Scanlon to end 11-year Tour drought for Irish tomorrow

CYCLING/Tour de France: Mark Scanlon will get his first Tour de France underway tomorrow with a flat 6.1-kilometre time trial on the streets of Liège in Belgium.

The 23-year-old former world junior champion will be the first Irish starter since 1993, ending a long drought for Irish cycling, and will take a significant step forward in his career.

Following the prologue, the first road race stage will take place over 202.5 kilometres between Liège and Charleroi, with a number of other flat stages following. These will most likely result in big bunch sprints; Scanlon will have an important role in leading out his Ag2R team-mates Jaan Kirsipuu and Jean Patrick Nazon and so will be in the thick of the action.

Scanlon will also be asked to mark breakaway attempts before the mountains begin on stage 10.

At home, the first three finishers in last Sunday's national road race championship for women have been named for the Ireland team for this weekend's prestigious Danny Boy 2-Day in Limavaddy. New champion Julie O'Hagan, Colette Swift and Roisín Kennedy will be joined by Siobhán Dervan, who lost her chance for glory on Sunday due to a long chase back after a puncture.

A number of other Irish women will take part in the two-day, three-stage race, which is the sixth round of the Team Series competition, including a large Ulster team and an Orwell-Dundrum SC selection.

Promoted by Roe Valley CC, the race has attracted 80 entries, including competitors from mainland Europe and Britain.

Racing will begin with a 52-mile road race and a short time trial tomorrow. A 45-mile road race will follow on Sunday, using the Carrowclare circuit.

Meanwhile, the Rás Connachta gets underway today with a 48-mile circuit race. Tomorrow sees the riders tackle two stages, a 68-mile road race and a 6.8-mile time trial, with the final mountain stage taking place over 70 miles on Sunday.

Elsewhere, the eighth round of Cycling Ireland's track league takes place at Dublin's Sundrive Park tomorrow. Track bikes are required by all, with a limited number available for loan at the velodrome. Contact Will Byrne at 086-8047839 after 8 pm for further information.