Roche targets Giro d'Italia finish

CYCLING: Promising young Irish professional Nicolas Roche will tomorrow begin the first three-week tour of his career, lining out in the Giro d'Italia as part of the Crédit Agricole team for the race.

He secured a place on the team through a series of strong results in French Cup events. Roche and the rest of the squad are currently training in Sardinia prior to Saturday's opening 24 kilometre team-time trial to La Maddalena. Day two sees the riders complete a 203km road race to Bosa.

As Roche is just 22 years of age, he has set finishing his first grand tour as his main goal. However, he has indicated he will ride aggressively on some of the flatter days in the hope of landing a good result on a stage.

In other news, it has been confirmed Ireland's sole UCI-registered team will line out in the FBD Insurance Rás, which begins in Naas on Sunday week. The Ireland-Murphy and Gunn/Newlyn Group/M Donnelly Seán Kelly team will be led by Irish under-23 champion Paídí O'Brien and Tour of Ulster stage-winner Stephen Gallagher. Mark Cassidy, Simon Kelly and Danish rider Glenn Bak are also likely to show their strength. Kelly was sixth overall last year.

The team is based at the Seán Kelly Cycling Academy in Merchtem, Belgium, and regularly compete in UCI-ranked events.

Meanwhile, Chris Newton will line out in the race aiming for what would be a highly impressive third overall win. He will front the Britain Stena Line Reycling.co.uk team in the eight-day event, and must be regarded as one of the biggest favourites.

The double world track champion has a very strong history in the Rás, taking two wins, second place overall and eight stages. However, one thing which will make his campaign more difficult is the fact the next oldest riders on the team are just 23 years of age. Its FBD Insurance Rás line-up comprises Graham Briggs and Ryan Bonser, both 23, plus 19-year-old Tom Diggle and 18-year-old Adam Bonser.

Diggle and Adam Bonser have been successful before on Irish soil. The former took the best under-17 prize in the 2005 M Donnelly Junior Tour and a stage win last year, while Bonser landed two stage victories last summer and looked to have the overall classification sewn up before he crashed out on the final stage.

Also confirmed for the race is a strong Dutch under-23 selection. Dennis Kreder, Ricardo van der Velde, Alain van der Velde, Yvo Kusters and Robin Chaigneau will line out for the 2.2 ranked event.

FIXTURES - Saturday: Track training/accreditation: Eamonn Ceannt Park, Sundrive Road, starts 11am. NPS XCO round two NI RR championships - postponed. Cycling Ulster Youth RR championships, Hamiltonsbawn. Starts 1pm.

Sunday: Noel Hammond Memorial/Kieran Hammond Memorial, Balbriggan Community College. Starts 11am. Zoo Hair Salon/Velotex National League round three, Balbriggan, starts 11am. MTB XO NPS, Carlingford, Co Louth. First races at 11.30am. Kelly Pharmacy RR, Colligan, Dungarvan, starts noon. Tour of Mournes, starts from Newry Hockey Club at noon.