Mark Downey, Matt Teggart and Michael O’Loughlin have been dealt an early season blow. Their omission is as yet unexplained but one thing is clear; Team Wiggins has been left off the list of invited teams for the Tour de Yorkshire.
Having ridden so well in Portugal last week, Team Wiggins was left disappointed at not securing an invite to ride the Tour de Yorkshire.
The line-up for the new extended four-stage race was revealed yesterday for the ASO-owned event.
Seven Continental level teams from the UK were invited, including untested new squads. But Team Wiggins was notable by its absence.
It is unclear whether the controversy around Bradley Wiggins, over his TUEs and the infamous jiffy bag delivered to Team Sky in 2011, influenced the decision not to invite the team.
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Wiggins himself said he was disappointed and surprised when the team was omitted last year. Controversy was also raging around him 12 months ago.
At the time of writing, neither the 2012 Tour de France champion nor management at Team Wiggins had commented about the squad’s absence from the Tour de Yorkshire line-up unveiled yesterday.
From an Irish perspective the fact the team did not secure an invite is disappointing.
A goal of mind for the season and we aren't among the selection! A bit of a kick in the balls. https://t.co/KmWIETzQ5Z
— Mark Downey (@MarkDowney03) March 21, 2018
Not one to tweet this type of stuff, but it's utterly tragic that @OfficialWIGGINS have missed out here. Probably get told i'm wrong by squids but anyone in their right mind know's there is 3/4 team's here that shouldn't even be considered before Wiggins and GB isn't one of them. https://t.co/DdR7izmxxh
— Gabriel Cullaigh (@GabzCullaigh) March 21, 2018
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There are three Irish riders in the team now. Michael O’Loughlin is the old hand, now entering his third season with Team Wiggins.
Furthermore, Mark Downey and Matt Teggart have both joined the squad in the off-season.
Downey Tweeted yesterday that he was disappointed the team was not invited for the race in Yorkshire in early May.
He said it had been a big goal of his but now there was no chance he would be riding.
It is a huge missed opportunity, especially considering that the three Irish in team would have been in the reckoning for selection.
Teggart was deployed on team duties last week and showed very impressive early seaon form.
Teggart and Downey, both sons of the formidable Irish club Banbridge CC, showed great form last week.
Riding the Volta a Alentejo (2.2), Downey (21) held the yellow jersey for three days. He was 2nd on one stage and third twice.
Indeed, he was only out of the top five on one of the six stages; the 8.4km hilly TT.
He finished the race 3rd overall, was runner-up in the points classification and took the U23 classification win.
Teggart was drawn into team duties after Downey and Gabriel Cullaigh made the breakaway on the opening stage. That put them in contention for the six-day race.
Teggart rode very well during the six stages and his progression over the winter has clearly continued at pace.
Team Wiggins also won the opening stage and the final stage last week in Portugal, with Cullaigh.
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