommy Evans, Aidan Duff, Paul Griffin, Mark Scanlon, Brian Ahern, Denis Lynch and Gary McQuaid are all taking part in the tough pro-am, with the latter four eligible for selection to the team for the under-23 European championships, running on August 24th-26th. National road manager Declan Byrne will finalise this team on Monday.

Most likely to be selected is Slioman Scanlon, who finished fourth in the four of As series last weekend. Scanlon had led the contest since winning the opening GP des Ambulances Deleyrolles race but lost out on the final day when double points were awarded to placed riders.

The 20-year-old has still to ensure a professional contract for next season. Mercury, who had expressed an interest in giving him a trial, are having financial difficulties and it is probable that their proposed merge with La Francaise Des Jeux would impose constraints on the signing of riders. Also competing in the Mi-Aout race is Ciarβn Power, in the colours of his Saint Quentin team.

Mountainbike-riders Robin Seymour and Mark Kenny return to American tomorrow for the NORBA round five race in Mt Snow. Following this, Seymour will prepare for the final round of the UCI World Cup in Quebec and then goes on to the World Championships in Colorado, while Kenny's big goal is the Master's Championships in Bromont, Canada at the end of this month.

Meanwhile, the Mayo wheelers are looking for entries for two forthcoming events. Next Saturday they host the Irish time trial championships; applications are due by next Tuesday. Also welcome are entries for the Sheeffry challenge leisure event which takes place on Saturday 25th - contact Elsie Higgins for details at 098 26575.

FIXTURES: Today: NCBI Stena Junior Tour of Ireland, stage four 88km, starts Clonee 18.30 p.m. Tomorrow: NCBI Stena Junior Tour of Ireland, stage five, Roundwood, starts 11 a.m. Sunday: NCBI Stena Junior Tour of Ireland, stage six, Tallaght, starts 11 a.m. Crotty Cup, Kilrush, starts 2 p.m.

The comeback of France's Richard Virenque, who is serving a six-month ban for doping, will be in the Tour de Burgos (Spain), his Domo team said yesterday.

The 31-year-old, whose ban by Swiss cycling authorities will end on August 14th, had appealed to be able to take part in the Tour of Denmark which begins on August 14th. However his Belgium-based team have decided in the interests of their new signing "to avoid any controversy" to align Virenque in the Tour of Burgos which begins on August 20th.