While there is confusion at the top of Irish cycling again with the resignation of Dermot Dignam as chairman of the ICF Board, the first of the Christmas season events goes ahead at Carrick-on-Suir on Sunday. All the top officials were to attend a strategy meeting at Lucan this evening and tomorrow but, following Dignam's decision, the resignation of the newly-elected PRO, Paddy Griffin, followed yesterday.

Sean Kelly will be in his usual position at the head of the line-up for the 28th edition of the Carrick hamper race, but Mark Scanlon takes the opportunity to wear his world junior champion's rainbow jersey in competition.

After his win on his 18th birthday at Valkenburg on October 10th Scanlon was reluctant to even take the jersey off going to bed, but as he will be in the under-23 category next year with the Dutch Rabobank team this is his chance to show it off in a race. There is also another outing for him in a 10-miles time trial at Sligo on December 28th.

Scanlon has also accepted the Carrick Wheelers invitation to take in their popular promotion which has been held since 1971. Also expected to take part are national champion Ray Clarke along with Ras winner and under-23 champion Ciaran Power, Micheal Fitzgerald and Brian Kenneally. Last year Karl Donnelly broke away and held off all challengers but he will not be travelling to attempt a repeat this time.

Kelly's early mentor Tony Ryan, who was a regular competitor in the early years of the hamper race, is now the organiser and he said he is continuing the format introduced for the Kelly celebration classic of 1994.

Although listed in the fixtures booklet for 12 o'clock, it will now start at 1.30. First there will be a controlled leisure spin over the 10-mile Fiddown course and the racing then gets under way with five laps of the five-mile circuit followed by 10 fast and furious half-mile laps in the town finishing in Sean Kelly Square.

Dignam's resignation came as a surprise as the attempt to resolve controversial issues seemed to have been successful with him appointed as chairman with responsibility for the day-to-day running of ICF affairs. However, he said he could not continue as he maintains the federation "is heading into another year of friction, crisis meetings and recrimination." Dignam will continue as organiser of the FBD Milk Ras, which will be held next year from May 15th to 23rd.

The Leinster Federation prize presentation arranged for Sunday has been postponed until next month.