Scanlon, Power take on the best

CYCLING/Olympic Road Race: Mark Scanlon and Ciarán Power will tomorrow undertake one of the most important races of their careers when they line out in the Olympic Road Race in Athens. The Irish duo will square up against the world's best riders in the 222.7km race, which will be held on a 13.1km circuit in and around the Greek capital.

The 17-lap race starts and finishes in Kontzias Square in downtown Athens, and follows a testing, technically demanding route. Each lap sees the riders tackle four climbs - the gradual 1.5 kilometre ascent of Alexandras, the steeper, two-kilometre climb of Lycabettus Hill, a drag over cobblestones up to the Acropolis and the final uphill rise to the finish line.

Factor in the twisting descents plus what will be a very strong field and you have the makings of an unpredictable, exciting contest.

Six-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong is missing from the line-up, the American electing to miss the Games in favour of time with his children, but an otherwise excellent field of riders will be chasing Olympic glory tomorrow. Defending champion Jan Ullrich will be aiming for gold once more, backed by 2000 bronze medallist Andreas Klöden who finished second in this year's Tour. Alexandre Vinokourov of Kazakhstan was runner-up to Ullrich in Sydney and will be looking for top honours this time, while the traditionally strong nation of Italy will be represented by potential winners such as Paolo Bettini and Filippo Pozzato.

Spain's challenge may well prove to be the strongest, with the current world champion Igor Astarloa, the 1999 and 2001 champion Oscar Freire and the exciting, up and coming Alejandro Valverde each capable of gold.

So, too, are Peter Van Petegem (Belgium), Erik Dekker (Netherlands), Stuart O'Grady and Robbie McEwen (both Australia). In Armstrong's absence the US team fields four real challengers - George Hincapie, Tyler Hamilton, Bobby Julich and Levi Leipheimer.

Given the star-studded line-up, Scanlon and Power have a tough task at hand but are still capable of a strong showing. They have taken totally different routes in their preparation, with Scanlon finishing his first Tour de France and then riding the Tour of Demark in order to build his form and condition. The accumulated tiredness means that the young Sligoman is unsure of his chances, but all going well he has said that a place in the top 15 or 20 could be possible.

In contrast to Scanlon's competition-heavy schedule, Power has stepped back from racing to prepare for Athens. The Waterford rider was given temporary leave by his US-based professional Navigators team to build form as he saw best. His answer was to return to the motorpacing-based training which served him well in the past, the demanding workouts helping to build speed and strength and, hopefully, his chance of a strong ride tomorrow.

WEEKEND FIXTURES

Today: Lurgan criterium, 7.0 p.m. Connacht track league, Ballinrobe, 7.30 p.m.

Saturday: Orchard Classic underage racing, Hamiltonsbawn, 12.0. Cycling Ireland track league round 13, Sundrive Park, accreditation 10.15, racing 11.0 p.m. Alo Donegan Memorial 10 mile TT, Portlaoise, 11.0 a.m.

Sunday: Brendan Campbell Memorial/Leinster road race champs, Donore. Underage racing at 12.0, main event at 2.0 p.m. Tour of Ilmore, Belmullet, 1.0 p.m. IVCA 50-mile DMS, Ashbourne. 9.0 a.m. CI MTB XC league round four, Butter Mountain, Brittas, 12.0.