Belgian Project and Emerald Fund open to Irish cyclists | Sticky Bottle

Four Irish cyclists were selected to receive funding to help cover the costs of racing by the Emerald Fund in 2019. Adam Stenson, above, was one of them. Now that fund, and the Belgian Project, are offering backing to some young cyclists for 2020 (Photo with thanks to Anthony Hawkins)

Young Irish cyclists can now apply for funding for 2020 through the Emerald Fund the Belgian Projects bursary scheme.

And while funding
for road riders is non-existent from the national sporting authorities in the
Republic, the good news is that both schemes are open to road cyclists.

Indeed the
Emerald Fund is only taking applications from road riders and the Belgian
Project is open to road, off-road and track competitors.

Those interested
in applying to the Emerald Fund need to wait for a few days as the application
process opens on December 1st.

It closes n New
Years Eve and the riders being supported in 2020 will named in January.

The fund is open
to riders who will be U23 in 2020 and who are racing abroad.

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However, riders
who were in the Emerald Fund roster in 2019 and who now age out of the U23
category can also apply.

Road racing cyclists must be based outside Ireland next season and preference will be given to those who already have a team and accommodation in place.

You can get more information on the Emerald Fund 2020 scheme by following this link.

At the Belgian
Fund the criteria is looser, with any U23 or junior rider eligible to apply.

Successful
applicants can be based either at home or abroad and compete in any discipline.

The sums of money award to cyclists by the Belgian Project have ranged from £180 to £300. You can get more information on the Belgian Project 2020 scheme by following this link.