Road and track international, Dylan Foley will continue his progression full-time in France next year (Photo: Sean Rowe)
By Brian Canty
Promising U23 Irish internationals, Dylan Foley and Daniel Stewart will race in France next year after being recruited by French team AC Bistontine for the 2015 season.
The team is an elite squad with its base in the city of Besancon in the Franche-Comte region of eastern France. It races in the top amateur tier; DN1 or Division Nationale One.
The team has proven to be a launching pad for some of the world’s best cyclists including Sean Kelly, who signed for them back in 1977.
And in recent years have had the likes of Philip Lavery amongst their number.
Lavery excelled there last year. And after a string of wins he was rewarded with a stagiaire for French pro team Cofidis.
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The Dubliner subsequently rode the Volta A Burgos, amongst other big pro races. This year he moved onto Azerbaijan-based Continental outfit, Synergy Baku Cycling Team.
Winning in Carryduff in the colours of East Antrim Audi last year; more recently Stewart has raced in France and will now make that move more permanent (Photo: Toby Watson)
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It’s a big move for the Irish pair of 19-year-olds. They spent a good portion of the summer and autumn racing in France with the Hennebont Cycling team after moving from their Irish club teams East Antrim Audi and Aquablue.
Foley has regularly performed well and Stewart took a win for himself; that coming in the Circuit Melrand race in August where Foley was fourth.
The latter has been one of the strongest riders on the domestic front this year, the highlight of his season coming over the Easter weekend when he stormed to a fine solo stage win at the Kerry Group Rás Mumhan.
There, he would finish fifth overall and also take home the KOH jersey.
“I’m really pleased to have something for next year and the team look like a really good fit for myself and Daniel,” said Foley.
“We really enjoyed racing for Hennebont the last few months and that experience will hopefully stand to us next year.
“The step-up is going to be big because with a few big professional teams in the races we’ll be doing, it’ll be a great chance for us to show what we can do.”
