CYCLING:Following this week's news that Nicolas Roche will take part in this year's Giro d'Italia, the 22-year-old has confirmed his schedule in the run-up to the three-week Italian Tour. He will do just one race between now and the May 12th start, riding the 1.1-ranked Tour de Vendée on Tuesday.
"I will have more or less a week at home, training there, then do the Tour du Vendée," he said this week. "That is on the first of May and then we leave for the Giro on the ninth."
Roche took three top-10 placings in recent French Cup events. This show of good form was enough to earn him a place on Crédit Agricole's team for the Tour of Italy, which his father, Stephen, won 20 years ago.
He had targeted a ride in the race as one of his major goals for the season, knowing it would help him greatly in his development as a rider.
For his first Grand Tour, he has set the target of performing strongly on one or more stages.
In other news, it has been confirmed two strong Continental teams will travel from the US for this year's FBD Insurance Rás, which starts in Naas on Sunday, May 20th.
USA KodakGallery.com-Sierra Nevada Brewing Co and USA Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast Pro Cycling will line out in the 2.2-ranked Irish tour with high ambitions.
Race director Dermot Dignam expects a strong performance from the visitors.
"Last year the USA-TIAA CREF team went close to winning the event, with former world under-23 champion Danny Pate taking second in the closest-ever FBD Insurance Rás," he said.
One of the riders who helped Pate to that second overall will be part of the Kelly Benefit Strategies/Medifast Pro Cycling team.
Dan Bowman placing 11th on stage one and eighth on stage six of the 2006 edition and, importantly, will come here with an important insight into the peculiarities and style of racing of the Irish event.
Justin Spinelli, Ryan Roth, Jonny Sundt and Nick Waite complete the line-up.
Finally, the late Gerry Brannigan will be remembered with the running of a Randonée in Wicklow this Sunday.
For more details, contact Eddie Lane on 087-2395056.
FIXTURES
SATURDAY: Groucho's GP, Richill. 1pm.
SUNDAY: Gerry Brannigan Randonée, starts Ballinteer Scout Den at 8.30am. Coombes Connor Memorial, Donore. Starts 1pm. Youth race starts 11am and is a counting event for European Youth Olympics selection. Tommy Sheehan Memorial, Carrick-on-Suir. Youth races at noon, others at 1pm. Bann Valley Classic, junction Ballymacombes road/Downings road. Starts 2pm.
