Cycling/Tour de France: Shane Stokes follows in the wheeltracks of Mark Scanlon as the Sligoman prepares to renew Irish interest in the greatest bike race

June 10th, 9.30 a.m. It's a warm, cloudless morning in St Jean de Maurienne, a small village nestling in the foothills of the French Alps. Two cyclists in the colour of the Ag2R professional team pull up to the monument in the town square, meeting for the day's spin. One is the Estonian, Erki Putsep, who is preparing for a ride in the Tour of Spain later this summer. The other is 23-year-old Mark Scanlon, a former world junior champion who is strongly tipped to make his Tour de France debut in just three weeks' time.

The two chat amicably with the photographer and journalist who will accompany them by car today. Having indicated on a map the route they will take, the riders move off to meet up with another cyclist elsewhere and begin the day's spin. Ahead of them lie 210 kilometres - seven and a half hours of cycling up four of the major climbs of Tour legend.

It's a gruelling spin, but then this the most gruelling of sports. The way to make it a shade easier is to go out and cover those big, daunting miles.

Ever since Shay Elliott lined out in the 1956 edition, Irish riders have been at Le Grand Depart of the Tour de France 42 times. Just seven riders account for that tally: Elliott, Ian Moore, Seán Kelly, Stephen Roche, Martin Earley, Paul Kimmage and Laurence Roche. Four of these took part in each of the years 1987, 1989 and 1991. Stephen Roche was the last to ride, in 1993.

For several years in the 1980s the Tour seemed a stomping ground for Irish professionals. Yellow jerseys, green jerseys and stage wins were captured on several occasions and Roche senior won the race outright in 1987.

That boom drew to a close in 1993. At the time, there were no obvious heirs coming through the ranks but even so, few realised the wait would be quite so long. Now, 11 years later, a young pretender is finally ready to step up.

Earlier this week Mark Scanlon performed solidly in the Route du Sud in France. Tomorrow the French national championships take place in the Hautes-Alpes; in the hours or days after the race, the Ag2R Prévoyance manager Vincent Lavenu will make the official announcement concerning the identities of his nine riders for the Tour de France. Scanlon is almost certain to be among them.

Taking part in the world's biggest race is a logical progression for Ireland's most talented rider. After all, the former world junior champion has impressed since he turned pro with Ag2R a year and a half ago.

The year 2003 brought a stage win in the Tour of Denmark, the Irish champion's jersey and a solid ride in the world championships in Canada. So far this season he's taken two race wins in Estonia, second and fourth respectively in the GP Denain and Trophée des Grimpeurs events, and a bundle of world ranking points.

Those performances and his selfless riding within the team have earned praise from Lavenu. "For me, Mark is now one of the most important parts of the team. He has progressed very well, he is a very good team worker and he has ridden well in races this year. He is fast in the sprints, he is strong on the flat and in time trials and is not at all a bad climber. I have a lot of confidence in him."

Scanlon and Putsep ride within their limits on these first two climbs. The 1,566-metre Col du Télégraphe begins just 12 kilometres into the spin and works well to awaken muscles, stimulate the heart and lungs and shake off the early-morning cobwebs. Their steady tempo is reflected by the presence of the third rider in the group, Alexander Lecoque. He too is clad in the blue, white and yellow of Ag2R Prévoyance but the non-team-issue bike gives away his true status as an amateur rider.

Scanlon and Putsep are staying with Lecoque during their Alpine training camp and are happy to spend the early part of the spin with him; later on, when things get tougher, the two professionals will continue alone.

Once past the top of the Télégraphe they head onwards towards the Col du Galibier. The climb is 18 kilometres long and extends upwards past the snow line; as they near the top, huge banks of snow line the route, the road cutting a channel through the mountain as it winds towards the summit.

The final kilometre sees an acceleration in pace, Scanlon taking the sprint for the top. The three riders stop for a while, filling bottles and waiting patiently while photographs are taken. The Galibier is 2,646 metres high and, just when the riders think they're free to continue, a picture beside the sign becomes another necessity.

Once all that is finished they remount their bikes and plummet into the next valley, skilfully negotiating the treacherous switchbacks on the descent. They've covered two cols thus far, one of which - the Galibier - is two and a half times the height of Carrauntoohil. They still have five hours of training ahead.

For Scanlon, a Tour de France debut will be a move into unknown territory. He's never competed in anything as long or as tough. What's more, he's still just 23 years of age. "I'm not really sure what to expect," he says. "We will just see how it goes. I might start the Tour and end up feeling as dead as a doornail after two weeks. Certainly, the last four or five days of the Tour are going to be very, very tough, particularly as the mountains come so late this year. Near the end you have the time trial up the Alpe d'Huez and then the next day, the stage starts with the Col du Glandon and the Col de la Madeleine, all in the first 80 kilometres. That's going to be a really hard day on the bike."

Needless to say, one of his goals will be to reach Paris. "I'm certainly not starting it with any intentions of packing (pulling out). There is no point in being a prima donna, thinking I can pack the Tour to prepare for the Olympic Games," he says, laughing. "I haven't won enough for that. The Tour will be very tough but if I can get through it, if I can get a three-week stage race in the legs, it will make a big difference. By the time the Olympic Games come around I should definitely be in top form, particularly if I have lost another two kilos during the Tour."

Scanlon will have a clear team role once he's completed the prologue time trial in Liège, Belgium, on July 3rd. "I know that when it comes to a sprint finish I am not the fastest on the team, so I am going to be leading out Jaan Kirsipuu or Jean Patrick Nazon on the flatter stages," he said, referring to Ag2R's two gallopers. "If we are heading towards the mountains, I know it is going to be Laurent Brochard or Stéphane Goubert who I'll be working for, as they are the strong climbers.

"But perhaps my main goal will be to cover breaks during the stages. I will be told that if a move goes, I will have to go with it. That would be one of my main objectives, to get away in a good break. I will just have to see what happens. It isn't really a question of picking out a stage to go for. If you have the legs on the day, you have the legs on the day."

Scanlon plays down any suggestion of a stage win at this early period of his career, although many within the sport see him as capable of that in the years ahead. Privately, though, he'd start the race hoping for a strong showing on at least one of the days. He's able to work hard in a breakaway group and has got a fast sprint; if he's part of an escape that does stay clear to the finish of a stage, he's got a very good chance of a high placing.

"One of my strong points is that I can go up the road for a long time and still be fast at the end. It's just all luck, really, getting into the right move," he says. "I'll certainly do my best, if I get the Tour ride."

Scanlon is careful not to say he's certain for the Tour. Teams maximise their publicity by making official announcements close to the start, and so a rider can't reveal his participation until that point. Read between the lines, though, and he will be one of those in Liège.Tomorrow the Irish road-race championships take place in his hometown of Sligo; despite their location, the defending champion won't be there. The Tour is too close, his final preparation too important, and he's got to get the balance between training and resting, eating and sleeping, just right over the next few days.

Everything must be right for the Tour. It's the big one, 20 stages and 3,429 kilometres over three gruelling weeks. It will be the hardest thing he's ever done on a bike, an odyssey that will test his determination and courage every single day. But all going to plan, Paris, like a magnet, will draw him on, and bring him a big step closer to that predicted, top-level sporting career.

Scanlon and Putsep hit the lower slopes of l'Alpe d'Huez, one of the most legendary climbs of the Tour de France. An individual time trial will be held on its slopes during this year's race; climbing the mountain in training gives Scanlon a chance to familiarise himself with the gradients, the hairpins, the correct gears to use and the best way to pace himself on the climb.

Taller and leaner, Putsep looks more suited to the climbs but he is soon dropped by the Irishman. He'll reach the top 15 minutes after his team-mate, drenched in sweat and clearly worn out. Scanlon, on the other hand, seems much more composed when he reaches the top. The gap between the two is even more evident on the final big climb of the day, the Col du Glandon. Putsep loses contact early on and, struggling at this stage of the spin, gladly accepts the offer to hold onto the photographer's car and take a tow towards the summit.

Scanlon has no such concerns. He climbs the Glandon strongly and, reunited with Putsep before the descent, completes the 210-kilometre spin with energy to spare. Sitting down for an interview two hours later, he shows few after-effects from the tough training ride save for some sunburn on his face. He's fresh-looking and in fine spirits; clearly in excellent shape. Roll on July 3rd.

The Irish on Tour

SHAY ELLIOTT

6 starts, 3 finishes, wore yellow jersey (1963), 1 stage win (Roubaix, 1963).

Participation details: 1956 (DNF), 1958 (48th), 1959 (DNF), 1961 (47th), 1963 (61st), 1964 (DNF).

IAN MOORE

1 start (1961).

SEÁN KELLY

14 starts, 11 finishes, 5 stage wins (1978, Poitiers; 1980, Saint-Etienne and Fontenay-sous-Bois ; 1981, Thonon ; 1982, Pau), wore yellow jersey (1983), won 4 green jerseys (1982, 1983, 1985, 1989).

Participation details: 1978 (34th), 1979 (38th), 1980 (29th), 1981 (48th), 1982 (15th), 1983 (7th), 1984 (5th), 1985 (4th), 1987 (DNF), 1988 (46th), 1989 (9th), 1990 (30th), 1991 (DNF), 1992 (43rd).

STEPHEN ROCHE

10 starts, 8 finishes, 3 stage wins (1985, Col d'Aubisque; 1987, Futuroscope; 1992, La Bourboule), yellow jersey (1987), won Tour (1987).

Participation details: 1983 (13th), 1984 (25th), 1985 (3rd ), 1986 (48th), 1987 (1st ), 1989 (DNF), 1990 (44th), 1991 (DNF), 1992 (9th), 1993 (13th).

MARTIN EARLEY

8 starts, 5 finishes, 1 stage win (Pau, 1989).

Participation details: 1985 (60th), 1986 (46th), 1987 (65th), 1988 (DNF), 1989 (44th), 1990 (DNF), 1991 (DNF), 1992 (80th).

PAUL KIMMAGE

3 starts, 1 finish.

Participation details: 1986 (131st), 1987 (DNF), 1989 (DNF).

LAURENCE ROCHE

1 start: 1991 (153rd).