Ciaran Power of the Linda McCartney Foods Cycling Team received the best possible endorsement of his progress this year when he was selected to represent Ireland at the Olympic Games.

"Fantastic!" said the 24 year-old from Waterford when he heard the news. "Of course, I was hoping to be picked, but you can never be sure: there's a lot of good riders coming out of Ireland at the moment." The grit that he showed to complete the Giro d'Italia and his developing sprinting speed must have convinced the selectors that he will be one to watch in Sydney.

Also hoping for an Olympic spot is Bjornar Vestol. Bjornar picked up his second silver medal in the Norwegian Championships, when he added a road race 2nd to go with his time trial result. "I'm pleased to get a medal, but I would have liked to have won," he said.

In the other championships, Matt Stephens did everything he could to split the British National Championship, but was unable to shift three riders, who each beat him to the line. The excellent John Tanner retained his jersey of champion by narrowly defeating former McCartney favourite Jonny Clay, with Cofidis Tour de France hope David Millar in third. Matt was philosophical about 4th place: "I don't know what else I could have done really. I knew I wouldn't be able to outsprint them so I just kept attacking, but I didn't have enough to leave them behind."

Max Sciandri wasn't able to come to terms with the vagaries and intricacies of British cycling quickly enough, and he climbed off with two laps remaining. "I tried to go across the gap to Matt's group, but there were about ten guys sitting on my wheel. I said 'Come on, let's work together and we'll get on,' but not one of them wanted to help, so I just sat up. Maybe I should have just put my head down and gone anyway," he said with a shrug. Huw Pritchard marked his fine progress this season by turning in a great ride, supporting Matt very well, then sprinting in at the head of the first big bunch to take 10th. Results...