Mark Scanlon, the 1998 World Junior Champion has signed for the Linda McCartney Pro Cycling Team. The Irishman will join his compatriot, Olympian Ciaran Power at the squad for 2001.

"I am delighted that we will be able to call Mark a Linda McCartney rider now," said his new team manager Sean Yates. "I tried to sign Mark for 1999, but he went to Rabobank in Holland instead. It is a measure of this team's progress that we are able to sign riders of his promise."

Mark, incredibly still only 19, burst upon the world scene with an emphatic victory at Valkenburg in Holland, at the 1998 World Championships. He crowned a brilliant ride in horrible conditions by taking the sprint to the line in a style that immediately had the critics purring. Inevitably, the "New Sean Kelly" stories began, but for Mark the comparison is unreasonable.

"There will never be another Sean Kelly - he was just incredible," says the Sligo youngster. "He was No.1 in the world for about eight years, and that's not something anybody can match. Of course it's flattering, but I'm not Kelly, I'm Scanlon."

Mark and Sean Yates are working out a programme to suit his development that won't ask too much too soon. "I've had a pretty good year at my French club, VC Etupes, with some good wins. I smacked up my elbow in a crash at the end of June, so I didn't get a sniff at the Olympics. Now I'm racing again, and Sean has given me a guest spot with the team for a couple of races coming up. I will be looking to be at my best for this year's World Championships."