The ‘Talent Team 2020’ riders at the FBD launch in Dublin (Photo: Robbie Fry)
Less than twelve months after its long association with the Rás ended, FBD Insurance is back in the sport again sponsoring Cycling Ireland’s new ‘Talent Team 2020’ youth development project.
The new relationship between the insurance giant and the boys ‘FBD Talent Team 2020’ was officially launched at a press event in Corkagh Park in west Dublin. The photo shoot at the new purpose built cycling track was the first time the youth national FBD kit was put on public show.
The new deal is for an initial three-year period and will see financial support for a squad of riders from whom Cycling Ireland hopes will emerge the Olympians of 2020. The backing will enable selections from the panel to travel abroad to compete on Irish youth teams and will also fund coaching and sports science support.
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‘FBD Talent Team 2020’ coach and Olympic manager, Martin O’Loughlin said Cycling Ireland was hopeful the new relationship would help create an environment in which riders could be properly nurtured through their period of early development.
“We’re also thrilled that despite the current economic climate, FBD has shown the commitment to invest in this initiative for the next three years and beyond,” he added.
FBD sales and marketing director, Adrian Taheny said he was delighted the company was back in the sport again.
“FBD’s connection with the cycling world goes back many decades with its title sponsorship of the Rás and we are now delighted to come on board with Talent Team 2020 so that we help shape the future champions of the cycling world.”
The team is made up of eight riders and had a number of training sessions over the winter in Dublin, Kilmessan in Co Meath and Clonmel in Co Tipperary. Those camps involved input for An Post-Sean Kelly riders Ronan McLaughlin and Sean Bennett as well as Declan Byrne, a former national track champion and current Cycling Ireland anti-doping officer.
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The first international assignment by the team is already complete, with four riders having traveled to the Youth Tour of Scotland last weekend. Those riders were: Mark Downey (Banbridge CC), Declan Mulholland (Clann Eireann), Michael O’Loughlin (Iverk Produce Carrick Wheelers) and Aaron Swan (TCR Racing).
Downey was the team leader and took the KOH classification while O’Loughlin was second in that competition having ridden for the Banbridge man on the climbs. The other two riders also performed very strongly with Sawn showing his ability by finishing in the lead group on the last stage, which was the hilliest of the race.
The Talent Team 2020 process is seeking to mirror development programmes in nations like Great Britain and Australia, where talent has been identified at a very early age and is now yielding spectacular results at junior, U23 and elite levels.
Cycling Ireland has said the ‘FBD Talent Team 2020’ has been established to smooth the transition “of our brightest prospects from the youth to junior ranks, where they will then hopefully join the junior development programme” already in existence.
The second goal is to identify “Ireland’s most talented cyclists born in the years 1996 to 1999 and offer them specialist support to achieve their potential along a high performance development pathway”.
The eldest of the riders selected for ‘FBD Talent Team 2020’ will be 25-year-olds when the Olympics are held in 2020. The youngest of the riders will be 21-year-olds in that Olympic year.
The riders with Cycling Ireland CEO Geoff Liffey (far left) – president Rory Wyley and development coach Martin O’Loughlin (centre) – and (far right) Adrian Taheny, FBD sales and marketing director (Photo: Robbie Fry)
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