Irish riders shine abroad

CYCLING/Weekend round-up: Irish riders rode with distinction in foreign events yesterday, with Ciarán Power recording one of his best rides as a professional and both Mark Scanlon and Tommy Evans performing strongly and finishing to the fore in other races abroad.

Power was an excellent fourth in the bunch sprint which decided the 190 kilometre Grand Prix of Rennes, a 1.3 ranked event which is part of the French Cup series. Despite the presence of more established teams such as Lotto, Credit Agricole and AG2r in the race, his Navigators team took four of the first five placings, with Kirk O'Bee and Vassili Davidenko topping the podium.

In England, Tommy Evans sprinted home seventh at the end of the tough 1.5 ranked Archer Grand Prix. The Team Ireland rider finished in the chasing group which crossed the line 47 seconds behind defending champion Gordon McCauley and second-placed Kevin Dawson. The leading duo had raced ahead inside the final 15 miles and drew clear.

In France, former world junior champion Mark Scanlon recorded yet another good result in his strong season when he was third in the in Prix Des Coteaux D'Aix in Puyricard. The VC La Pomme rider jumped clear with four others inside the closing stages of the Division 1 Mavic Cup event, with eventual winner Stefan Petilleau (VC Roubaix) slipping away inside the final kilometre.

Back home, US professional David O'Loughlin showed his strength with an impressive, but ultimately futile, race-long attack in the Ben McKenna Memorial in Balbriggan. The Ofoto Lombardi Sports rider was over two minutes clear for most of the race, but wilted inside the final 15 miles and was caught close to home.

The event was won for the second year running by the storming Cycleways rider Phil Cassidy, who at one stage was four minutes adrift of the leader but who rallied in the final two laps as the rest of the field faded.

Ben McKenna Memorial, Balbriggan: 1, Phil Cassidy (Cycleways Lee Strand) 80 miles in 3 hours 18 mins 9 secs; 2, W. Byrne (Hillcrest) at 14 secs; 3, A. Donnellan (Dublin Wheelers) same time; 4, K. McMahon (Earl of Desmond) at 35 secs; 5, C. Sweetman (Stamullen-Martin Donnelly) same time; 6, E. Moriarty (Cycleways Lee Strand) at 1 min 55 secs; 7, R. Moore (Stamullen-Martin Donnelly); 8, T. Hughes (Stamullen-Martin Donnelly); 9, M. Kiernan (Naas-Fig Rolls); 10, S. Bracken (Usher IRC) all same time.