Just when the difficulties in Irish cycling seemed to have been ironed out, one of the top officials, Dermot Dignam, has resigned.

At the annual general meeting last Saturday week a satisfactory compromise had been reached with Pat McQuaid staying on for the final year of his term as president and, because of his many outside commitments, he would be working mainly for the ICF on the international front.

Dignam, who was head of the development committee, was appointed chairman of the ICF board with full responsibility for the day to day running of affairs.

However, at the first meeting of the new board last Friday, Dignam said it became apparent that "to some members of the board the promotion and development of Irish cycling takes second place to personal agendas and vendettas".

In his letter of resignation to the secretary Jack Watson, Dignam states: "After three years of frustration over the lack of direction and cohesiveness I had firmly hoped that our recent attempt to resolve these issues would be successful and that we could all work together as a team in the interest of cycling. It is obvious from comments and decisions at Friday's meeting that this is not to be." as which he has organised since 1979.