Ireland favourites to register fourth win in a row

WITH such a strong worldwide challenge for the nine day FBD Milk Ras, which begins tomorrow, national team director Alasdair MacLennan appears to have a difficult task trying to register a record fourth win in a row for a member of the Ireland team. But the chance of a place in the Olympic road race on July 31st provides an additional incentive to the Irish taking part.

MacLennan's choice of Micheal Fitzgerald, Peter Daly, Mark Hutton and Leslie McKay are all French based but they face opposition from Japan, South Africa, Germany, Netherlands, Britain, Scotland and the US, as well - 18 county selections and eight regional squads from England.

With an Australian, Darren Cash, on the Liverpool team, New Zealander Tony Carter riding with Lincolnshire, Mexican Oscar Lobo leading the US side from New York and another Australian, Jeff Stewart, filling a vacancy for Germany, there is the widest range of nationalities in the history of the event which has been held without a break since 1953.

MacLennan won with Eamon Byrne, Declan Lonergan and Paul McQuaid the last three years and his selection this time was made because "they have been racing at a higher level".

However, in the Shay Elliott race in Wicklow last Sunday Fitzgerald never got into contention and retired halfway through. Daly was involved in the action at the front from the start but he could not stay with Tommy Evans and David McCann near the end and had to settle for third place, almost a minute down. McCann beat Evans in the sprint to the line.

McCann, winner of the Tour of Ulster the previous weekend, rides with Evans on the Derry team and that is just one of many strong county squads - with them are Paul Giles, Denis Easton and Barry Monaghan. David Peelo and Finn O'Sullivan, riding with Dublin Fingal, should also be to the fore. Although McQuaid was the overall winner last year Brian Quinn of Limerick was the only Irish stage winner.

The strength of the visiting teams is an unknown quantity. The British Federation nominated a young, inexperienced quartet but three of them have been changed. Only Richard Hobby remains and he is joined by Lee Davis, who was third three years ago, Andy Naylor and Mike Taylor. Some obvious contenders are included in other British selections and the all round time trial champion, Gethin Butler, is back again, riding with England North East.

MacLennan's team, sponsored by Abrakebabra, are the obvious favourites but that is an additional burden. Fitzgerald won the national championship at Wexford last July and he was winner of the Junior Tour in 1992. Daly also won the Junior Tour (1990) while Hutton was junior champion in 92. McKay, has been designated by MacLennan as team captain because of his experience.

After assembling tomorrow at North Great George's Street the start is from O'Connell Street at one o'clock for the first stage to Kilkenny. It will be neutralised to the Naas Road and finishes at Kilkenny Castle after two laps of a circuit of three miles in the city. There are bonus sprints along the way at Athy, Newtown Hill and Castlecomer, with five seconds to the leaders and four, three, two and one second to the next in order so whoever wins the opening stage may not be the first race leader.

With the exception of the final day there are 11 o'clock starts, with 103 miles to Millstreet on Sunday followed by 94 miles to Nenagh on Monday, 102 to Castlebar, 94 to Letterkenny, 89 to Buncrana including the Gap of Mamore, 101 to Donegal and 103 to Newry. The final stage of 75 miles on Sunday week has a one o'clock start finishing with 10 laps in Swords with bonus sprints of three seconds, two and one for the first three at the end of laps one, three, five, seven and nine.