Cycling:Cycling Ireland's (CI) high performance manager, Frank Campbell, has been encouraged by the showings some of the country's top riders have made during the CI track tryout in Belgium this week.
Professionals David O'Loughlin, Mark Scanlon, Nicolas Roche, Ciarán Power, plus international riders Ryan Connor, Dermot Nally, Paul Healion, Ray Clarke, Michael Murray and Miceal Concannon, have all been on the boards in Ghent and, according to Campbell, the signs are good.
"Things have been going very well," he said yesterday. "We have been running the riders through some basic track skills, then went on to do pursuiting, team pursuiting, some points races and time trials. They did some test times this morning which were quite encouraging.
"All of them, and particularly Scanlon, Power and Roche, looked like they could transfer their road ability over."
Campbell said O'Loughlin was also riding strongly. He impressed greatly two weeks ago when he won the two-kilometre roadman's pursuit at the Revolution track series, beating Olympic champion Bradley Wiggins, former world champ Bradley McGee and Tour de France and Tour of Spain stage winner David Millar.
"He is quite a bit ahead of the others because of his track skills and because he has ridden pursuit before," said Campbell. "He is trying to get back to the shape he was in just after the worlds, when he went for the Irish record, and with final clearance from the board we will be sending him to Moscow in December to do the pursuit out there. David will spend some time again in Newport with the track coach Brian (Nugent( beforehand, then fly over to the world cup."
The riders wound up the three-day trip yesterday by getting physiological tests done by doctor Dag van Elslande, who works with the Discovery Channel pro team. Campbell said another session was planned for this month, and that all of the riders present this week had indicated an interest in more track work.
"It was all looking very good," he concluded. "We will sit down and look at the figures afterwards with Brian Nugent, who has been over here coaching with us, and we will compare them to some of the other standards. But I definitely think it has been a worthwhile exercise for us."
Meanwhile, national cyclo cross champion Robin Seymour had another win last week when he beat promising young rider Lewis Ferguson by a minute and eight seconds in the race held at Corkagh Park in west Dublin. Tomorrow sees the running of the Ulster championships in Kilbroney Park, Rostrevor, Co Down, and Ferguson's recent showing suggests he will be favourite for gold.
This weekend also sees a training and social trip for women. Those taking part will do two leisure/training spins and stay in the Abbey Court Hotel in Nenagh, Co Tipperary, for two nights at a reduced rate.
Beginners are welcome, and can contact Julie for more details at 086 8132052.
WEEKEND FIXTURES
Friday-Sunday:Women's training and social weekend, Nenagh, Co Tipperary.
Saturday:Ulster cyclo cross championships, Rostrevor, Co Down. Youth event at noon, main race at 1 pm.
Sunday:Connacht MTB race, Belleek Demesne, Ballina, Co Mayo. First race at noon.
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