Well known A1 rider Aidan Crowley (right) and business partner Derick Whyte established the VeloRevolution customised clothing company for clubs and sportives in 2010. They are now branching out into setting up their own team and sponsoring some female triathletes (Photo: www.velorevolution.eu )
By Brian Canty
With 2013 rapidly drawing to a close, another squad has emerged on the domestic racing scene down south, with the VeloRevolution Works Team set to join the Irish peloton next year.
It has been set up by veteran Aidan Crowley and is an extension of the clothing company he started back in 2010.
Along with participating in the biggest races on the calendar next year, they will also sponsor the DID Ladies Team as well as supporting three of the country’s best female triathletes.
“It seemed a logical thing to do,” explains team manager Derick Whyte who is a partner of Crowley’s in the business.
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“It will involve us sponsoring the gear, having riders wear our gear, and we’re also sponsoring a ladies triathlon team with Katie Cooke, Louise Keane (sister of international triathlete Bryan) and Cliodhna Spain.”
“You’d always see guys getting sponsored but we felt there was a big gap there for women so we decided to try that. They’ll be racing in our gear but racing for their individual clubs.”
“We’re looking at a different niche; the ladies are always second best as regards sponsors so it’s just another avenue we’re going down.”
Crowley said he was delighted at how well received the kit had been for the past couple of seasons.
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“We’ve put an emphasis on producing really quality clothing in the period that we’ve grown the business and we’ve found the past year has been a breakthrough for us,” he said.
“We’re looking to make a bigger push into Leinster now and I think with the way the clubs in Munster have been so happy with the customised solution we offer - with the way it looks and performs - we’re confident about getting much stronger now. And that’s why we are looking to get our brand out there even more.”
Included in the men’s racing team so far are Crowley, Anthony ‘Zippy’ Doyle and Mick Fitzgerald – formerly of Fermoy CC – and former international Michael O’Reilly who rode for Edge Racing in 2012.
“We’ve two open spaces that we need to fill so we’re looking for two riders between now and the end of December,” Whyte said.
“We want riders who are at A1 level, maybe A2. We’ll see how it goes for year one and if there’s someone coming from the junior ranks that we want, we’ll look at that as well. But the main priority is that the guys trial the products used by us throughout the country.”
The team will ride all the major races on the Irish calendar, including the Rás – though will seek a secondary sponsor to come on board for the latter race.
Anyone interested in filling the last slots is invited to contact Whyte on [email protected]
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