Sean Downey looks forward to a new way of doing things next year when he will join the Irish track programme's Olympic dream; seen here on the right with team mate Jack Wilson.
By Brian Canty
Sean Downey will remain with the An Post-Chainreaction team in Belgium in 2015 for what will be his third successive season there.
The 24-year-old Banbridge native has been retained on the back of some strong results this year.
He will look to take on even more of a leadership role now after what was arguably the best season of his career to date.
Downey finished sixth overall at the An Post Rás – making him the only Irishman in the top 20.
He put in the ride of his life at the Commonwealth Games in shocking conditions in Glasgow in August.
Advertisement
Though he was listed as a non-finisher there, he was 13th on the road going out onto the last lap of 12 before the race organisers stopped him as he was about to take the bell.
Having won a Commonwealth Games bronze medal in the team pursuit in India four years ago, Downey has kept his hand in on the track and may yet make the next Olympics with Ireland.
That was a huge blow for Downey and that theme of regret continued into September when he was overlooked for a slot in his trade team’s line-up for the Tour of Britain, a race he excelled in 12 months previously.
But those disappointments have been parked and the silver medallist from the elite men’s national championships road race is back in training and plotting for next year already.
Related News
Things will be slightly different in terms of a build-up for the 2015 campaign, with Downey having recently joined the Cycling Ireland track program.
However, given the close ties between the federation and Sean Kelly’s team and with Downey’s team mate Ryan Mullen is already straddling the two worlds, his commitment to both should not present too many problems.
And with Olympic berths possibly on offer, especially with the team pursuit line-up, the track and road combination is a schedule that may pay major dividends.
Taking the silver medal in the elite men's road race championships in Westmeath in June (Photo: George Doyle)
He has experience in the team pursuit, having won a bronze medal with Northern Ireland at the Commonwealth Games in India four years ago as part of a very classy line-up.
In that team along with Downey were one of Ireland's best ever riders David McCann, former world track champion Martyn Irvine and former U23 international and national champion Philip Lavery.
One man who won’t be with An Post-Chainreaction next year is Kiwi track star Shane Archbold.
He has left the squad to join Sam Bennett’s Team NetApp-Endura as a lead-out man for the Irish rider and his departure only serves to underline Downey's
We'll have reaction from Downey soon.
On the podium at the Commonwealth Games four years back; left to right, Downey, Irvine, McCann and Lavery.
Topics
