Ireland Cycling

06/07/08

O'Loughlin granted Olympic spot

Irish pursuit cyclist David O'Loughlin will compete in the Olympic Games after being granted a place by the International Cycling Union (ICU).

The development comes after a lobbying campaign by the Olympic Council of Ireland and means O'Loughlin will race in the Men's Individual in the new cycling velodrome in Laoshan, Beijing.

"We have been putting the pressure on at international levels to get this spot, one that is ready made for David O'Loughlin and we expect that Cycling Ireland will formally nominate David to us for selection onto the Irish Olympic squad in the coming days," OCI president Pat Hickey said today.

The Galway-based Pezula Racing team cyclist finished sixth in the World Championships in March and has continued training in the hope he would be granted a place.

Ireland's Olympic team manager, Frank Campbell, has praised the efforts of the OCI and Cycling Ireland in securing the spot.

29/05/08

STAGE VICTORY FOR O'LOUGHLIN, GALLAGHER TAKES AN POST TEAM'S BIGGEST WIN

Stephen Gallagher and David O'Loughlin today capped off a fine week for Irish riders in the FBD Insurance Ras, with the former securing the first home victory in four years and the latter taking the stage victory in Skerries.

Gallagher had started the day comfortably clear of closest-challenger Roger Aiken (Ireland national team) and, together with his Ireland An Post M. Donnelly Grant Thornton Sean Kelly team-mates, kept close tabs on all of his rivals during today's 130 kilometre stage from Newbridge to Skerries.

Each of those main competitors finished in the peloton and therefore Gallagher ended the race with the same advantage he had started the stage with. Aiken took second, one minute and 42 seconds back, while Rob Partridge (Britain Stena Line Rapha Condor Recyling.co.uk) and Alex Higham (Britain Plowman Craven) were an additional one and three seconds back, respectively.

It's the biggest win thus far for both Gallagher and the An Post M. Donnelly Grant Thornton Sean Kelly team. "I had the yellow jersey earlier in the week but lost it. I was quietly confident that I could get it back, both because of the team that I had and because my form was quite good. I was never under too much pressure during the week and I was always holding back a little for these final two days, where I knew I was going to try to take the race lead."

"My form here is up there with the best condition I have had in the past," he stated. "Unfortunately I haven't had the best of luck in the last few years. I have had broken wrists, injuries to my knees and tendonitis. Like any athlete it goes on and on. A month or two off here and there adds up and up. I think everything has just gone right - the team has been good, my form has been good, things went our way. It doesn't often happen like that in cycling, as most cyclists will know. It is difficult to get it right but out team did it... it was a brilliant group effort."

O'Loughlin, meanwhile, was one of four riders who broke clear approximately 20 kilometres into the stage. He, Ireland Pezula Racing Cameron Jennings, Evan Oliphant (Britain Plowman Craven) and Blazej Janiaczyk (Poland national team) were completely committed and together eked out a maximum lead of almost six minutes over the peloton.

Despite strong head- and cross-winds, the quartet held onto much of their advantage and once onto the two laps of the tough finishing circuit in Skerries, they knew that the stage win would be fought out between them.

Jennings sparked off the aggression when he tried to go clear inside the final 20 kilometres. This move was covered but it was actually intended to pave the way for a counter-attack by O'Loughlin. The Mayo rider shot clear and only Oliphant was able to get across to him. The two rode together to the finish, where O'Loughlin narrowly outsprinted the Scottish competitor. Janiaczyk and Jennings came in 37 seconds later for third and fourth, while a further 39 seconds later another Irish Pezula Racing rider, Ciaran Power, won the bunch sprint for fifth.

"The four of us got away early in the race and there was pretty even riding all the way," he said. "I told Cameron to put in an attack with 20 kilometres to go, to suss them out a bit because I didn't know if they were strong or not. He attacked, they didn't seem that strong and I took encouragement from that.

"I countered it and Oli [Evan Oliphant] came across to me. I threw in a few attacks but I couldn't get rid of him. I was a little bit worried because he is good in the sprint. But I kept it in on the left hand side because the wind was coming across the road. I also left it late enough because I knew that there was a strong enough win there. That was it. He sort of came at me with 50 metres to go but I just got him on the last little bit.

The 30 year old was in the running for a stage win on day five but punctured inside the final three kilometres when clear with Simon Richardson (Britain Plowman Craven). Today's victory makes up for that. "That day was really frustrating because I didn't have a chance to sprint [for the stage win]. My form is only coming around now, I am definitely coming out of the week better than I went into it."

Despite a strong international line-up, three Irish riders held the yellow jersey - namely Gallagher, Mark Cassidy and David McCann, and McCann, Power and O'Loughlin took stage wins.

Other prizes went to Dean Downing (Britain Stena Line Rapha Condor, points classification), Kit Gilham (Britain Kinesis, King of the Mountains competition), Dale Appleby (Britain Stena Line Rapha Condor, best under 23), Stephen O'Sullivan (Meath MyHome.ie/BDBC, best Irish county rider) and Mark Power (Tipperary Dan Morrissey, best Irish second-category rider).

Gallagher's Ireland An Post M Donelly Grant Thornton line-up won the International team competition while Dublin IRC Usher Insulations was best of the county squads.

David McCann was the last Irish winner of the FBD Insurance Ras, taking his victory in 2004.

22/05/08

Kloden riding for Germany or not?

Andreas Kloden's interview in yesterday's Gazzetta dello Sport continues to make waves. According to the Italian newspaper, he said that he has cut his ties with Germany, and that he would like to ride in the Olympic Games in Beijing, "but I won't do it for Germany." In a statement issued by his Team Astana Tuesday evening, the German rider, who lives in Switzerland claimed that his remarks were misunderstood.

"For the moment I am the best German time trialist. Of course I want to represent my country," Kloden said. "It is not because cycling is not so popular any more in Germany, that I am not proud to defend the colours of my country. If I am selected, of course I will go. I told the journalist that, until now, the German federation never contacted me about the Olympics."

His remarks concerning doping testing sparked further controversy, but he claimed that also these remarks were misrepresented.

08/05/08

Barloworld's Corti aims for well-managed Giro team

Barloworld Team Manager Claudio Corti will bring his team to the Giro d'Italia with the goal of meeting both the ambitions of individual riders as well as the squad as a whole. The Italian will seek stage wins while at the same time keeping the maglia rosa in sight of riders like Enrico Gasparotto and Colombian Mauricio Soler.

Barloworld's best hope for the maglia rosa in the first week comes with Gasparotto, who wore the jersey after last year's team time trial when he rode with Liquigas. In order to repeat that feat, the team has put in specific training for Saturday's team time trial in Palermo.

"We were in Brescia, Friday and Saturday, we were training in particular for the team time trial," Corti told Cyclingnews. However, he doesn't expect the pink jersey to come on the first stage, but perhaps later in the week. "We will aim for [Enrico] Gasparotto on the stages that are adapted to his characteristics. The maglia rosa has to come on its own, we will not race for it. We will try to have the best team time trial and then defend what advantages we have."

Corti's focus in the first week will be "to organise the team well, manage the race well," and his organisational skills will be central to the team's success not just in the early part of the race, but also in the demanding and mountainous third week.

"The first week is demanding and Gasparotto does well in these stages with variations he can go for a result. If the maglia rosa arrives via time bonuses, etcetera that is good, but it is not an objective that we are starting with. If we don't take the maglia rosa in the first week it is not a disaster."

After the first and second week, Corti will look to Soler, winner of the 2007 Tour de France's mountains competition, to fulfill the squad's ambitions.

"We have to manage the central stages well and then we hope for the best with Soler in the last week, in the mountains. The maglia rosa for Soler? It is a matter of managing the team well and after, if the mountains go well, we can have a good result in the overall classification."

Two English riders, Geraint Thomas and Steve Cummings, will help form the team's nine-man Giro roster and provide strong engines for the team time trial. "They are two important riders for the first week and, above all, for the team time trial in Palermo. I expect a lot of them," Corti commented. "They are participating because they are great riders and it also fits well into their preparations for the Olympics. [The Giro] serves as a great base for the Olympics, while, at the same time, they are working for the team. Thomas, for example, won't do the Tour as he has to focus specifically for the Olympics."

The nine men Mauricio Soler, Enrico Gasparotto, Francesco Bellotti , Felix Cárdenas, Christian Pfannberger, Patrick Calcagni, Steve Cummings, Carlo Scognamiglio and Geraint Thomas board a plane this afternoon in Bergamo that will take them to Italy's south for the start of the race.

05/05/08

CYCLING IRELAND MTB TESTING SESSION

By Brian Nugent
Apr 22, 2008,

After the launch of the new Development programmes for 2008, Cycling Ireland received outstanding responses from our aspiring young athletes both male and female. This was extremely encouraging for the growth of performance cycling and such a response had never been seen before for any National programme. This has set the path for an exciting 2008 programme.

To this end, Cycling Ireland, and it's Off Road Commission*, are planning to hold testing sessions to access the potential of our off-road athletes with the intention of enhancing the MTB/Off road development programme. The first testing session will be in the Ulster Province on Saturday 26th April in Craigavon Watersports Centre from 10am.

Other testing days will be held throughout the provinces in the coming weeks.

Applicants for testing are invited from all riders, male and female over the age of 18, who are aspiring to compete internationally in the 2008 season and beyond. Applicants are required to submit a short CV on their cycling performances.

Applications and CV's are to be returned to Brian Nugent at brnugent@yahoo.co.uk .

For further information, contact Brian on the above e-mail or +353 (0) 878333851

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* we received the follow message from Cycling Ireland's Offroad Commission:

MTB Testing - Correction

On behalf of the Cycling Ireland Off Road Commission I would like to point out that the article placed on this site about MTB testing is incorrect. The article refers to Cycling Ireland and the Off Road Commission. I can assure all riders that the Off Road Commission has nothing whatsoever to do with the testing.

The testing is being carried out by Cycling Ireland's High Performance Team, so if any rider has any questions please contact CI HP.

Regards,
Andy Potts
Chairman Cycling Ireland Off Road Commission

02/05/08

Tinkoff "ecstatic" with Vuelta invitation

Team Tinkoff Credit Systems is "ecstatic" to have been invited to participate in the 2008 Vuelta a Espana, its second Grand Tour of the year. "Tinkoff is a team composed of young riders, who are devoted to their sport, and they still have much to learn; however, the organisers of the Vuelta have deemed us worthy to race the most important race on the Spanish calendar, which is one of the most beautiful and important cycling events in the world," said team General Manager Stefano Feltrin.

It will be the Italian Professional Continental team's first appearance in the Spanish race. "We at Tinkoff are ecstatic to have been selected to participate," Feltrin said. "Despite the youth of the Tinkoff riders, they have illustrated skill and talent beyond their years during the Classics campaign. Following the Classics performance, and what we expect from the team at the Giro d'Italia, the team will be prepared to exhibit the same tenacity at the Vuelta."

The team sees the invitation to a second Grand Tour this season as a big step. "Two years ago, we entered into the sport of cycling as novices really, learning as we went," Feltrin explained. "We chose to be based in Italy, and to be close to Rome and the Federciclismo to illustrate our desire to eventually race in all the major races in cycling. With one pedal stroke, one breakaway, and one victory at a time this objective is coming to fruition. It is our desire that the Tinkoff team be viewed as a team comprised of both young and seasoned riders that hold the utmost value to the collaborative efforts and sacrifices of each other that led to victories and important placings."

29/04/08

Galway to host Ireland's largest amateur cycle

Tue 29th April 2008

OVER 300 cyclists will take part in Kellogg's Tour of Ireland Cycle Challenge, the country's largest amateur four day cycling event, which will be hosted by Galway next month.

The cyclists, accompanied by 60 support staff will travel over 500 miles through the four provinces of Ireland. All proceeds from the event will go towards the National Council for the Blind of Ireland.

2008 is the second year that NUI Galway will host the Kellogg's Tour of Ireland Cycle Challenge, with the official finish line of stage 2 of the event located at the Aula Maxima (Quadrangle) in the University's grounds on Saturday, May 10.

The grounds of the 163 year old University are a magnificent platform for the end of the Cavan to Galway stage of the Kellogg's Tour of Ireland. Participants will embark on stage 3 of the challenge from NUI Galway on Sunday, May 11.

The public are invited to come out and cheer on the cyclists and enjoy the great spectacle. Last year's inaugural Challenge was a great success and this year's promises to be bigger and better. Last year, 125 cyclists entered and the 2007 challenge was voted the best organised event of its type by the international cycling community.

The Challenge encourages people to exercise and participate in healthy sporting activities. It complements................