Lawless wins the top job

While there was a good attendance at the annual general meeting of the Irish Cycling Federation in Malahide last Saturday, it was a dull affair. The election of Mick Lawless as president was the only item of interest and several delegates left after the result was announced before the lunch break with Lawless the winner by 63 votes to Paddy O'Callaghan's 48.

There was a general air of apathy as the officers' reports were accepted with none of the old style lively debates. Nothing controversial arose to provide even a hint of heated discussion and the agenda was completed in less than four hours.

McQuaid had to stand down after completing two terms of two years and he said he had no intention of standing for the position again. Lawless takes over at the start of the new millennium, that is in 35 days.

Lawless, who started in cycling with Dublin Wheelers and then switched to the Irish Road Club where he has been a great worker for the sport, said he has no immediate plans: "I will have to feel my way in at first but then when I get to grips with the job I will give it everything to ensure my term is a very successful one."

There is an important meeting tomorrow as McQuaid and two other members of the ICF Board will have discussions with national team director Richie Beatty, whose contract expires on November 30th after another satisfactory season. A major factor in Beatty's favour is that with four places assured for the Olympics at Sydney there will be more cyclists in the Irish party than many other sports.

Beatty is keen to continue and he said he wants a two-year contract but, while additional monetary reward is unlikely, more detailed planning and budgets are required from him.

Robin Seymour, who has qualified for the Olympic mountain bike race at Sydney, reverts to cyclo-cross tomorrow. He has been cyclo-cross champion for the last eight years and in preparation for the title race at Lurgan tomorrow week he is to contest the last of four events in Wallace McNaul's series at northern venues at Ballymena tomorrow.

As Seymour was involved in Olympic mountain bike qualification races in the US he could not contest any of the earlier cyclo-cross events - Alastair Martin was the winner of the first two at Ballymoney and also at Giants Causeway. Now Seymour wants to have a try-out on his cyclo-cross bike against Martin and Aidan McDonald while Craig Brady is also expected to travel north.

Meanwhile, coaching director Paddy Doran has a seminar arranged for Swords next weekend. It will be held from 11.0 to 5.0 on Saturday and Sunday, at a cost of £12. All the important cycling subjects will be dealt with, while Doran will be assisted by a number of experienced and trained health professionals.

Ciaran Power has still not signed for the French-based British team Linda McCartney but is expected to do so soon.