The Irish men of An Post-Chainreaction, left to right: Jack Wilson, Daniel Stewart, Connor McConvey, Sean Kelly, Sean McKenna, Damien Shaw, David Montgomery and Angus Fyffe (Photo: Paul Mohan - Sportsfile)
The An Post-Chainreaction team has unveiled its fill line-up for the road season ahead, with confirmation that two of the new Irish signings will not join up with the squad until the summer months.
Manager Kurt Bogaerts has confirmed at the team launch in Calpe, southern Spain, that Sean McKenna and Angus Fyffe will join the team proper after the Rás at the end of May.
Fyffe will continue to ride with his home club Omagh Wheelers until that point, when the second year of his engineering degree course is completed.
And McKenna, who sits his final exams at university in May, will ride with Team Aquablue until the start of the summer.
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As expected, the Irish-registered and Irish-backed team has a very impressive seven Irish riders in its line-up for the year ahead.
As well as Fyffe and McKenna, also in the fold are Jack Wilson, Connor McConvey, Daniel Stewart, national champion Damien Shaw and David Montgomery.
Shaw is perhaps the most interesting signing, but all are capable of developing very well and getting their own results.
The Mullingar man is now aged 31 years and is at an advanced stage of his career to be moving from the amateur ranks up to Continental level.
However, his journey has always been unique; coming to cycling late and working as a fire man as he built the strength and race craft that saw him win the national road race title last year.
“Arriving late to cycling was not ideal but my aim is to prove that I can compete at a professional level and bring pride to the Irish national champion jersey that I will be wearing for the coming year,” said Shaw at the team launch.
“It will be a big test for me but I’m delighted to have the opportunity to get a taste of professional life and show other pros that I’m up to the standard.”
The team in full kit, with manager Kurt Bogaerts and principal Sean Kelly front and centre flanking Shaw in his Irish champion's kit (Photo: Paul Mohan of Sportsfile)
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While all of the riders are watched very closely, it will be Shaw’s, Fyffe’s and McKenna’s journey this year that will be most interesting to watch as they make the transition from the home scene in big time European racing.
Stewart raced in France last year and having broken into the Irish set-up in the last couple of seasons his signing for An Post-ChainReaction represents seamless progress for a young rider very much on the up.
Montgomery is coming from an off road background and while he was with Belgian trade squad Team 3M last year; he will look to make a major step up on the road in the season ahead.
Wilson, now aged 22 years and in his fourth season with the squad, will looking to put to good effect the power he has built up in recent seasons and put behind him an injury-hit 2015.
McConvey makes his return the squad for a third stint with Sean Kelly’s men. And having excelled in Rás in the past, he is definitely a potential winner of that race.
“Every year, there is a re-building process that takes place,” said Bogaerts; the Belgian bike rider turned manager charged with getting the best out of the team.
“Riders can move from one team to the other, it’s the nature of the business. Every year we hope to have some really good results that we are satisfied with and that we can be proud of.
“At the end of the day, we are a development team and we hope that we can push riders to higher teams like we did last year with Ryan Mullen and Sam Bennett in the past also.
“We hope this year that we can achieve the outstanding results again and help these young men to have a career in cycling. I’m looking forward to the season starting; we have a lot of talent in this squad.”
And once again, a major priority would be the Rás in May.
“We are hoping for similar results as last year, which were brilliant having several stage wins.
“It is a chance for us to show the Irish public what potential and strength we have and this year especially, I know we have the capability to push for general classification.”
An Post-ChainReaction
Rider Roster, 2016
Damien Shaw (Ire)
Jack Wilson (Ire)
Connor McConvey (Ire)
David Montgomery (Ire)
Daniel Stewart (Ire)
Aaron Gate (NZ)
Oliver Kent – Spark (Aus)
Jordan Stannus (Aus)
Calvin Watson (Aus)
Jasper Bovenhuis (Ned)
Emiel Wastyn (Bel)
Nicolas Vereecken (Bel)
Sean Bennett (USA)
Jacob Scott (GB)
Sean McKenna (Ire)*
Angus Fyffe (Ire)*
*Will join up with the squad after An Post Rás in May, 2016
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