Orwell Wheelers has landed a tidy sponsorship deal for this year and into the future just ahead of the new road racing season. Above, 1965 Irish road race champion Noel O'Neill (left) with Mel Sutcliffe of Scott Bicycles (centre) and Denis Gleeson, president Orwell Wheelers CC at the launch of the new sponsorship package.
One of the country’s biggest clubs, Orwell Wheelers, has secured the backing of Scott Bicycles for the coming season and beyond.
The brand is distributed in Ireland by former international rider Mel Sutcliffe, who last year began sponsoring the Junior Tour of Ireland, also via Scott.
Announcing the deal to back Orwell for the next few years, Dubliner Sutcliffe said he would also be sponsoring two other clubs, details of which would be revealed soon.
He has been involved in sponsoring cycling for many years, most notably through Eurocycles-Eurobabies, the chain of shops he owns.
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Orwell Wheelers president Denis Gleeson said the deal with Scott Bicycles was great news for all the members of Orwell.
“Mel approached us with the aim of providing key support for our youth development initiative,” he said.
The Scott branding has already been added to the club's vehicles and kit for the year ahead.
“And the backing from Scott Bikes is helping us to bring the sport of cycling, with all the health benefits, its rich heritage and the joys that it brings," continued Gleeson.
“Our aim is to provide an environment for young riders male and female to learn about cycling as a sport that they can carry through their life. Scott Bikes is helping us to do that.”
Scott chief executive Sutcliffe said he was delighted to become involved with Orwell.
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“This is a busy time for Scott Bikes with sustained growth in sales reflecting the popularity of the sport,” he said at the launch of the new partnership.
“Orwell Wheelers is a vibrant, friendly and successful club which works hard to promote the sport in all its forms to all ages, particularly to young riders.
“My sponsorship of the Junior Tour, Orwell Wheelers and two other clubs which we will announce later this month should prove my commitment to the sport.
“I am very grateful for the people I have met through the sport and for what cycling has done for me.”
Orwell Wheelers, which will now be known as Scott Orwell, current has 500 members, including 100 women.
The club plans to have teams in both the Rás and Rás na mBan in May and September respectively.
The club is perhaps best known for giving a then very young Dubliner called Stephen Roche his start in cycling way back in 1970.
But it is enjoying golden years in recent times and during 2016 it plans to enter teams in the Rás and Rás na mBan.
The club also promotes the popular Orwell Randonée in May, entry for which has been oversubscribed for the past two years.
The Hammond Memorial Race in April honours the memory of Noel and Kieron Hammond, two stalwarts of Orwell in their day.
It also promotes the Stephen Roche Grand Prix Criterium on the roads of the Meadowmount Estate in Churchtown where the 1987 Tour de France winner learned to ride a bike.
That event takes places just days before the National Road Race Championships at the end of June every year and has attracted some big names, including Team Sky pro Nicolas Roche.
It also boasts a very active leisure group, club league and has been instrumental in the promotion of women’s racing in Ireland, with Orwell’s first lady Orla Hendron leading the charge in that regard.
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