Champions seek consolation

Following their dominant display in the Tour of Hokkaido, the Irish team have returned from Japan with renewed confidence. Their haul of three stage wins, the overall title and the points classification (David McCann) and one stage, third overall and the mountains jersey (Paul Griffin) were a huge boost to Irish cycling, as was the prize for best team won by the quintet in the world-ranked race.

Attention now turns towards end of season events such as the world championships in Portugal and the Herald Sun Tour in Australia. The line-out for the Grant Thornton-sponsored world event will not be announced until an ICF press reception on October 2nd, but it is expected that McCann will ride in the elite time trial and Mark Scanlon will lead the under -23 team. Both are then likely to travel to the Australian event.

To mountainbiking, and defending cross-country champions Robin Seymour and Tarja Owens have returned to Ireland for tomorrow's national championships in Kilruddery Estate, Bray. Both were part of the Irish squad which had travelled to Vail, Colorado, for the world championships which took place last week.

Seymour finished 60th in the elite cross-country event and, after setting the race as his big goal for 2001, was disappointed not to approach his performance of last year when he was 34th. He will be concentrating this weekend on trying to take his eighth consecutive win in the national championship, drawing additional motivation from the fact that the race is on his home course.

Also determined to ride well is Owens, who was bitterly disappointed last weekend when she was forced to withdraw before the elite woman's race due to gastroenteritis. A seventh consecutive title tomorrow would be a consolation. All indications are that a good day's racing is in store.

The organisers report a high entry, with the English riders Adrian Landsley, Phil Cooper and former European junior champion Liam Killeen among those chasing world-ranking points. Signing on begins at 9.30, with the underage races starting at noon. The events for juniors, veterans and senior riders then follow two hours later.

Spectators are welcome, with the road to Kilruddery signposted from the N11 at Bray. Contact 01 2863890 for further information.

Entries welcome for the Tour of Connemara leisure event on Saturday, September 29th. Ring 091 552306 for more details.

Fixtures: Today: Denis Whelan memorial, Batterstown, 10.0. Tomorrow: Irish cross-country MTB championships, Kilruddery Estate, Bray; IVCA/Obelisk Wheelers Sonny Cullen memorial cp, Batterstown, 10.0.