Ben Walsh (18) has signed for a new Continental team. It has secured an invite to the Tour de Yorkshire. And now the squad has said the teenager is in contention for a big call up.
Ben Walsh (18) will be considered for Tour de Yorkshire
Irish teenager Ben Walsh is definitely in contention to be selected for the Tour de Yorkshire, his team has said.
The 18-year-old was a junior rider last year. He won the Junior Tour of Ireland; claiming the opening TT stage and holding yellow all the way.
Walsh also claimed the Irish junior TT title. And he performed at a consistently high level internationally for Ireland through the season.
His exploits caught the eye of new UK-based Continental team Vitus Pro Cycling. As a result, Walsh was offered a place in the squad for 2018.
The team has pulled off a coup in being invited to the Tour de Yorkshire. As a result, its young riders will now get to race against WorldTour opposition.
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The competition for places in the line-up will be intense. But team manager Cherie Pridham has said Ben Walsh is squarely in the shake-up. The team includes nine U23 riders, including five teenagers.
She listed Walsh as one of the options for the Tour de Yorkshire along with Julio Amores. He is a member of the Spanish national track team.
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Furthermore, Latvian rider Deins Kanepejs, she added, is also in contention for selection.
“I hadn’t allowed myself to look closely at the route before our invitation was confirmed,” she said.
“But now I’ll look in detail, and we’ll probably recce two or three of the stages.
“I’m just delighted for everyone involved with the team, from the sponsors to the staff to the riders,” she said.
Moreover, for a new team to have gained an invitation to such a prestigious race was "massive".
"(It) shows what is possible when everyone is on the same page," Pridham added.
Golden opportunity for Vitus Pro Cycling
“This will be my fourth Tour de Yorkshire as a team manager. And I’ve seen the race grow year-by-year.
“It’s hugely exciting to be involved in the 2018 edition. And with a fourth stage there will be even greater opportunity for us to make our mark on the race.
“We’ll take it stage-by-stage; look for the breakaways and fight hard to give our sponsors the publicity they deserve.
“It’s a great showcase, and we can push on now and prove to partners who want to become involved with cycling just what the possibilities are for a motivated group of staff and riders.”
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