ALTHOUGH Mark Scanlon has been going well in training, he was not risked by his new Dutch team Rabobank in the hurly-burly of the first event on their programme last weekend but he is set to make his debut in Belgium on Sunday in the Ghent to Leper under-23 race.
THE season goes up another gear on the home front this weekend with races at three venues tomorrow, three more on Sunday and then the usual St Patrick's Day programme of four events on Wednesday.
There has been an unbalanced appearance in the first few races with small numbers of first category men and three times as many second category - only 26 took part in the main event at Newbridge last Sunday. Something needs to be done with the computerised grading system or those holding first and second class licences should race together, as the fixtures booklet indicates. The Leinster league continues at Kilcullen tomorrow, over seven laps of a six-miles circuit starting on the Naas Road, and there is a handicap race at Bangor. The universities championship is down for decision at Tramore - a morning time trial and an afternoon road race with women also catered for.
The Coombs Connor memorial promotions are at Drogheda on Sunday with the first category race the top event of the weekend. The Kiely Cup is listed for Blarney and the Phoenix club have their Grand Prix which has been switched from Nutts Corner to The Maze.
The Irish Road Club's annual handicap from outside Finglas to Drogheda and back on Wednesday should have the biggest turnout of the day. Because of roadworks it was shortened last year with Kentstown the turning point but it is back to the old 44-miles course on Wednesday. There is also the usual Downpatrick handicap, the Carraig Cup at Carrick-on-Suir and a new event, the Connacht Federation's Ireland West Trophy at Partry.
There has been a very scrappy feed-back of information on the Irish team in the Tour of Egypt but it finishes today with a 50 kilometres team time trial and that ends the first phase of international assignments. The next outing for an Irish team is the Archer Grand Prix in England on April 11th followed by the Ruban Granitier in northern France.
A team from the Netherlands will again be in the TQ Paper twoday for women promoted by Dublin Wheelers on March 27th and 28th and three British teams are also expected.
As in previous years the stages are from the airport road with road races on the Saturday and Sunday mornings and a short time trial on Saturday at 3.30.
