Team iTap (Irish Talented Athlete Program) is seeking assistance to fund its 2016 international racing programme. The team took some notable results in 2015 and is hoping for more success next season, both at home and abroad (Photo courtesy of Jimmy McElroy)
An Irish team looking to bring its promising young riders abroad for races next year has launched an online crowd funding appeal.
Connacht-based Team iTap is seeking contributions to help fund its plans to ride events like the Tour of the Reservoir, the Lincoln GP, the Welsh GP as well as a number of races in Belgium and France in the latter half of the season.
Team iTap, or Irish Talented Athlete Program, is a self-funded squad completely reliant on outside sponsorship.
The goal of the iTap project is to equip young Irish riders with the ability to make the transition from the amateur to professional ranks.
Advertisement
Donations to the team’s fund start from as little as €10 but the squad has devised novel ways to generate contributions.
They include spending a day with the team (€300) or riding shotgun in the team car during the An Post Rás (€1,500).
It’s the first project of its kind in the country and in its first year the team enjoyed some success, despite a small roster of riders.
Related News
Former junior international Daire Feeley took some great results against many of the more established riders while Darragh Bailey, David Brody and Stephen Murphy also claimed some scalps, particularly in the west.
The highlight of the team's year, arguably, was winning the team prize at the national criterium championships.
The squad is on the lookout for two more U23 riders for 2016 as well as expressions of interest from juniors, though its first priority is securing sponsorship.
With eight days left before the appeal closes the outfit is hoping to raise enough money to make a real contribution towards the costs of racing abroad next year.
For more information on the team and their plans for the new season click here.
Anyone interested in donating to the team's appeal can do so here.
Daire Feeley has turned into a great winner of races and is the team's star turn (Photo: Sean Rowe)
Topics
