Competition hots up ahead of cyclocross showdown

Cycling:  With the National Cyclocross Championships scheduled to take place early next month, the build-up continues this Sunday with the second round of the Northern Ireland handicap league.

Taking place at Lurgan Park, the race will be fought out on a short, fast course which mixes wooded sections, two run-ups and a fast, single track. Each lap should take about five minutes to complete.

Roger Aiken will seek to defend his league lead in the race, the Banbridge rider having won the opening round two weeks ago with a fine solo charge ahead of Robert Lamont and Tim Edgar. Racing starts at noon with the underage event. The main contest will take place at 1 p.m.

Multiple national champion Robin Seymour (Team WORC) highlighted his own good form in advance of this year's championship with a victory last week in the opening round of the Cycleways.com Leinster Cyclocross league. Lamont's journey south was rewarded with a second place, the XMTB rider finishing one position ahead of Bray Wheelers' Adam Kelly. The next round of the Leinster Cyclocross League will be held next Sunday in the sports grounds of University College Dublin.

Meanwhile, Cycling Ireland's Track Commission will have a new look next season following the resignation of four key officials at the a.g.m. last week.

Chairman Phil Collins, Malcolm Goggin (riders' representative), Will Byrne (treasurer) and Paul Doyle (secretary) all stood down. Collins' position will be filled at some point in the near future, while Kate Rudd, Louis Moriarty and Tony Doyle will take up the other three slots.

Byrne stressed that there was no underlying problem behind the resignations. "We have all done a lot since day one in the Commission and basically need a break. Others are coming in and they should be able to have a good go at it."

A number of topics were discussed at the meeting including the need to expand the numbers of youth and underage competitors. The Track Commission has undertaken to work more closely with the regional federations and Cycling Ireland in order to address this issue.

Work on the development of the track school at Sundrive road has been put on hold because of ongoing problems with vandalism in the area. Byrne states that the Government funding secured for the project is safe.

FIXTURES

SUNDAY: Northern Ireland Cyclocross league round 2, Lurgan Park. Under-age race at noon, main event at 1 pm.