After last Sunday's opening activity at Navan the new cycling season is much busier this weekend with two races tomorrow and three more on Sunday while another Irish team is in action in the Tour of Egypt.

After a well organised training campaign at Calpe in Spain Mark Scanlon is also set to make his debut with the Dutch Rabobank amateur squad at Houtse in Holland on Sunday.

The Navan winner, Michael McNena, is in the Tour of Egypt and the runner-up, Eddie O'Donoghue, may have better reward for his efforts in the Newbridge Grand Prix on Sunday.

When O'Donoghue went ahead on his own on the last lap at Navan he said he kept thinking about the £500 frame for the winner. "As I pounded on the pedals that was the only thought in my mind as I intended getting a new frame for the start of the season."

O'Donoghue was foiled, however, as, after he had been joined by McNena, David McCann and Micheal Fitzgerald with six miles to go, McNena surged ahead inside the last mile through Johnstown and O'Donoghue had to settle for second place as he out-sprinted McCann and Fitzgerald.

The 1995 FBD Milk Ras winner Paul McQuaid had an encouraging comeback and just missed out on a place in the top 10. He was in the decisive breakaway group and contributed a lot to the action at the front up to halfway. He said afterwards he was pleased with the way it went for him and he will also be at Newbridge on Sunday. It should not be long before he is back among the prize winners.

The Leinster league starts tomorrow (11.0) on the circuit behind Dublin Airport and the Banbridge club have their Annaclone handicap which provided Scanlon with the second of his 39 wins last year.

In addition to the Newbridge Grand Prix a big turn-out is expected for Cuchulainn's Trader's Cup handicap at Dundalk on Sunday - David McCann was the winner last March with Scanlon second. St Finbarr's Ken O'Keeffe memorial is also on at Cork.