Tour can be big deal for Power

CyclingSeven Irish riders are making final preparations for the Tour of Britain, which starts next Wednesday in Manchester.

The 2.3-ranked race has many of the top teams in cycling, including US Postal and T-Mobile, with the latter being led by Andreas Kloden, who finished second in last month's Tour de France.

Navigators Insurance rider Ciarán Power is aiming for a strong ride on the back of his excellent 13th place in the Olympic road race.

Power hopes to land a first-division pro contract in Europe for 2004 and knows a stage win in the British race would go a long way to cementing a deal.

The Grant Thornton Team Ireland squad will comprise the six other Irishmen entered in the five-day race and will be spearheaded by the national road-race champion, David O'Loughlin, and the FBD Milk Rás winner, David McCann.

The other four are Tommy Evans, Philip Deignan, Tim Cassidy and Páidí O'Brien.

The latter three have all shown fine form in under-23 events and will be hoping to use the race to build towards a good ride in the world championships later this autumn.

Meanwhile, four Irish riders are currently taking part in the masters world cycling championships in St Johann, Austria.

Irish road-race champion Lennie Kirk, Shaun Gray and Brendan Graham compete in the 40-45 age-group road race today, to be held over three laps of a 25-mile course, while Gerry Heverin will take part in the 30-35 road race on Sunday.

Staying with the championship theme, Cycling Ireland's Track Cycling Commission will this weekend run the All-Ireland underage and junior championship races at Sundrive Road, near Crumlin in Dublin.

The national senior men's omnium and women's points race contests will also be held at the same venue. More details are available from Phil Collins at 087 2866197.

To women's racing, and Louise Moriarty begins the six-day Holland Ladies Tour on Monday, the biggest event she has ever entered.

The six-day, 700-kilometre event is ranked 2.9.1 on the UCI calendar and is thus on a par with the women's Tour de France and Tour of Italy.

As expected, the world's top female riders will line out in the test, which begins with two stages. First off is a 102.3-kilometre road race, which is followed by a 12.5-kilometre team time trial.

Moriarty will be lining out as part of the Dutch Movingladies squad.

Meanwhile, Colette Swift finished 65th in another tough race, the 2.9.2-ranked Trophee d'Or in France. Competing against some of the world's top riders, Swift was 42nd in the final stage and 51st in the time trial.

The TT was won by the former world champion Edita Pucinskaite of Lithuania, who also took the overall honours.

FIXTURES: Saturday: Westport Criterium, starts 8.30 p.m.; Tour of Cavan, Ballyconnell; starts 1 p.m.Saturday - Sunday: Junior and underage track championships, Sundrive Road, Kimmage. Also includes senior omnium and women's point race. Sunday: Sheefrey Grand Prix, Westport; starts noon, underage at 1 p.m. Ballyconnell festival race; starts 10.30 a.m. Fintona GP; Fintona, starts 1 p.m. Northern Ireland cross-country league round 4, Big Wood, Newry; starts noon. IVCA 10-25-50 mile TT, starts 9 a.m.; Enfield.