Winner of the world title in Valkenburg in 1998, Mark Scanlon is back; this time to help save the Junior Tour, which he won as a teenager.
Former world junior road race champion Mark Scanlon is to be guest of honour at the Junior Tour Ulster Sportive which takes place on February 7th.
The Sligo man is one of three personalities who will be in Bellaghy, Co Derry, for the event.
He won the Junior Tour overall in 1998 and within two months he would travel to Holland on the Irish team to win his world junior crown.
He will be joined at the Derry event by reigning An Post Rás champion Clemens Fankheuser as well as Danish powerhouse Rasmus Guldhammer who was third in 2013.
Mark Scanlon winning stage 4 of the 2001 Rás into Killorglin.
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All three have close ties with the sportive’s organiser, Sean McNicholl, who said he was thrilled to have them commit to the event.
“It’s about keeping the Junior Tour alive,” he said.
“Some of the best riders we ever produced came through the Junior Tour and many of the world’s best riders raced it.
"It would be a travesty to see the race go and we’re not going to let that happen.”
McNicholl also said anyone who enters online will be put into a draw to win a framed portrait of three of our WorldTour professionals; Dan Martin, Nicolas Roche and Philip Deignan.
Climbing Mont Faron during the Tour Mediterraneen for Ag2r in 2005.
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“The portrait is a beautiful work of art and we’re hopeful it can drive up entries,” McNicholl said.
“It's an original piece and was signed by the three of them recently. It’s totally original and has been donated by the artist Vincent McAllister.”
The event is one of a number of sportives being organised to help keep the Junior Tour of Ireland alive after it ran into financial difficulties.
Following news in late October that the race was facing closure because of a severe lack of funds, the response to retain it has been extraordinary.
A number of charity cycles have now been arranged for the coming months to help raise the €35,000 needed to stage the event and perhaps have some cash in reserve.
Waiting for Milan San Remo to start in 2004, wearing the Irish national champion's jersey.
On December 13th in Munster a sportive will be organised by Will Curtin of Cork Giant CC. Further details will be announced shortly.
On Sunday February 1st the Junior Tour organising committee in conjunction with Irish Air Corps Cycling Association will host a fundraising sportive from Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel, Dublin. Details of the event will be published shortly.
On Saturday February 7th, the sportive organised by McNicholl, of Church Island Cycling, will go ahead in Bellaghy. Full details are available on the event’s Facebook page. You can enter HERE.
A Junior Tour Trust Fund has also been established into which people can make donations to help the race.
It can be found on the website of the Irish Road Club, of which Junior Tour organiser Alice Sherratt is a member.
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