Hopes that all five eligible Irish riders - Philip Deignan, Nicolas Roche, Dan Martin, Sam Bennett and Matt Brammeier - would be in the Tour de France have been ended with confirmation that Brammeier has not made his time short list of 11. Above, Brammeier in the breakaway at the Tour of Flanders (Photo: Sirotti)
Hopes that Ireland may have five riders in next month’s Tour de France have been ended with news that Matt Brammeier has not been named on MTN-Qhubeka’s shortlist.
The team, which is set to become the first African squad ever in the race, has named 11 riders on the list, which will be whittled down to nine by the time the Tour starts in just over four weeks.
Brammeier has been going very well this year for the Pro Continental squad, getting clear in a number of strong breakaways in some of the world’s biggest races including the Tour of Flanders.
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However, with the fight for places in every team always intense when it comes to the Tour de France and the fact MTN-Qhubeka wants to push African cycling most, the UK-born four-time Irish road champion has missed out.
Of the 11 named, seven are African, with the team not hiding its wish to promote riders from that Continent.
“As an African team racing to raise awareness for the Qhubeka charity, we head to the Tour de France with the goal of putting 5,000 African children on bicycles through our #BicyclesChangeLives campaign,” it said announcing its shortlist.
“We are extremely pleased that seven of the 11 riders on our squad come from Africa with the remaining four spots completed by our international riders.”
Irish Corner 10 on Alpe d'Huez has sprung up in recent years and reflects the new level of interest fans from Ireland have in pro racing, and cycling generally. However, while those who like to cheer on the Irish will still have plenty of skin in the game in France in July, Matt Brammeier definitely won't be there.
Three of the 11 on the list are from South Africa; national road race champion Jacques Janse van Rensburg, African continental road race champion Louis Meintjes and sprinter Reinardt Janse van Rensburg.
The team’s Eritrean trio who were all part of Eritrea’s continental team time trial victory this year have all also made the selection. They are Merhawi Kudus, Daniel Teklehaimanot and Natnael Berhane.
The final African rider on the list is the Algerian Tour de Langkawi winner Youcef Reguigui.
With them named are Grand Tour veterans Edvald Boasson Hagen, Steve Cummings, Serge Pauwels and Tyler Farrar. All bar Pauwels are Grand Tour stage winners.
Brammeier was one of five Irish in the running to ride the Tour, the others being Sam Bennett of Bora Argon 18, Dan Martin of Cannondale-Garmin and the Team Sky duo of Philip Deignan and Nicolas Roche.
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While Bennett is a confirmed starter, Cannondale-Garmin and Team Sky have yet to confirm their picks for the Tour.
Being excluded from his team’s selection is a blow for Brammeier, who has never ridden a Grand Tour.
Ireland currently has three Grand Tour stage winners in the peloton, with Dan Martin, Philip Deignan and Nicolas Roche all having won one Vuelta stage apiece. Martin has also won a stage of the Tour de France - stage 9 in 2013, above. Can they, or Sam Bennett, add to that tally next month? (Photo: Sirotti)
However, the squad has already secured an invite to the Vuelta and if Brammeier can keep his resurgent form going in the next couple of months he may not have to wait too long for his debut Grand Tour.
He also has a second year to run on his contract with MTN-Qhubeka next year, meaning a ride at the Tour under his current deal is still a very real possibility.
Speaking to stickybottle earlier this year, the 29-year-old said he would do what he can to be in the race but said he would cope if he was not selected.
“You never know,” he said, when asked if a Tour ride could be possible this season.
“Of course you look at the team and they have a lot of big stars and strong riders. But every squad needs riders to do a job and to pull on the front. To do lead-outs and stuff.
“I can only go out there and perform and do my best. I can hope and dream about doing the Tour de France. Of course it is in the back of my mind.
“To be honest, it is not really going to change anything about how I am riding. I just want to do my best for the team and if they decide that they want me to be there, that would be cool.”
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