NODE4-Giordana manager for the An Post Rás, Malcolm Elliott (far right) riding the 1987 Tour de France with UK pro team ANC Halfords
An Post Rás director, Tony Campbell and his team are putting the final touches to this year’s race, confirming today that four more teams from Great Britain have confirmed they will be back next month to do battle for stage and overall honours.
The NODE4-Giordana squad had a very strong ride last year and are returning, with the UK Youth team also confirming, as well as IG Sigma Sport and a Scottish national selection.
NODE4 started very well last year when Irish rider Philip Lavery took the U23 classification jersey when he was alert to the time bonus on offer at the mid stage prime on stage 1, and they went on to take the stage win with their star turn Marcin Bialoblocki.
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The Pole and Lavery have since moved on to pastures new, but NODE4 manager and former Vuelta points classification winner Malcolm Elliott believes he has a strong group again this time around.
He said while the team is yet to be finalised it will almost certainly include last year's Tour of Southland victor and New Zealand criterium champion Mike Northey.
“We are aiming to ride for GC, with Mike as leader,” said Elliott.
“We also want to gain valuable stage race experience. The Rás has always been one of the least predictable races there is, so being on alert to seize every opportunity is vital."
The remaining four places will be drawn from the list of former Tour Series sprints winner Steve Lampier, past Kerry Group Rás Mumhan runner-up Christian Varley, 2012 New Zealand road race champion James Williamson, the 2011 Tour du Montsalvy victor Nathan Edmondson, New Zealand points race champion Shem Rodger and 2012 Tour of Southland prologue victor Dan Barry.
Having won the opening stage into Kilkenny last year, the aforementioned Bialoblocki has been confirmed as leading the Team UK Youth squad for next month’s race.
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After claiming that opening stage 12 months back, Bialoblocki went on to place second on two stages, third on another and to take second in the points classification. He was also sixth overall and is capable of winning almost any stage this year and should also challenge for the yellow jersey again.
He will be joined by Rob Partridge, who finished sixth overall in 2010, and who was eighth in the Tour of Britain the same year. The 2012 Tour of Brittany mountains jersey winner will share leadership with Bialoblocki, and the duo will be supported by James Lowsley-Williams, Richard Tanguy and Josh Hunt; the younger brother of former WorldTour pro Jeremy Hunt.
Also returning is the IG Sigma Sport team, which includes the Irish rider Peter Hawkins and the Briton Pete Williams, who was second overall in 2010. Williams also took the sprints jersey in last year’s Tour of Britain.
Hawkins won a stage of last year’s Tour of the North and later finished sixth on stage three of the 2012 Tour of Britain. He was also the runner up at last year's Tour of the Reservoir. Team manager Becky Frewing said Hawkins, now in his second season in the paid ranks, is coming back for his home race with big ambitions.
“Peter believes he can win overall and we will obviously look at stage wins too,” she said.
The overall 2012 Tour of the North winner James Moss will likely travel, while the line-up will be completed by two out of Matt Cronshaw, Joe Perrett and Wouter Sybrandy.
The fourth of the teams confirmed today is the Scottish national team.
Climbing specialist Alex Coutts is one to watch, as is the ever-aggressive Evan Oliphant. The five-man squad will be completed by Michael Nicolson, Ben Greenwood and Liam Cowie.
"The latest list of teams further raises the quality of this year’s An Post Rás, and they join the strong squads already announced,” said race director Campbell.
“Those in the squads confirmed today include riders who have previously fought for the yellow jersey, have won stages and have placed very highly overall. They have the ability and also the experience to be big threats this year.”
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