CYCLING:THE QUESTION of which riders will represent Ireland in the road cycling events in the Olympic Games will be settled today, with Cycling Ireland due to announce the final selections for the road race and time trial.
Three competitors will compete in the road race on July 28th, with Dan Martin (Garmin-Barracuda) looking certain to take a slot. He has been Ireland’s top points scorer this year, and tops the qualification criteria set out by Cycling Ireland last December.
The remaining two places were more open to consideration by the three selectors; under the criteria, points were gained for top 10 finishes in one day races and on stages of multi-day events, with more being awarded for higher-ranked races.
Under that system, 21-year-old Sam Bennett (An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly) and 39-year -old David McCann (RTS Racing Team) had the next best totals.
Irish road race champion Matt Brammeier (Omega Pharma Quick Step) and Philip Deignan (UnitedHealthcare) have been racing in higher level events than both of those, but neither has picked up Olympic criteria points.
Selectors had up to 100 additional points to allocate to each rider, depending on their suitability for the Olympic road race course, and would use the combined totals to decide which riders are most deserving.
The three-man team was determined several days ago but Cycling Ireland had to allow several days for potential appeals. Chief executive Geoff Liffey told The Irish Times this week that the final decision would come today.
One of the three riders will also line out in the time trial on August 1st.
Meanwhile, Martin is limping through the Critérium du Dauphiné following a bad crash on stage one. He hit the deck 34 kilometres from the finish and banged his head hard enough to split his helmet. He has been feeling very sore since and yesterday rode tempo in the 53 kilometre Bourg-en-Bresse time trial to ease through the stage prior to the three remaining climbing legs. Overall leader Bradley Wiggins dominated the test.
If Martin feels up to it, he may have a chance to show what he can do in the mountains.
“The priority now is to get through the race,” he said. He is riding the race in order to prepare for what he hopes will be his debut Tour de France. It is unclear if his problems in the Dauphiné could impact on his selection chances.
FIXTURES: Friday: John Holian Cup, 7.15pm at O'Malley's Bar, Cross, Co Mayo; Enniskillen criterium, starts town hall at 7.30pm. Saturday: Christy McManus Memorial, sign on at Roundwood GAA. First races 10.30 am, main event 2pm; Emma McMullan Trophy, Hillsborough, starts 11am.
Sunday: Meath GP, sign on Navan Rugby Club, first races 11am (including women's Classic League); Connacht RR league, Castlebar, starts 10.30am; Roe Valley races, start 1 pm in Feeny village; Super 6 TT series, Cookstown-Omagh road, starts 10 am. Monday: Leinster 3 day postponed until July.
