The domestic outfit enjoyed some of its finest moments with multiple visits to the podium at the 2013 An Post Rás. However, Team DMG will cease to exist for the coming season after deciding to “pull the plug” (Photo with thanks to Brendan Slattery)
By Brian Canty
Following news last month that the ASEA-Wheelworx team would not be part of the Irish peloton in 2017, another strong team has disbanded.
Team DMG will cease to be part of the road racing scene and though it said it was “extremely disappointed” at having to depart, it also vented its frustration.
One of the men instrumental in setting up the team in 2011, Rene Van Dam believed “not everybody liked our forward positive promotion of cycling".
Van Dam told stickybottle last month that an event he has promoted since 2012, the hugely popular Visit Nenagh Classic, was not given its favoured date this year and that proved “the final straw”.
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“Team DMG, as host of Ireland's longest and toughest road race, the Visit Nenagh Classic, has endured serious resistance over the last five years in growing the event to international level," he has now said in a statement on behalf of the team as it winds up.
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“The recent date issue was the final straw. Even though the Visit Nenagh Classic will go ahead in 2017, Team DMG is extremely disappointed over the manner the race was treated and tossed all over the calendar.
“Our job as promoters of cycling in Nenagh, Tipperary and Ireland is done,” his statement added.
“We have achieved all our targets outlined in our mission statement with Team DMG in 2011.
“We had wonderful times on the road with our team on a regional, national but also international level.
“We celebrated victories in national events , but we were also very succesful in Ireland's only UCI ranked event, Rás Tailteann.
“We would like to thank all our riders for helping us achieve our goals. All riders associated with the team will be back, just wearing a different jersey in 2017.”
The team took several wins over the years, with Simon Ryan, former An Post Chain Reaction man Eoin McCarthy, Richard Hooton and the Butler brothers Stephen and Michael some of those who flew the flag for the team.
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