Sean Kelly and Kurt Bogaerts are currently in Calpe, Spain on a training camp ahead of the 2017 season which starts a week on Sunday. The men in green will move to Spain very soon after Bogaerts bought a property in Girona from where he hopes to house riders.
By Brian Canty
The An Post-ChainReaction team will have a new base for the coming season and into the future after securing a property in Girona, Spain.
Currently, they manage operations from Belgium where manager Kurt Bogaerts hails from but a move to Spain is imminent.
The climate there is more favourable for year-round training and the team’s programme is another reason for the move.
Ex-professional Neil Martin also comes on board as a directeur sportif and Bogaerts has access to one of the world’s best-known training centres in Girona, the Cenit Centre.
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Martin, formerly a DS at SEG Racing, is based in Girona and has been living there for the last number of years.
He will assist the riders from there while also travelling with the team at times. Last year, he worked with An Post-Chainreaction at the Tour of Britain.
The team will have two bases as it will also retain its current property in Buggenhout, Belgium.
Irish members of the An Post-ChainReaction with Sean Kelly. Left to right: Matthew Teggart, Sean McKenna, Kelly, Damien Shaw and Conor Hennebry at the 2017 team launch in Calpe (Photo: Dan Sheridan – Inpho)
“I thought of how we could prepare better for races uphill so we searched an apartment in Girona,” explained Bogaerts of the move.
“I went in search of a place after the World Championships. It was something that came into my mind and then I went for it, found a place and I did it.
“Neil got me good help but it was an investment by me. I took a mortgage to pay for it, that’s my personal investment but I got it very cheap.
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“It was a personal thing that I thought was necessary and I got a unique opportunity with Cenit who wanted to invest in the team and it is situated one kilometre from the apartment.”
And Bogaerts said while Neil Martin was Irish star Dan Martin’s father and so had strong Irish connections, he also believed he brought lots of other skills to the team.
“He is a very positive person around riders and he provides a positive inspiration so we’re looking forward to working with him and him with the riders,” he said.
The An Post-Chainreaction line-up for the year ahead was officially unveiled at a launch party in Calpe, Spain, today.
Of most interest to Irish cycling fans will be the exploits of the four Irish riders on the roster; Sean McKenna, Damien Shaw, Conor Hennebry and Matt Teggart.
Shaw rode for the team last year and McKenna spent part of his season in the squad, opting to complete his studies first.
Teggart has been racing in France for the last couple of years and now steps up to Continental level.
And while Hennebry has done some racing abroad, his signing for An Post-Chainreaction represents the first time he will race full-time abroad.
Also on the team for this year are Kiwi Regan Gough (20), Pole Premislav Kasperkiewicz (22), Germany’s Jonas Bokeloh and Canadians Sean McKinnon and Adam Jamieson.
There are also three strong British riders in the line-up; Mark Stewart, Dan Gardner and Jacob Scott. And from Holland comes Bas Tietema and Davy Gunst.
And last but not least, Massimo Vanderaerden will also ride for An Post-Chainreaction. He is the son of Eric Vanderaerden, the great rival of Sean Kelly during their careers.
Bogaerts believes he has assembled a group of strong riders who can do very well.
“At the end of last season, we looked at what we wanted to work on, and have brought riders from all over the world who we believe can help address certain weaknesses we identified,” he said.
“This year’s team is very different from the past, it’s a very young team with most of the riders under 23. I have been impressed with the level of the guys so I expect to have a good season and I am quite confident with the line-up that we have.
“I’m very excited about the four Irish riders. Conor and Matthew will take some time to adapt to the set up but they are showing already that they can contribute to the team and I expect them to do so.
“Matthew is one of the best young riders in Ireland and Conor has shown he has a great kick and ability to finish races.
“Sean and Damien are both in great shape and are highly motivated to show what they can really do this season so I am confident they will bring some great results.”
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