Power in pursuit of elusive Irish 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.

Power arrived back in Ireland from the USA on Thursday and while his wife, Lisa, and their son Keegan, went home to Waterford he travelled from Shannon to Galway to meet up with former international, Michael McNena, and travel to Sligo to go over the route in advance of the race.

The Waterford cyclist has won the FBD Milk Ras twice. He rode in the Sydney Olympics and, this year, he won two stages in the Ras. He also boasts a top six placing in the Giro d’Italia but the one title he craves for is the national championships.

Fourth previously, he went closest to taking the title last year when he finished runner-up to Scanlon in a thriller up in Co. Meath. He knows only too well that to have the jersey of the national champion on his back with the Navigators back in the US would be priceless.

But he must figure out a way to dethrone the defending champion. The former world junior champion rode the cleverest of races last year to take the title and the coveted jersey that goes with it and the fact that he is defending it at home will make him more determined to cling on to it.

Scanlon, who rode superbly in the Tour of Germany, has just finished the Tour of Switzerland - a race won in the past by Sean Kelly - and how he has recovered from that race could have a major bearing on his performance tomorrow.

Power arrived home after some good performances in the US and he showed in last month’s FBD Milk Ras that he has the power and the strength to mix it with the best.

It would be dangerous, however, to look at this event as a head to head because David O’Loughlin, another rider from the Western Region, is bound to play a big part in the proceedings. He went into the FBD Milk Ras as one of the favourites but illness midweek put paid to his hopes of doing anything spectacular and he did not finish it out.

He has unfinished business and this could be just the place to finish and Tommy Evans, too, can make a big impression.

The man they will need to watch closely, however, is David McCann who has won this title twice, represented Ireland at two Olympic Games and has been showing good form in Belgium in recent weeks.

It all promises another thrilling race for the title. A stiff hill with very little run up will prove testing if not decisive and no doubt will suit Mark Scanlon who will have travelled the course on numerous occasions.