Seymour goes off road for Athens

CYCLING: With the Athens Olympics less than two years away, the main focus for many of Cycling Ireland's international riders in the coming season will be qualification for the 2004 Games. The most likely route for our road race aspirants is via a high finish in the world 'B' championships.

But mountain bike hopefuls will gear their season towards the pursuit of the world ranking points, which would act as their gateway to the 2004 Olympics.

Although he has raced in America and Italy for the past two seasons, Robin Seymour's need to climb back inside the world's top 50 means he has decided to use Ireland as his base in 2003. Seymour has not renewed his contract with the Mapei off-road team in Italy so that he will be free to participate in ranking events next year, a gamble which he hopes will pay off with the second Olympic participation of his career.

The Wicklow rider last weekend took his 12th straight Irish cyclo-cross title with an impressive display.

Besides earning him his 20th senior national title in off-road cycling, last Saturday's cyclo-cross championship win in the grounds of Powerscourt brought another success. With the event acting as the final round of the national cross league, Seymour ended the series at the top of the standings, pushing Apollo CT's Aidan McDonald and Banbridge CC's Don Travers into second and third places.

Their consolation is the medals they earned on Saturday, with Travers taking silver for the third year in succession and McDonald earning bronze.

In other news, the Christmas Hamper race normally held at this time of the year in Carrick-on-Suir will not be going ahead. However, a similar event will take place in Carraroe, in Co Galway, on December 29th, entitled Rás an Turcaí, and featuring many of Ireland's best-known cycling names. Further information is available on 091 503147.