The An Post-Sean Kelly team and new sponsors Ultimate Clothing have unveiled a new-look kit for the team next year.
The Irish-Belgian squad’s traditional all green gear has been modernised with a fresher look, with the addition of white to the transformed jersey.
As well as maintaining its usual main backers including An Post, Grant Thornton and Dolan Bikes; Ultimate Clothing and Chain Reaction Cycles are just two of the names added to the team of sponsors for next year.
The new look and new partnership with Ultimate Clothing comes at a time when the team’s rider line-up has been finalised and now includes the most international and arguably strongest squad ever.
Team principal Sean Kelly said the new gear deal and redesign of the jersey would motivate both the riders and staff just weeks ahead of the new season.
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"I'm obviously delighted to bring in Ultimate Clothing as the new clothing suppliers. They're a new Irish company and they've already developed an excellent reputation so they're exactly the kid of partner we're always keen to bring in.”
“I think with the new riders we've added to the team in the past few months, coming out with a new look adds another dimension; it shows we're always looking to change to get stronger and grow the team. I think it's always important to show that you're upping the professionalism all the time and the new two year clothing deal costing in the region of 200,000 and new look is part of that process."
Ultimate Clothing owner Declan Keogh, who also owns the Dublin-based Dectek technology company, said the new deal would increase the clothing company’s profile. Ultimate Clothing will now be the sole suppliers of the team kit to retail and wholesale outlets.
"I've been involved in cycling before with my Dectek company as a sponsor in Ireland and we have plans at home for next year as well. But now that we've launched Ultimate Clothing to supply teams and clubs with all their gear it made total sense to promote ourselves with An Post-Sean Kelly.”
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“I think the team is flying. They had a great year last season and the riders are even stronger now. So we jumped at the chance to get involved with them and we think the new gear looks great. We're looking forward to getting it into the shops and selling it on our site www.ultimate-clothing.com.”
An Post-Sean Kelly manager Kurt Bogaerts said with the Irish-Belgian team based in Belgium it was important that they continued to attract strong Irish companies like Ultimate Clothing.
"When I'm in Ireland it's always great to see lots of riders wearing the gear. It really adds to how well supported we feel by Irish fans. I think this new gear is my favourite so far and hopefully others will think so too.”
“We have a lot of really good riders now who are still young and they can develop and win things with the team. So hopefully we'll see the new jersey getting a lot of victories, even more than last season."
Keogh’s partner in Ultimate Clothing, James Lawless believes securing the deal to supply the An Post-Sean Kelly team and to distribute it at home and abroad is a “great way to showcase what we do”.
“We’ve already been very successful in supplying gear to clubs, teams and sportive organisers that they’ve all been delighted with. So really it’s just a question of growing the business from here and there’s no better way to do that than be involved with a team that’s really going places.”
James Lawless of Ultimate Clothing with Sean Kelly.
