By Tommy Campbell, Irish Independent, Evening Herald, Sunday Independent
Last week's FBD Insurance Ras certainly lifted the bar when it came to organisation. Thankfully, the majority of the officials who were involved for eight days last week will be back in harness this weekend for the major Irish races.
In Philadelphia, USA, both Ciaran Power and David O'Loughlin will be lining out for the Navigators also on Sunday. In fact, a number of competitors who were in the FBD Insurance Ras are in the States now. Whereas the Recycling.Co.Uk team was all the rage in Ireland because of its supremacy, things have not been as rosy in Philadelphia. On Tuesday, along with Dean Downing crashing and sustaining injuries which could sideline him for a while, Paul Manning, who played a pivotal role as a playmaker in the Ras, failed to finish the Lancaster GP, mainly because of jet lag.
Whilst the Senior A's had their week in the Ras, those down the pecking order will be converging for the Dunboyne Three-Day which gets under way on Saturday. Four stages (three road and a time trial) have been listed as part of the action for the Whit weekend.
In the driving seat as per usual are Alice Sherratt and her team of helpers who'll be dispensing with the cobwebs before they move on to their biggie of the year, the M Donnelly Junior Tour next month. The Dunboyne event has more or less been a nursery for cyclists who are destined to cycle on the bigger stage. Of late, one of its most successful participants was Philip Deignan, who is carving out a successful career with AG2R-Prevoyance.
