Mountain riders get a boost

It is a unfortunate fact that within the Irish cycling scene, the discipline of mountain-biking has often been relegated to second place in terms of financial support and media coverage. This summer, however, the profile is set to improve with the announcement that the Irish cross-country and downhill national championships are to be placed on the international calendar.

With greater prestige and valuable world ranking points, the news means that more Irish riders will be eligible to compete in World Cup events. And the draw of those ranking points, it seems, may also entice foreign riders to compete here.

Although there were races last weekend in Galway and Tralee, for most road-racing cyclists the domestic season gets under way this weekend with fixtures in Newbridge, Annaclone, Navan and Cork.

At 11.0 tomorrow, the Kildare/Newbridge club host the opening event in the Heffernan Tyres league, with racing for seniors, juniors, women and veterans taking place over six laps of a five-mile circuit. The same categories are catered for in Banbridge CC's Annaclone handicap road race (12.0).

Many cyclists will associate the rolling roads around Navan with their first real exertions of a new season, and Sunday's Cycleways Cup (starting 12.30, sign-on at Navan rugby club) will feature large bunches of riders seeking to rediscover their racing legs.

After roadworks 12 months ago forced a change of route, the event reverts to the Tara Hill-Dunsany circuit, where one of this year's prerace favourites Philip Cassidy claimed the 1997 and 1998 editions. The first-category riders have four 17-mile laps to cover, with second category tackling three laps and juniors, veterans and women facing one less again. For those in the south of the country, the 50-mile Ken O'Keeffe memorial starts at noon, with signing-on at the Cork cricket club.

On the international front, Linda McCartney professional Ciaran Power rode strongly in the GP Chiasso in Switzerland and this weekend contests the Trofeo Pantalica and the Giro di Siracusa in Italy. Power then lines up against the world's best in the Tirreno Adriatico next Wednesday. The 1998 junior world champion Mark Scanlon will this weekend make his competitive debut with the French Etupes squad, while on Monday the six-man Irish team start the Tour of Egypt. Finally, the national MTB champion, Robin Seymour, begins his build-up for the Sydney Olympics today when he starts a three-day stage race in Cyprus.