Sean Downey finished best of the Irish yesterday in the U23 European Time Trial Championships in Goes, Holland; taking 11th place in the 78-rider field.

Matthew Brammeier is aiming to become the first man ever to win three Irish National senior road-race titles in-a-row tomorrow when he heads a star-studded field in Clonmel for the 168-kilometre one-day event.

Matthew Brammeier’s appeal to be included for selection in the three-man Ireland Olympic road race team has been unsuccessful.

There’s a cracking Phil Liggett line from the 1989 World Championships in France when the ITV anchor turns to his American counterpart Brian Malessa and said: “Brian, I think Sean Kelly told Fignon in broad Irish exactly what he thought of that idea,” after Fignon gestured for the Irishman to go to the front of the chase group to catch leader Steve Bauer.