Matt Teggart (20) is straight in at the deep end on his debut with An Post-ChainReaction.
Having raced in France last year and signed for An Post-Chainreaction over the winter, Matt Teggart will find out very soon exactly where his condition is after the off-season.
The former Banbridge CC rider is the sole Irishman named in his team’s line-up for the d’Ouverture La Marseillaise (UC 1.1) this Sunday, January 29th.
He will line out in a truly international selection alongside German Jonas Bolkeloh, Dutchman Davy Gunst (NED), Belgian Massimo Vanderaerden, Pole Premislav Kasperkiewicz, Canadian Sean MacKinnon and British duo Jacob Scott and Dan Gardner.
Team manager Kurt Bogaerts is hopeful the team can ride well in the 152km race.
“I think there is a great opportunity here to have a strong start to the season,” he said on the eve of hostilities.
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“I have picked a young team which I believe are well suited to the course. We have some good climbers in the team and great speed.
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“So I have high expectations to have a few riders in the leading group towards the latter stages of the race.”
The field includes WorldTour teams Ag2r La Mondiale, FDJ and Lotto-Soudal and with some climbs to contend with it should be punishing.
But Bogaerts feels 20-year-old Teggart has nothing to be intimidated about.
“Matthew should be well suited to the course,” he said of his new Irish charge.
“He performed to a very high level all training camp and I fully expect him to be challenging at the business end of the race this Sunday.”
An Post ChainReaction will next week ride the five-day road race Etoile de Bessèges (2.1); from February 1st to 5th.
The line-up selected for that race is likely to include some of the three other Irishmen riding for An Post-Chainreaction this year; new signing Conor Hennebry and the returning Damien Shaw and Sean McKenna.
Teggart looking good in the new kit; he's earned his place with some very good riding the last couple of years.
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