By Shane Stokes
It’s been almost 10 years since Matt Brammeier last rode the An Post Rás but his new Synergy Baku team manager David McQuaid has said that he hopes both he and team-mate Connor McConvey will take part in the race next year and put in strong challenges for stages and the overall.
All three were present at a team training camp held this week in Calpe, Spain, with the riders registering training kilometres in the hills around the coastal town, building their form in advance of the new season.
While the An Post Rás is still five months away, McQuaid said that he would like to see both riders compete in the race and leaving their mark.
“Organising a team, you have different personalities,” McQuaid told stickybottle in Spain.
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“The Irish guys tend to be upbeat, positive people so it is nice to fit them into the scenario.
“The only race unfortunately we have at home is the Rás, for which both Matt and Connor will automatically be on the start list unless they are sick or injured, and then the national championships.”
Brammeier rode the An Post Rás – or FBD Milk Rás, as it was then – as an 18-year-old back in 2004.
He was part of the Great Britain U23 team, riding the race alongside Mark Cavendish - who was fourth on the final stage in the Phoenix Park behind winner Bill Moore (Stamullen) - and others.
He later declared for Ireland while with the An Post Sean Kelly team and has won the national road race championship for the past four years, an all-time record.
“We are very happy to bring Matt into the team,” said McQuaid.
“To have the national elite champion in the race will be nice for An Post and the organisers of the Rás.
“While Matt might hate being chased around Ireland for a week, it would be nice to see him nick a stage or whatever winning the Irish national champion’s jersey.”
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McConvey has taken part in the event on several occasions, netting fourth overall in 2010 and second this year. He was level on time with the winner Marcin Bialoblocki (Britain UK Youth Pro Cycling), losing out on yellow due to the Pole’s better stage placings.
The result couldn’t have been tighter and McQuaid believes that he is capable of winning it in 2014.
“Connor was unlucky, but if you look at his progression, he finished third overall before [actually fourth – ed.], he is now second overall so the next logical step is first overall,” he said.
“He rode a very good Rás. Yes, he was unfortunate to lose but there was nothing more you could have asked from him. He rode very cleverly. We will see how he goes in 2014.”
The national road race championships will also be a big target and should see the duo square up against Ireland’s three WorldTour riders, namely Dan Martin (Garmin Sharp), Nicolas Roche (Tinkoff Saxo) and Phillip Deignan (Sky).
While McConvey and Brammeier will be doing less of the very top races in the sport next season than the other three, they will have one advantage; having a team-mate in the race will help them take the fight to the WorldTour trio.
“I was there this year and unfortunately Connor didn’t participate. He was injured,” McQuaid said, referring to the fractured pelvis that McConvey suffered prior to the championships.
“But it would be nice to see Matt and Connor work strategically together to make sure that they beat the likes of Dan or Nico, or whomever is there.
“I am looking forward to the national championships as well as the Rás, to see how those guys perform.”
Both McConvey and Brammeier have said that they are satisfied with their form at this time of the year. McConvey ended up his racing programme late in the year and has carried over residual fitness into the first weeks of training.
Brammeier has been staying in Girona and riding with others such as Dan Martin, clocking up kilometres in advance of the season.
Both are yet to finalise what their first races will be, but appear motivated and are looking forward to good seasons.
So too McQuaid, who knows that the team could well step up from Continental to Pro Continental level if things go well.
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