Runner up last year, Synergy Baku's Connor McConvey will be looking to go one better in this year's An Post Rás.
Having taken second overall with Connor McConvey last May, the Azerbaijan-registered Synergy Baku squad will contest the An Post Rás again when it begins in Dunboyne on May 18th, it was announced today.
Managed by Irishman David McQuaid, the squad also notched up two stage victories, with former riders Kirill Pozdnyakov and Rico Rogers winning stage four into Glengarrif and stage six into Carlow respectively last year.
This time around McConvey, who finished on exactly the same time as 2013 winner Marcin Bialoblocki, will once again aim for the yellow jersey.
“As a goal, the team would always like to have a shot at the overall jersey,” said general manager McQuaid.
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“That’s most likely with Connor McConvey if he hones his form. Looking at the squad we are putting forward, stage wins are more likely.”
Although their Rás team is yet to be selected, it’s highly likely that four-time national champion and recent king of the mountains at the Tour of Langkawi Matt Brammeier, and former U23 national champion Philip Lavery will also be part of the five man team.
The team will be directed at the race by Arvis Piziks, who finished second to-then USSR team-mate Dainis Ozoles in the 1989 Rás and went on to ride professionally for Rabobank and Tinkoff-Saxo’s predecessor Team Jack and Jones.
Ryan Mullen, Sean Downey, Jack Wilson, Marcus Christie and Conor Dunne will fight it out for places on the An Post-Chainreaction team for the Rás. Christie seen here in the escape on stage 1 of the Etoile de Besseges back in February (Photo: Sirotti)
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Five Irish riders are also in the running for slots on the An Post-Chainreaction team due to take part in the race.
Last year’s opening stage winner Conor Dunne, as well as compatriots Sean Downey, Ryan Mullen, Marcus Christie and current U23 national road champion Jack Wilson will all fight it out for places on the team.
The quintet will have strong competition however from recent winner of the Le Tryptique de Monts et Chateaux Owain Doull, Liverpudlian strong man Mark McNally, Cork-born Australian international Robert Jon McCarthy and Kiwi duo Glenn O’Shea and Aaron Gate.
“What I am hoping for is that the riders can go for the overall,” says team boss Kurt Bogaerts.
“I don’t have a particular GC rider in mind right now but we’ll see. Looking at this year’s route, I think it is a harder Rás than before.
“I definitely want our guys to go for stages, but also by bringing strong riders to the race; that we have an option for the overall win. I would love to aim for that again, if it is possible.”
An Post Rás race director, Tony Campbell believes the addition of the two teams will have a big impact on the event.
“As they showed in the past, An Post-Chainreaction and Synergy Baku squad are hugely competitive and have experience of taking victories in the race.
“The fact that both teams have such a number of strong riders to choose from shows the talent in depth. We are confident that both will field very good selections and that they will be amongst the strongest teams in this year’s edition.”
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