Bennett in An Post’s line-up for Ronde Van Noord-Holland; Rás approach begins

Sam Bennett returns to the An Post-Sean Kelly fold for Sunday’s Ronde Van Noord-Holland after completing his international duties in the U23 Nations Cup in the past fortnight.

He is the sole Irish rider in the eight-man team for the Dutch encounter and now moves into An Post Rás preparation phase after having shaken off his unfortunate illness that ruined the early weeks of the 2012 season.

The 21-year-old was unlucky to crash in La Cote Picarde in France last week with the Irish team, and last weekend got caught up in another crash in the ZLM Tour in Holland that resulted in the decisive move going clear.

However, he later got out of the peloton in Holland and came home in a small chase group, suggesting he is returning to form in time for the next part of his race programme that will deliver him to the An Post Rás.

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He joins a strong selection for Sunday’s race that includes Belgian riders Niko Eeckhout, Pieter Gyhllebert, Niels Wytinck, and Joren Segers, along with British riders Mark McNally and Jonathan Mould and Lithuanian Gediminas Bagdonas.

McNally was third in Zellik-Galmaarden (1.2) in Belgium last weekend, where Bagdonas was fifth. Bagdonas also finished second in the Rund um Köln in Germany the weekend before last. Both riders are clearly going very well and with the other An Posts lining out in Holland on Sunday also showing good form, team manager Kurt Bogaerts says they will he targeting a win.

“We have put in some solid performances of late and have been in contention coming into the final stages of the last few races so we will be hoping to continue that and go for the victory on Sunday”.

“It’s a tough race. The route is very flat so it will be difficult with the crosswinds but our condition is improving every week and the morale in the team is high.”