Contract arrangements for Irish riders Archie Ryan and Darren Rafferty have not yet been announced publicly, but both Irish riders will be staying with EF Education-EasyPost after already competing for the US-registered team for two years.
Both joined for the start of the 2024 campaign on two-year deals, which will expire in a little over two weeks. They have impressed in different ways and have clearly done enough for team boss Jonathan Vaughters to offer them contract extensions.
Ryan's Grand Tour debut this year, at La Vuelta, ended in disappointment when he was forced out with a glute injury, though not before going on the attack several times and taking 4th on stage 10 on the cat 1 summit finish to El Ferial Larra Belagua. He has marked himself out as a strong and aggressive climber, much like a young Dan Martin.
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Wicklow’s Ryan (24) won a stage at Coppi e Bartali (2.1) last year, also placing 2nd overall, as well as claiming 5th overall at Deutschland Tour (2.Pro). This year he was 2nd and 3rd on stages of Tour of Austria (2.1) and 2nd overall.
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Rafferty has proven strong in the Giro and Vuelta and in a selection of other WorldTour-level stage races. Even though he is still just 22-years-old, he proved valuable assistance to Richard Carapaz in both Grand Tours, going on the attack on several stages, in moves of between 100km and 170km.
Rafferty, from Co Tyrone, won the men's road race at the National Road Championships last year in Athea, Co Limerick. He went on to finish 6th in the U23 TT at the Worlds and looks like a general classification rider for the future, given his TT prowess and climbing abilities.
Ryan and Rafferty are staying at EF Education-EasyPost at a time when compatriot Ben Healy has become its biggest star, alongside Carapaz. Healy has one more season left to run on his current contract.
And if having three Irish riders on the men's roster wasn't enough, Irish track and road international Caoimhe O'Brien has also signed for EF’s women's team, EF Education-Oatly, which is also a World Tour outfit.
