With the new season fast approaching, there’s lots of transfer news from the past few months
We’ve put together a list of rider transfer and team news for the Irish at home and abroad as we move towards the new season. We’ve tried to be as comprehensive as we possibly can but if we’re missing anyone, just drop us a line and we’ll update this piece.*
Bennett, Sam – His highlights in 2012 were 10th in the U23 World Championship Road Race and 7th in the European Championships. He has re-signed for An Post Sean Kelly for 2013 and will be looking to progress to a bigger team for 2014, or certainly to holding his place in the Irish-Belgian outfit as it prepares to move to the Pro Continental ranks. Despite his good results, he was sick at the start of last year and injured at the end of it. With surgery completed to correct that injury, Bennett looks like he’s in for a great season if he got a season-long run with no problems.
Advertisement
Sam Bennett bagged some great results in 2012 even though he had injuries. What can he do in 2013?
Brammeier, Matt – The national road race champion for the past three years, Brammeier had an indifferent 2012 with Omega Pharma-Quickstep. He was dogged with injury and illness and did not seem to gel as well with the team as he had done the year previous with HTC Highroad. However, Brammeier is a very strong rider with a great gallop and horsepower in huge quantities. He has just signed with Asian ProContinental team Champion System and as a natural winner of races he will be one to watch this season.
Buggle, Aaron – A great TT rider and strongman on the road, Buggle has had his fair share of injury in the past few years. However, he came back in 2012 when he based himself in France and after putting in some good rides has secured a place in the UK-based UCI Continental team ‘Rapha Condor JLT’. He was very aggressive in the Rás last May and he could do very well on the British scene and in the European races the team will be riding. He is currently recovering from a crash at the Jayco Herald Sun Tour in Australia where he suffered thorn tendons.
Clancy, Stephen – The Limerick rider had no season to speak of in 2012 thanks to being diagnosed with diabetes very early in the year. He spent 2012 getting used to handling his condition. Having ridden for Dan Morrissey-Speedy Spokes in 2012, he secured a trial with Team Type 1 in the latter part of the season. He has now been offered a place on the ProContinental all-diabetic rider roster, which has been rebranded as Team Novo Nordisk. The coming season will be a steep learning curve for him but he’s been presented with a dream opportunity and seems determined to make the most of it.
Clarke, Paddy – The Mayo man has been riding with Terra Footwear in Belgium but has decided to leave that set-up for the coming season. He is examining his options for 2013 and looks likely to race with a domestic team or possibly ride unattached in the UK. He is certainly strong enough to be one of the key men on the home scene in the year ahead.
Clifford, Daniel – The talented Kerryman spent some of last year riding in France and in the colours of DID Dunboyne when at home. His trip abroad appeared to go very well, and he also rode strongly last month when getting a 4th place in a stage of the three-race series Tour of India. He is yet to make any announcement about his plans for 2013 but a season-long stint abroad seems the obvious choice and we understand his talks in that regard are concluding around now.
Deignan, Philip – Deignan was hoping to relaunch his career in 2012 with his move to Unitedhealthcare, and while that did not go according to plan the US Pro Continental outfit has retained confidence in him, with the Donegal man to line out for them again in 2013. Having taken a Vuelta stage win and top ten overall, Deignan has results in his palmares that Nicolas Roche and Dan Martin don’t to date, a fact that underlines his natural ability. A bit like Sam Bennett, a good run of problem-free form for Deignan could bring very spectacular results.
Dillon, Olivia – The national TT champion and bronze medallist in the road race in 2012, Dillon has been racing in the US with leading women’s team NOW & Novartis for MS. She has not made any announcement to date about where she is going for 2013, but she will be staying on in the US and is expected to extend with her current team.
Dowling, Mark – The Dubliner spent the last portion of his 2012 season in France with Dan Clifford and also rides with Clifford on the DID Dunboyne when at home. He is a very good climber and, like Clifford, seemed to take very well to the French scene during the pair’s stint there. He has been continuing his search for a berth for 2013 but another stint abroad, this time possibly for the full season, seems on the cards.
Mark Dowling (left) takes victory at the Joey Whyte Memorial Cup in Stamullen in April (Photo: Gary Guildea)
Downey, Sean – The former U23 National TT Champion enjoyed a strong first season with An Post-Sean Kelly in 2012 and has re-signed for them for 2013. Now familiar with the set up and the racing in Belgium, Downey is a very strong rider who will be looking to bag some results in 2013. He was the only U23 rider to be picked for both the road and the TT at the Worlds last year. He also put in a great ride at the Kreiz Breizh stage race in France last July where a strong TT laid the foundation for his 8th overall. He looks like a rider with plenty of development ahead of him and we feel has some big performances in his legs to come.
Dunne, Conor – Having ridden in Belgium for the past few seasons, Dunne took the National U23 TT title last year, took a one-day win in Belgium and represented Ireland in the U23 Nations Cup events and the U23 World Championships TT. He is opting to race again in Belgium in 2013 and is staying with Vl Technics – Abutriek. The big man survived a cull there this time 12 months ago to hold his place despite the rider roster being significantly cut back. He will be the team’s only non-Belgian rider in 2013.
English, Felix – The young TT and track talent showed he is making a promising transition to a career based on road racing, winning the National Criterium Championships last year and a stage in the Tour of the North. The past season has been one of transition for him and he will be looking to capitalise in 2013 on lessons learned in 2012, having re-signed for ‘Rapha Condor JLT’ for a second season.
Geoghegan, Michelle – Having recovered from a narrowed external iliac artery, she raced in 2012 for the Belgian Steeds-Vooraan squad and in 2013 is moving team. The Kerry native will ride for Endura Lady Force, a Dutch team with a very good international programme.
Halpin, Stephen – Having ridden for Metaltek-SCOTT in 2012, the Dubliner had illness to contend with in the first part of the season followed by some crash injuries later on. He will not ride with the UK-based team again this year and is currently finalising his plans for the coming season while training in Australia.
Stephen Halpin wins the Carrick Wheelers Cup back in March; he’s finalising his plans for 2013 (Photo: Joe Cashin)
Hawkins, Peter – After a very strong season with IG Sigma Sport in 2012, the 27-year-old Belfastman has re-signed for the UK-based UCI Continental team for a second season. He perhaps surprised himself with very good performances last year in the British Premier Calendar and Tour of Britain and he’ll be looking to build on that in 2013. He’s capable of winning some of the biggest races in Britain and having adjusted well last year after moving back from Belgium to the UK, the season ahead holds a lot of promise for him.
Irvine, Martyn – In 2012 he not only qualified for the London Olympics but he also put up a great ride in the National Road Race Championships and won two silver medals at the UCI World Cup on the track in Glasgow. His reward is a contract with ProContinental US-based team Unitedhealthcare. At 27 years old, he’s a good example to younger riders to prove you don’t have to make the jump to the pro level at U23 and that you don’t have to make the transition via An Post-Sean Kelly.
Jelfs, Dominic - He will ride in 2013 in the colours of ‘Madison Genesis’, the new squad that has been put together by former pro road racer and World Junior Cyclocross Champion Roger Hammond. British-born Jelfs has ridden on Irish development teams and also made a number of Irish U23 Nations Cups teams in recent years. He claimed the silver medal behind Sam Bennett in the U23 National Championships in 2010, a year in which he also rode the FBD Rás on the Irish development team. He took the biggest win of his career last September when he grabbed a stage of the UCI 2.2 Tour of Bulgaria.
Lavery, Philip – Having moved to the UK-based Continental team Node4-Giordana for 2012, Lavery’s plans for 2013 are not yet clear. The talented Dubliner is the national U23 champion and having won a string of races in Ireland in 2012 he will be looking to build on that in the season ahead. He rode a clever first stage of the An Post Rás and took the young rider classification jersey at the end of that opening leg. He also won the Shay Elliott in great style; from the front, the way he normally races.
Martin, Dan – The world class climber recently signed for another two years with Garmin-Sharp. Martin (26) is now in his fifth season with the team, having signed for them in 2008 when they were known as Garmin-Chipotle-H30. The team is managed by Jonathan Vaughter’s and owned by Slipstream Sports.
Dan Martin climbed strongly in the Tour of Beijing in 2012 to take home the polka dot jersey
McCarthy, Eoin – The Fermoy man is putting his studies aside for a while and having raced for a period in Belgium in 2012, he is returning there for the full season this year with the “Terra Footwear-Bicycle Line” team. He will look to learn as much as he can and get stronger with a view to becoming a permanent fixture in the U23 international set-up.
McConvey, Connor – Made a return to the An Post-Sean Kelly team in 2012 but will not be continuing with the Irish-Belgian outfit this year. He has not announced where he will be going, but is expected to secure a place on a foreign team at UCI Continental level. He is one of the very strongest riders in Ireland on his day and looked the best Irish rider on the hardest climbs on the Rás in Donegal last year. He is a potential Rás winner if he finds a good team and has a bit of luck.
Mullen, Eoin – The track powerhouse from the Aran Islands is continuing to base himself at the UCI’s World Cycling Centre in Aigle, Switzerland. He competed in his first UCI elite World Cup meetings last year and is gradually chipping away at his personal best times. Having seen fellow trackie Martyn Irvine get to the Olympics last year and follow that up with securing a contract for 2013 with Pro Continental Team Unitedhealthcare, Mullen will be looking to emulate some of that success in the years ahead, though looks set for a career exclusively on the track. He’s a powerhouse who has really begun to look the real deal over the past 12 months, bagging several national elite titles in 2012 in his first year out of the junior ranks.
Class act: Eoin Mullen is following the path least travelled in the track sprinting world.
Mullen, Ryan – Having taken silver at the European Junior TT Champs and 9th in the World Championships TT in 2012, the National TT Champ and former Junior Road Race Champ has signed for the UK-based UCI Continental team IG Sigma Sport, where he will have fellow Irishman Peter Hawkins for company. He will face a year of learning, though is a naturally gifted rider and may well make progress very quickly.
Roche, Nicolas – The former team leader at Ag2r-La Mondiale has joined Saxo-Tinkoff where his main role will be to assist team leader Alberto Contador to Grand Tour victory. However, the 28-year-old will still be hoping to get some opportunity to be team leader and many even fill that role in a race like the Vuelta. A very strong rider who has perhaps not reached his potential in the past season or two, relinquishing team leadership duties may be the tonic that brings some victories.
Related News
Ryan, Caroline – The bronze medallist from the track World Championships in 2012 is targeting that event again in early 2013 as her first big goal, after which she will likely assess her goals on the road, track and in the TT. Ryan will ride for Garda CC at home in 2013 and when she competes abroad will ride for Ireland and BNG Sport Management.
Sherlock, Ryan – He was a relatively late convert to road racing, having started with MTB, but was one of the very strongest riders in the home scene in 2012. He won a string of domestic races and rode very strongly in the An Post Rás. While a Cycleways rider in recent years, he is looking for a team abroad and is still hoping to find an international berth for 2013. We believe an announcement in that regard is imminent.
Spath, Mel – The German-born rider has recently sorted her declaration for Ireland and having become national champion on the road in 2012 – her first full year after switching her focus for a highly successful MTB career – the season ahead should be very interesting. Spath has also completed her studies so will have more time to give the bike. Having ridden for Cycleways in recent seasons, her team plans for 2013 are still not set, though she is seeking international competition and may be the real dark horse on that stage in the year ahead if she can find a team.
Taking the national title in Clonmel last June, Mel Spath has a great engine (Photo: Barry Sutton – www.irishcyclingphotos.com)
Wilson, Jack – The Antrim teenager did very well last year to be considered strong enough for selection for the U23 World Championships. With the likes of Sam Bennett, Sean Downey and Philip Lavery all moving on from the age group this year, Wilson will have a very good chance to make an impression at that level. He’s been racing with ‘UCS Crabbe–Performance Voo’ in Belgium for the past couple of seasons but joins An Post-Sean Kelly for 2013.
Walsh, Anthony – The former UCD CC rider has put his bad luck of 2012 behind him in signing a new one-year deal with the American team Astellas Oncology. He will live in Canada and race with the team both in the US and internationally. He competed with the French Apoge Super U team in 2012 but a series of crashes saw him frustrated in his efforts to progress, though he is looking to correct that during the season ahead.
Zaidan, Darragh – The Dubliner is leaving VCC-Morteau Montbenoit in the French Comte region and joining DN3 team UC Aubenas in the Ardeche. At home he will be with Adamstown Cycling Team. He put in a good year in 2012, going away young to learn the ropes in the trenches and will be hopeful those lessons stand to him in 2013 as he bases himself abroad again.
Planet-Tri Full Rider Roster 2013
O’Brien. Paidi - The Banteer native is arguably the best pure sprinter in the country at present and ending the year ranked second best in the country comes as no surprise. He took a string of early season wins in 2012, including the opening stage of Rás Mumhan. His 7th place in the Nationals was no less impressive and with a flat circuit for this year’s race, he must be one of the domestic riders most in with a chance.
Taking the stage win in Rás Mumhan; O’Brien is a banker for more wins with Plant-Tri in 2013
Meade, Barry - A close friend of O’Brien’s, Meade made the switch from the O’Leary’s Stone Kanturk team following his win at the Charleville Two-Day A4 race. Another quality finisher – evidenced by his second place at the Thurles Halloween Crit in October - Meade is a shrewd operator with bags of experience.
Loftus, Alan - Previously with Limerick and Blarney, Loftus is another with years of experience with several Rásanna under his belt.
Gallery, Aidan - Has followed a path not too dissimilar to Loftus – moving from Limerick to Blarney and will be looking to impress in his new team. Gallery is cute and has forged his way into breakaways over the years. His help will be crucial to the more established riders.
Barry, Eddie - One of the stars of the team, Barry is a work-horse of a rider with a phenomenal engine.
Cummins. Owen - Formerly of Blarney, the 25-year-old comes from a triathlon background and though he has ridden Rás Mumhan in the past, he has never put a full season down. If on form, has the potential to win many races such is his power.
Storan, Mike - A veteran of the domestic racing scene and the catalyst for the team, Storan has a point to prove. Has plenty of Rás experience in him. He’s well able to take his chances and will be one of the team’s go-to riders for results.
Roche, Damian & Morgan, Emmet - Have progressed a huge amount in recent years, their role will be restricted to helping the likes of Barry, O’Brien and Storan in any way he can.
Crowley, Michael - Relatively new to the sport, the son of team manager Patsy he has some big shoes to fill but his year will be all about learning.
Murray, Bob - Won a stage of Rás nDun na nGall in 2006 – one of the more difficult stage races on the calendar. The appetite is there, the desire is there; Murray is making a comeback after a few years away from the sport. He’ll be one to watch.
Aquablue Full Rider Roster 2013
Barry, Tim - One of the best riders in the country, Barry gets better with age it seems. Won the Visit Nenagh Classic and Rás Luimni last year. Was in superb form for the Rás last May and could possibly have won a stage but for a terrible crash. He’ll be looking for a stage win in Rás Mumhan and possibly the overall.
Barry brings a professional approach his team’s organisation and will be looking to do the same with Aquablue in 2013 (Photo: Toby Watson)
Lacey, Sean - Another who makes winning look easy. His wins in 2012 included the Lacey Cup for the fourth time, Rás Clár, the Dan O’Donovan Memorial in Fermoy, while also going close to the overall in the Suir Valley. Like Barry, a stage at Rás Mumhan, and possibly the overall again (he won in 2011) will be his big targets.
Shaw, Damien - Simply put, there’s no limit to what the former Lakeside Mullingar rider can do in 2013. A medal winner from the Paralympics, Shaw’s strength is such that An Post wanted a look at him 12 months ago. Has a frightening amount of power and will benefit from the team’s tactical nous.
O’Reilly. Michael - Needs no introduction having been on the podium at the Rás in the past as best County rider. Can sprint, climb and can read a race better than most. If he’s at the start, he’s a danger. If he gets to the finish, get on his wheel.
Fitzgerald, Michael - One of the unsung heroes of the team over the years and Tim Barry’s win at Rás Mumhan in 2010 had Fitzgerald’s fingerprints all over it. Can climb – as evidenced by his win in the Leahy Cup. Hugely committed and can take his chances when presented.
Lawlor, Maurice - The A3 national champion – according to his coach, is the most improved rider in 2012. Switched allegiances from St Finbarr’s last year. Now an A2, will be a huge help to the team.
Fenlon, Joe - The National veteran’s champion won one of the race’s of 2012 in Clonmel, edging Martin O’Loughlin by a whisker having been in the break all day with Greg Swinand. Superb bike handler and massive amount of experience.
Barrett, Olan - Jumped up to A1 last year after am excellent showing in the Corkman – taking the final stage as well as second overall on GC by a mere second. Coached by his brother Stephen, will be keen to impress.
Gater, Keith - After missing all of 2012 through injuries sustained in an horrific training crash in 2011, it remains to be seen how he is. Won a couple of races in Fermoy back in 2010, the year he performed well in his second Rás. A big asset to the team.
O’Sullivan, Vince - A3 rider who will look to move into the top tier and do what he can for the more established men.
Kelly, Robin - Fearsome sprinter, joined the team from Waterford Racing team and will be the man most likely to challenge O’Brien when the 250m to go sign looms into view. Wins last year included stages in Ballinrobe and Mullingar as well as the Ned Flanagan in February.
(* This piece features riders who are moving to new clubs at home, have signed for new teams abroad, have recently re-signed for foreign teams and who are moving but are yet to confirm where to. We have not included those prominent Irish riders staying with the same clubs at home as that scenario is not a transfer.)
Topics
