CYCLING: The new Irish professional Mark Scanlon has received a vote of confidence from the AG2r team with the news that he will line out as part of their squad for some of the biggest early-season races in 2003.
Scanlon, who is due to make his pro debut with the French squad after a promising trial this autumn, will begin racing in the six-day Tour Down Under in Australia on January 21st, then line out in the Grand Prix Ouverture La Marseillaise on February 4th and the Tour of the Mediterranean from February 12th-16th.
The young Sligoman is also a possible starter for the one-day semi-classics Het Volk, Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne and Gent Wevelgem in early March.
Scanlon has just completed a nine-day training camp with AG2r in the South of France, and reports that he is satisfied with things.
"I was going grand at the camp, there were no problems riding with the (established) pros," he said yesterday. "I have already done some training and am in good shape. We did 1,100 kilometres in eight days and so the camp was useful for building form. The atmosphere was also good - the guys know me from my trial with them and know what kind of performances I am capable of. I have a good relationship with them."
Indeed Scanlon was praised by from team manager Vincent Lavenu and team-mate Christophe Angnolutto, with the latter tipping the 1998 world junior champion in a recent interview.
"Mark Scanlon will be a very good rider. He is very complete: he climbs, rides fast and sprints well," said the former Tour de France stage winner.
Meanwhile, fellow Irish professional Ciarán Power is currently at home in Waterford preparing for his 2003 season with the Navigators team.
"Ciarán is in good shape," said his agent Frank Quinn yesterday. "He has been doing a lot of work building his strength in order to give him a bit more in his sprinting.
"We have not yet got a schedule from the team, but should soon know what his first races will be."
Power is likely to begin racing in February on the US circuit, before lining out with the squad in some European events later this spring. He is expected to be one of the team leaders this season.
Meanwhile, Scanlon and Power are expected to join 2001-winner Seán Kelly and double FBD Milk Rás champion Philip Cassidy in the line-up for the Rás an Turcaí event in Carraroe, Co Galway, on December 29th. Further information is available by telephoning 091 503147.
