AFTER the stage race activity at Blarney and Gorey over Easter it's back to ordinary events this weekend with promotions at Bohermeen, Cookstown and Castleisland the Markievicz Cup listed for Collooney on Sunday has been postponed for two weeks.

The Tour of Ulster is the next three day event on the calendar, on May 4th, 5th and 6th, and the organiser Pat Clarke has not had the expected response to his request for early entries.

Today was the closing date but he maintains that rumours about the strong English professional squads coming has apparently deterred the local teams from entering.

Clarke said that although he had inquiries from numerous teams in Britain the only entries he has received are from Liverpool, Lincoln and Scotland. There are some individuals included but he added. "None of the very strong sponsored English professional teams are coming and I am extending the closing date for entries to next Tuesday so as the Irish teams that were put off by the rumours can get themselves organised over the weekend and finalise selections."

Stage one of the Ulster tour starts at Lisnaskea with 75 miles to finish in Enniskillen, which is the start and finishing point for all the other stages. On the Sunday morning there will be 60 miles with a time trial over 7.6 miles and finishes on the Monday with 70 miles. Entries to Pat Clarke at 106 Sligo Road, Enniskillen.

There is a full programme for all grades at Greetiagh, Bohermeen on Sunday (2.0) with the main event, the Mick Beggan memorial shield sponsored by the Trustee Savings Bank, for first and second category licence holders, and the winner also collects £100.

Third category, veterans, juniors and women are also catered for and there will also be races for under 16, 14 and 12, starting at noon.

The East Tyrone club's Spring Classic tomorrow also has a full programme and the action continues at Cookstown on Sunday with the Tour of the Sperrins.

The races at Castleisland are for all except first category with the Drumm memorial the feature for second and third category men.

Before the national team director, Alasdair MacLennan, went with Declan Lonergan for the World Cup track meetings in Colombia and Cuba he announced the Irish team for the Tour of the Vendee Region in France and at the time he intended the same six riders to go on to the Ruban Granitier event in Brittany.

However, he had to make a couple of alterations. Philip Collins agreed to go with Michael Fitzgerald, Mark Hutton, Peter Daly, Leslie McKay and Ciaran Power to the Vendee tour on April 25th, 26th and 27th but Collins has now declined the invitation to go on to the other, more severe event from April 29th to May 5th and Power does not want to go on to that either.

Collins, winner of the three day race at Blarney last week end, will be returning to Manchester to concentrate on his build up for the Olympic track pursuit and Power does not regard himself ready for the two stage races.

Aidan Duff, who will be riding the three day event with his Vendee U team, dons the Irish jersey in the seven day race and Eamon Byrne completes the French based team.

Although the Irish riders failed to make much impression in the mountain bike race at Margam in Wales last Sunday Martin Earley, Alastair Martin and Robin Seymour tackle the first event of the World Cup series in Lisbon they have to contest the qualifying event today with the big test on Sunday.