Navigators professional Ciarán Power finally got his season off to a belated start on Wednesday when he lined out alongside his Navigators team-mates in the Memorial Samyn in Belgium. The 2002 FBD Milk Rás winner had been sidelined since the start of the racing season due to tendonitis and, despite some twinges in the fast one-day event, he was very pleased with his condition.
Power revealed: "The knee is still not quite 100% but I had no problems in the race." Power dedicated his energies to riding for the team, ramping up the pace in the closing stages and helping to drag back a dangerous breakaway.
Team manager Ray Cipollini said: "Ciarán rode well and was feeling good, but is obviously not at 100% yet. He raced for the team and was instrumental in closing the gap to the late breakaway that that kept our sprinters in the race."
Power next competes in the three-day Driedaagse Van West Vlaanderen which begins on Friday, with Ag2R's Mark Scanlon also amongst the starters for the 2.3 ranked event.
Filed by Shane Murray
