Cycling Round Up |
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Archives: March 2002 CYCLISTS SHOW WORRYING BONE DENSITY: (By Shane Stokes Mar 29) Research currently being conducted in Trinity College has shown that some Irish cyclists have worryingly low bone density levels, with some hip and spine scans revealing osteoporotic conditions typical of elderly patients. According to Dr JJ Gillooly, who together with Dr Oran Rigby is carrying out the research, about ten percent of the 140 cyclists they have seen thus far have bone density levels which are a serious cause for concern, while a large proportion of the remaining riders fall within the lower end of the acceptable range. Lower bone density is associated with a greater risk of fracture and while this latter group are unlikely to be immediately affected, an increase in dietary calcium may be needed in order to avoid future problems. 'We hope to see a lot more cyclists but so far the results suggest that the sport may be associated with a depletion in bone calcium. Unlike sports such as running, cycling is not a weight bearing activity and so does not build up bone density', says Dr Rigby. The research being undertaken deals with both road and off-road cyclists, between 18 and 40 years of age, and volunteers are welcome to undergo the free (and painless) battery of tests which normally cost several hundred pounds. Doctors Gillooly and Rigby take measurements of blood hormone levels, body fat and bone density in the hip and spine, which together with questionnaires can help to determine if riders are overtrained and/or suffering from inadequate nutritional intake. 'My bone density levels are seriously low', said one cyclist after his examination. 'I have to start taking a course of calcium and vitamin D straight away and also begin regular weight-bearing exercise, then come back for further tests in a few months. It was a bit of a shock to find out that my bones were as weak as they are - I had absolutely no idea before the scan that I had a problem'. 'I would encourage other cyclists to take part in the research - it only takes about 30 minutes but could prove to be very, very important for their future health', he said. - For more details, contact Dr. JJ Gillooly at 087 7867719 or Dr. Oran Rigby at 087 8113309. KENNEALLY HEADS CIDONA DOMINATION: (By Shane Stokes Mar 24) Former Team Ireland international Brian Kenneally displayed a stylish return to form yesterday when he dominated the tough Des Hanlon memorial race in Carlow. The event, held over a strength-sapping mountainous circuit, brought considerable success for Munster riders, with Cidona Carrick Wheelers taking the first three places in the senior 1 competition and Kanturk’s Paudi O’Brien winning the junior/senior 3 race. <Read More Here> <See Pictures Here> O'Loughlin and Griffin impress: (By Shane Stokes Mar 22) Irish riders Paul Griffin and Martin O'Loughlin have impressed early on in the 2.5 ranked Tour of Saudi Arabia, placing second and eight respectively in the Stage Two criterium, and then finishing fifth and seventh in the third stage yesterday. Read the full story in the Irish Times >>
With just the final stage remaining in the Redlands Classic race in California, neo-pro David O'Loughlin is lying in an excellent 3rd place overall in the mountains classification. The Mayo rider was part of a six man breakaway which went clear early in the 174 kilometre 3rd stage to Oak Glen and scored well over the climbs before being reeled in before the last ascent. He is 66th overall, with Ciaran Power 11th in the Sprints classification and 86th in the General Classification. Redlands
Classic, stage 3: 1, Roland Green (Canadian National
Team) 174 kilometres in 4 hours 17 mins 3 secs; 2, C.
Horner (Prime Alliance) same time; 3, S. Petersen
(Saturn) at 29 secs; 4, D. Zabriske (US Postal Service)
at 31 secs; 5, T. Klasna (Saturn) at 40 secs; 6, C.
McRae (US Postal Service) at 1 min 24 secs. Irish:
103, David O'Loughlin (OFOTO-Lombardi) at 10 mins 37;
123, Ciaran Power (Navigators) at 14 mins 50 secs. Good start for Irish riders: (Mar 8) VC La Pomme riders Denis Lynch and Mark Scanlon won events in France, while Mapei mountain-bike cyclist Robin Seymour was first home in an Italian race in Tuscany. Shane Stokes on the Irish cyclists. Read the full story in the Irish Times >> SCANLON TAKES FIRST WIN OF THE YEAR: (By Shane Stokes Mar 4) French-based Sligoman Mark Scanlon yesterday (Sunday) took his first win of the year in the GP Pierre Pinel race in Montastruc. The 21 year old former junior world champion outsprinted a small leading group at the end of the tough 132 kilometre race near Toulouse, after bridging across to the breakaway from the main bunch in the closing stages. The VC La Pomme rider is five kilos lighter
than when he started racing last season, and this
improved power to weight ratio was evident on the 7
kilometre finishing circuit, covered 6 times and
featuring the gruelling 400 metre, 1-in-5 Mur d’Engalinat
climb. Four riders, including Scanlon’s team mate
Tommy Evans, had gone clear on the finishing circuit but
Scanlon was able to jump across to the move from a 9 man
chasing group, and then profited from a lead-out by
Evans to win the race. One hundred riders turned up for the 30 mile race, with the first group of senior 3 competitors, juniors, women and veterans getting a 4 minute advantage over the senior 2 bunch and a further 3 minutes on the first category riders. On the first of 6 laps, Byrne, Ian Ormond (Cidona Carrick), James Lawless (Usher IRC) and McNally Swords’ Anthony MacMahon went clear and this quartet went on to take the first four places overall. Mick Bolton (BH Racing) and Brian Taffe (Dublin Wheelers) successfully bridged across from the senior 2 bunch to the next group, while the chase behind faltered due to the tough circuit and gusting winds. At the finish, Byrne outsprinted Ormond and MacMahon to take the win, Lawless hung on for fourth and Bray Wheelers’ Jonathan Cruise beat Usher IRC’s Stephen Enright to secure 5th place. Seymour secures slot: (By Shane Stokes Mar 1) The prospect of a good season for national mountain-bike cross-country champion Robin Seymour looks brighter with the news he has secured a ride with Mapei's off-road squad for 2002. Read the full story in the Irish Times >> |
SCANLON
WINS REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP RACE:
(By Shane Stokes Mar 17) In form rider Mark Scanlon won
the first round of the French South-East regional
championship series on Saturday, breaking clear towards
the end of the Les Monts de Luberon race and finishing
over a minute clear of second-placed Vassili Iniokhin.
Scanlon's Irish team-mate Tommy Evans was 4th, one place
ahead of fellow VC La Pomme rider Martial Ricci-Poggi,
handing the Marseilles squad the lead in the series.
BYRNE
WINS RACE ONE OF LEINSTER LEAGUE:
(By Shane Stokes Mar 3) Usher IRC rider David Byrne made
a successful return from a long break off the bike when
he win the first round of the Leinster League in
Kilcullen on Saturday. Byrne last competed as an under
16 rider 7 years ago, but Cycling Ireland’s recent
reintroduction of the senior 3 category was the only
impetus he needed to get back on the bike.