The An Post-Chainreaction team has been very busy in recent months, with a whole new group of young Irish riders being lined up of late.
Having started the 2015 campaign with five Irish riders, all but one of that group has indicated they will not return to An Post-Chainreaction for next year.
However, fears the team would be short on Irish talent in 2016 have been allayed with news that the squad is expected to have no fewer than six riders from Ireland in its line-up.
An Post-Chainreaction is yet to make any comment or announcement on its roster for 2016, meaning the number of Irish on the team next season is still subject to confirmation.
But informed sources have told stickybottle five new Irish riders have agreed terms for next year.
That new group will join Jack Wilson on the team as he is expected to remain on for next year. If so, he would be the only survivor from last year.
Advertisement
An announcement on the new line-up is expected in coming days.
News that such a large number of Irish riders look set to be in the team next year is a fantastic boost for the sport here.
It underlines the team’s commitment to remaining as an Irish-registered squad with very much an Irish identity.
Related News
And young Irish riders coming up through the ranks, who are still juniors or are in their first season or two as U23s, will take great encouragement from the fact that An Post-Chainreaction remains a team on the look-out for Irish talent.
This time last year when the team was announcing its roster for 2015 it included Ireland's Sean Downey, Jack Wilson, Eoin McCarthy, Ryan Mullen and Conor Dunne.
Of those, Sean Downey has decided to hang up his international racing wheels.
He is already focused on developing the Downey Cycles business started by his father Seamus Downey, himself an international rider who represented Ireland at the Olympics.
Eoin McCarthy has also returned back to Ireland and will race with the Osbourne Meats-McCarthy Cycles squad next season.
Conor Dunne has secured a place on the UK-based Continental level team JLT Condor Cycles after a very strong 2015 culminating in riding the elite race at the World Road Championships.
And world class time trial rider Ryan Mullen has caught the eye of Cannondale-Garmin, with whom he has signed a two-year contract for next season and 2017.
Topics
