After being named as the Irish Mountain-biking crosscountry representative for the Sydney Olympics, Robin Seymour received a further boost on Wednesday with the announcement of the Irish Sports Council grants for 2000. The six-times national champion will receive £9,000 this year, a £2,000 increase on 1998 which betters the £7,000 awarded to new professional Ciaran Power and the £3,600 going to Mark Scanlon, Tarja Owens, David O'Loughlin and Michael McNena. Seymour secured Olympic qualification for Ireland late last year after a season-long campaign which saw his world ranking improve to 53rd. "It was great to hear that I have been given the place," he says. "I have been aiming for this (competing in the Olympics) for a long, long time. I suppose deep down I expected to be the one going to Sydney after spending all of 1999 chasing points - for me, the real feeling of achievement came after qualifying Ireland for the Olympics last Autumn."

Having secured the place, preparation is the all-important concern and this season Seymour continues with the British-based Helly Hansen-Giant team alongside national Irish women's champion Tarja Owens. An offroad stage race in Cyprus marks his competitive debut in March; from then, national series races and international events will build towards the Wicklow rider's twin goals of the World championships in June and that long-overdue Olympic appearance.

Ciaran Power again lines out for Linda McCartney team in the eight-day Rapport Tour, starting in South Africa today. Power is reportedly delighted with the setup of the team, and their growing reputation is reflected by the invitation to the keenly-contested Tirreno Adriatico stage race beginning on March 8th.