An Post ceasing as sponsor of the highly successful 'An Post Cycle Series' will now focus attention on its future sponsoring the Rás and the An Post-Chainreaction team.
An Post has brought to an end its sponsorship of the An Post Cycle Series; made up of five sportives around the country.
The move will increase fears that the national postal service is in the process of exiting cycling, which would be a major blow as it has been a huge supporter of the sport through the boom years.
The cycle series is safe for now though, with Sport Ireland coming is as the new sponsor.
The five events under the newly titled ‘Sport Ireland Cycle Series’ will continue to be organised by the local sports partnerships with the support of the new sponsor.
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The events and dates in the five-sportive series in 2017 are:
- Sport Ireland Yeats Tour of Sligo (April 29th & 30th)
- Sport Ireland Tour de Burren (June 17th)
- Sport Ireland Meath Heritage Cycle Tour (July 29th & 30th)
- Sport Ireland Sean Kelly Tour of Waterford (August 19th & 20th)
- Sport Ireland Rebel Tour of Cork (September 9th)
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An Post still sponsors the Rás and the An Post-ChainReaction Continental-level road team.
However, its current deal with the team run by Sean Kelly and Kurt Bogaerts is coming to an end at the end of the 2017 season.
Kelly recently expressed his concern, conceding there was uncertainty for the team about whether An Post would continue or a new backer would need to be found.
While Irish cycling has obviously benefitted from An Posts involvement, the sport would be very exposed if such a significant backer pulled out quickly.
The number of cyclists joining Cycling Ireland has eased of late, with the record growth for over a decade now apparently over.
Against that backdrop, An Post has wasted no time reappraising its commitment to cycling and ceasing to sponsor the An Post Cycle Series.
The future for the Rás and the An Post-Chainreaction team will become clear in time.
More to follow on the Sport Ireland Cycle Series.
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