Ireland's new pro cycling team Aqua Blue Sport has today unveiled its final group of signings for its first season next year, and there is some real quality being brought into the fold. Among them is current Team Sky rider Andy Fenn who can win races if the form is right (Photo: Sirotti)
By Brian Canty
Aqua Blue Sport has named the five final riders who will comprise their team for 2017, with Adam Blythe the standout name.
The reigning British national road race champion will be joined by Andy Fenn (Team Sky), 26 year-old American Larry Warbasse (IAM Cycling) as well as Team WIGGINS young guns Mark Christain and Daniel Pearson.
Blythe is a huge edition to the team and he brings experience and race-winning potential over various types of terrain.
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He's a sprinter of real substance and his best wins have come in the gallops but he has proven a great domestique as well during his time at Tinkoff and before that Orica GreenEDGE.
Adam Blythe is a rider who can win big races for Team Aqua Blue Sport if he hits the right form and conditions are good in the camp (Photo: Sirotti)
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Similarly, Warbasse doesn't have the palmares of other riders in the peloton but he has ridden at World Tour level since 2012 with BMC and most recently IAM Cycling which has now disbanded.
He has proven an excellent GC rider with a podium at the Tour de Suisse in 2014 and top 10 finishes overall in Poland and Bayern Rundfahrt.
Fenn has been in the World Tour for five years as well and among his best days was bronze at the U23 world road race championships in 2011.
He's been with Team Sky for the last two seasons but with options limited for him there he decided to move on - and he should get plenty opportunities to boost his palmares in 2017.
Christain and Pearson are two exciting riders joining from Team WIGGINS, the latter performing superbly in the Abu Dhabi Tour at the weekend, climbing with the very best on the penultimate day and finishing 11th overall.
The latest tranche of signings bring to 16 the number of riders confirmed for the team for next year.
As well as the above the full roster reads; Lars Petter Nordhaug, Martyn Irvine, Matt Brammeier, Conor Dunne, Stefen Denifl, Leigh Howard, Michel Kreder, Peter Koning, Aaron Gate, Calvin Watson, Lasse Norman Hansen.
More later.
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