THE new season gets underway this weekend but there is not the usual buzz to Olympic year following the failure of the five Irishmen in the world road race championship in Colombia last October to qualify for the Olympic road event in Atlanta.
US based Declan Lonergan and Philip Collins, who is training in England, will be in the Olympic points and pursuit events on the track, with Martin Earley and either Alastair Martin or Robin Seymour in the mountain bike race.
However, the poor displays by Eamon Byrne, Paul McQuaid, Michael Fitzgerald, Richie McCauley and Tommy Evans on the Colombia circuit means that for the first time since Tokyo in 1964 there will not be any Irish representative in the Olympic road race.
The top men will be missing from the opening events of the season so those next in line have opportunities to stake claims for inclusion in teams on international assignments.
Lonergan, McCauley and Evans have gone with David Peelo, Barry Monaghan and Mel Sutcliffe to the Tour of Malaysia, which started yesterday. Aidan Duff is also taking part in that 11 day event with his French team from the Vendee region.
Fitzgerald and Byrne have also joined clubs in France. Others campaigning in France and Belgium are Finn O'Sullivan, Paul Giles, Ciaran Power, Paul Butler, Mark Hutton, Peter Daly and David Hayes.
Collins is based at Oughton, near Liverpool and although he may take part in a few of the early season road races in England preparation on the track for Atlanta is his priority. He also intends going for some of the World Cup track events so he is unlikely to be seen in action on Irish roads as he concentrates on his pursuit build up.
Paul McQuaid, winner of the FBD Milk Rags last year, is taking a season off so it will be very interesting to see who comes out on top in the opening exchanges.
The Mid Eastern Region set the wheels spinning tomorrow morning with the first event of their league. It starts at the rear of Dublin airport at 11 a.m. for a course of 45 miles around north county Dublin. The Banbridge club have their usual opening handicap at Annaclone at 12 noon.
The Beechmount Cup races are on Sunday at Navan starting at 12.30 p.m. on the usual 16 miles circuit taking in the Hill of Tara. The main event is for first and second category licence holders third category and veterans go off together while the women race with the juniors. The Kiely Cup is at Blarney, 12.0 noon.
A postponement has been announced already. The Clann Eireann club's handicap listed for Aghagallon on Sunday week cannot go ahead because of road works in the area.
Although the initial FAS cycling course proved highly successful it was terminated in 1992 but Pat McQuaid has succeeded in getting it going again and applications are invited for 20 places. It starts on March 19th and all aspects of cycling are dealth with.
Pat Clarke, organiser of the Tour of Ulster, has confirmed plans for the promotion with a new date and location. Instead of its usual Easter slot the 40th running of the event will be on May 4th, 5th and 6th and it starts at Lisnaskea.
