Cycling: Endura boys should have plenty in reservoir

RIDERS from Lothians cycling outift Endura Racing Team will be out to show the benefits of their exposure to top-class racing in Europe when they face their first big test of the domestic season.

An eight-man team will contest the Tour of the Reservoir, a 160-kilometre race in Northumbria and their success at the Tour of Murcia in Spain means they go into tomorrow's event knowing their rivals will be wary.

Capital duo Evan Oliphant and James McCallum will be joined by the team's leading foreign riders, New Zealander Jack Bauer and Frenchman Alex Blain. Also racing in Endura colours will be Welsh champion Rob Partridge.

The race is the first leg of the British Cycling Premier Calendar and a good form guide ahead of next weekend's Tour Doon Hame in Dumfries-shire, which has replaced the Girvan 3 Day event on the racing programme.

Meanwhile, Sir Chris Hoy was due back in the saddle in Copenhagen today to start his quest for gold in the individual sprint at the World Championships.