Murphy tests positive for banned substance
Murphy placed second on the second stage of the three-day race, finishing seventh overall. He was also named best under-23 rider.
The test, conducted by the UK Sports Council's Drug Free Sport Unit, showed that pseudoephedrine was present at a level greater than the permitted threshold of 25 micrograms per millilitre. The substance is contained in many cold and flu medications, and helps to ease breathing.
Although classified as a 'soft' substance by cycling's world governing body, the UCI, Murphy faces a possible ban of up to six months at the disciplinary hearing next month. Under current UCI and IOC rules, an athlete is responsible for ensuring that any product or substance consumed is free from anything which would provide a positive test result.
Meanwhile Eugene Moriarty, one of the unsung heroes of last week's FBD Milk Rás, will this weekend lead a three-man Irish contingent to Belgium, linking up with a local team for the Grand Prix Etienne de Wilde.
It will be a important assignment for Moriarty, Cidona rider Brian Kenneally and Denis Easton, representing the North, as the team for the B world championships in Switzerland will be announced over the coming weeks.
But it will be old, familiar territory for the Listowel man, who co-ordinated the very successful Team Ireland project in Belgium last year.
Last week will go down in his diary as one of a whole series of highs punctuated by just one low, which most certainly cost him a place at the top of the general classification sheet.
At the end of the week he had six successive top-eight places, including a second on one stage to Ciaran Power.
Four years ago he went to the world B championships in Uruguay, where Ciaran Power finished third and he finished fifth, to earn a second place for Ireland in the Sydney Olympics road race. Unfortunately for him that treasured and hard-won place went to David McCann.
That is all part of history now and his ambition is to ride in next year's Olympic Games in Athens, with qualification up for grabs in Switzerland.
Next weekend's race in Belgium is the first in a series of races leading up to the B championships, and comes about through the help of Sean Kelly and his friendship with Kurt Bogaert, the co-ordinator of the Belgian Maximise Almera team, who will take on Irish riders for a number of UCI points races.
The good news is that Maximise Almera are set to launch a trade team next year, so good performances in the upcoming races could put Irish riders in line for professional contracts.
Moriarty, who has a degree in physiology from Trinity College, will resume his duties as co-ordinator of Team Ireland at its base in Merchtem.
Brian Kenneally showed signs of his old form when he resumed racing in the Credit Union Rás Mumhan at Easter, claiming the mountains jersey.
While he did not make any waves, he showed up at various points during the FBD Milk Rás and reportedly came out of the race in good shape.
His Cidona clubmate Timmy Barry will have come out of that event with mixed emotions. He was involved in all the early action each day but must have felt that he was tied in some way to David O'Loughlin, who seemed to be the one who always reeled him.
But the biggest blow was when he was penalised if not victimised when an over-enthusiastic fan elected to push him on a climb.
"I was penalised for persistent pushing, but I did not even know the guy. He was just pushing me along holding a camcorder in one hand and I was trying to tell him to leave me alone," he recalled.
Being put back to the end of the bunch that day put paid to his team Tipperary Dan Morrissey's hope of reclaiming the county team title.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
