Because of enforced cutbacks following the curtailment of grants from the Sports Council, the ICF Board decided last weekend that an Irish team would not be going as planned to the Ruban Granitier race in France. The remaining resources will be used to field a team of five to represent Ireland in the FBD Milk Ras from May 15th to 23rd, and another six-man selection is committed to the Tour of Britain from May 23rd to 29th.
Those shortlisted for the French race, from April 25th to May 1st, will now take part in the Tour of Ulster on May 1st, 2nd and 3rd so nearly all the top men will be in that event now, with Mark Scanlon also likely to be included.
Plans have still not been finalised for many of the teams in the FBD Milk Ras but they have to be sorted out over the weekend as next Wednesday is the final closing date for entries - Dermot Dignam will not accept any after that.
Scanlon is involved this week with the Rabobank amateur squad in the Tour de Loire et Cher and as he will then be home for a break before the next race on his programme, the Fleche du Sud in Luxembourg from May 13th to 16th, he is clear to take in the Tour of Ulster and he may take part. However, the all-conquering Clarke's team of Tommy Evans, Ray Clarke, Ian Chivers and Michael Fitzgerald will be out to add to their domination of the Tour of the North at Easter and Ciaran Power, Brian Kenneally, Eugene Moriarty and the 1997 winner Stephen O'Sullivan join in too.
The Ulster Tour starts in Omagh with stage one of 81 miles to Cavan. The second stage is 79 miles to Monaghan with 45 miles on the Monday morning back to Omagh and it ends with a time trial in the town over 1.2 miles along High Street to the Court House.
This is a similar format to last year when Evans only clinched overall victory in the time trial at Dungannon.
The Stamullen Grand Prix on Sunday is the top event on the weekend list of fixtures. It is over six laps of the usual 12-mile circuit, starting at one o'clock - surely there should be an earlier start for these races.
The promotion for second category licence holders is over four laps, with the same distance for juniors and there are also races for under 16, 14 and 12. The Stamullen club also put on the Brendan Carroll memorial over six laps of five miles tomorrow at 4.30.
The East Tyrone club have their Spring Classic handicap at Drum Manor tomorrow and on Sunday there is the Cork Road Club's Whitechurch Grand Prix and also the Lakeland Grand Prix.
