Ciaran Power, from Waterford, but representing his Amercan-based team Navigators, was best of the Irish yesterday in Manchester after the first stage of the Tour of Britain.

IRELAND’S Mark Scanlon yesterday rejected an offer to compete in Wednesday’s individual time trial.

MARK SCANLON returned to his native town to parade his immense cycling talent for the first time since he won the world junior title.

CIARAN POWER arrived back in Ireland in ample time to challenge Mark Scanlon for the national cycling championship title in Sligo tomorrow when the defending champion will have the advantage of hometown support and local knowledge in his defence of the title.

THE enormity of the task confronting Ireland’s Ciaran Power in his bid to become only the third man in history to retain the FBD Milk Rás title became clear yesterday when race director, Dermot Duignam, revealed an international line-up that includes Kazakhstan, one of the superpowers in world cycling.

MARK SCANLON is already back in France bracing himself for a new season and a new phase in his cycling career.