Irish professional rider Daniel Martin (Garmin-Transitions) continued his winning ways by taking a splendid victory at the 1.1 ranked Tre Valli Varesine race in Italy earlier today.

TONY MARTIN, one of the favourites for this year’s Tour de France, won the FBD Insurance Rás three years ago and the team he led back in 2007, Thuringer Energie, is set for a return for this year’s edition of Irish cycling’s showpiece which gets under way on May 23.

ANOTHER piece of the Irish Olympic jigsaw was put in place for Beijing yesterday with confirmation of the composition of the two rowing crews.

Authorities have recovered works of art worth €1.5m that had been stolen from churches, castles and private homes throughout northern Italy since 1990, the Carabinieri paramilitary police said today.

Frankie Dettori had to settle for second place at Varese last night after making a mad dash from Ascot to Italy.

Italian authorities have arrested three Moroccan men for allegedly supporting terrorist cells linked to Osama bin Laden’s terrorist network, Italian state radio reported today.