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Here is a small report of the Irish Champion in the race “GP Stad Geel” in Belgium
I attacked directly from the start, was in a small breakaway with 4 other riders, then some more came i think then 15 riders in total we had a maximum of 3mins in front a few guys were dropped, i attacked a lot into the finish but it was too windy by myself. I was caught with 800m to go the peloton were almost catching us at the finish so i had to start the sprint early with 350m to go. I was passed by 2 just before the line !
Thank you Matt for this report, well done !!!

An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly team rider Matt Brammeier grabbed an important success for the squad today when he won the Elite men’s road race championship in Sligo.
The 25 year old got the better of pre-race favourite and defending champion Nicolas Roche (Ag2r La Mondiale), jumping early inside the final 500 metres and then showing his strength when he held off his breakaway companion. He finished several lengths clear.
“This is by far my biggest victory,” he said after the podium ceremony. “I didn’t expect this at all. I was quietly confident that one of us from the team would win, but though it would be David [O’Loughlin]. He was super-strong today.”
Brammeier is from Liverpool but declared for Ireland last year, on the basis that his grandparents are from the country. He has been competing for the Irish national team on the track and also for the Irish-backed An Post squad.
The win is big news for the team, which took second and third twelve months ago. It won two stages in this year’s FBD Insurance Rás and will now be able to boast a national champion in its ranks.
Roche had wanted to wear the champion’s jersey in his second Tour de France, which begins next Saturday. “The race didn’t go well enough for me,” the disappointed rider said. “Matt was strong…I tried to attack him a few times coming to the finish but couldn’t get away from him. He jumped early and I couldn’t get back to him.”
Roche’s cousin and fellow ProTour professional Daniel Martin (Garmin Transitions) outsprinted the Irish time trial champion David McCann (Giant Asia) for third, the duo crossing the line 16 seconds back. Brammeier’s team-mate David O’Loughlin took fifth, while Martyn Irvine (Planet X) was sixth.

The Halfords Tour Series comes to Belfast and Dublin this weekend.

This Friday sees the return of elite city-centre cycling to Belfast, as The Halfords Tour Series races into the city for an action packed hour of professional racing. Riders from ten teams, including Team Ireland and the AN Post Sean Kelly cycling team will do battle from 19.30 onwards in the first of a two-race Series that takes in Belfast and Dublin. Provincial teams from Cycling Ulster, Leinster, Munster and Connacht will also be taking part in The Halfords Tour Series races, as the teams fight it out for the right to be crowned Halfords Tour Series champions.
Among the riders taking part will be multiple Irish Champion David O’Loughlin, rising star of Irish cycling Philip Lavery and former FDB Insurance RAS winner Stephen Gallagher.
Martyn Irvine from Newtownards will be racing for Team Ireland, and is looking forward to racing on home roads.
“It’s terrific”, said Irvine. “I can’t wait to show off the Irish jersey at home. I think it’s been coming a long while for Belfast, so it should be a good show.
“It’ll be a nice big carnival atmosphere with everyone out, so it’ll be good to see.”
Irvine has been racing for Team Ireland in the ten-round Halfords Tour Series in England, and believes that will be ideal preparation for the Belfast and Dublin races.
“It’s good to do it and get your eyes open to see where you need to be at and what you need to be doing. It’s perfect preparation.”
Richill based Orchard Wheelers rider and top sprinter Simon Williams is another member of the Team Ireland line-up.
“It’s probably the first time I’ll have been racing in Belfast, certainly the city centre,” said Williams. “It’s been a long time since we’ve had a criterium in the centre.
It’s a good thing for the city and the people of Northern Ireland. Hopefully it should be a good show and we’ll do ourselves proud.”
Like Irvine, Williams has also been racing for Team Ireland in England and thinks that will help him and the rest of the team achieve good results in Belfast and Dublin.
“We’ve got a major advantage against the rest of the Irish riders and the AN Post riders coming into this style of racing, so hopefully it’ll be good for us.”
Former Commonwealth Games medallist and winner of The Halfords Tour Series Canary Wharf Tony Gibb will be leading the charge of the four English teams taking part, as he captains the CyclePremier.com – Metaltek team.
Teammate Andrew Magnier is excited by the prospect of racing in Belfast and Dublin.
“I’m really looking forward to it, it’s going to be quite a hard weekend of racing with the two events back-to-back.
“I’m looking forward to experiencing what it is like to race in Northern Ireland and Ireland, and I’m expecting a lot of people will come to watch, so it should be a great atmosphere.”
Team Raleigh, Sigma Sport – Specialized and Motorpoint – Marshalls Pasta will be the other three teams contesting the two races.
Uniquely, The Halfords Tour Series focuses on the teams rather than individual riders. The winning team will be the outfit that claims the most points from the two-events, with points awarded on a 10 down to 1 basis according to each squads finishing position.
Each races lasts for one hour plus five laps, while there will also be three intermediate races during each evening’s event in the Boardman Bikes Sprint competition, that will see the best sprinter of the two-round Series crowned in Dublin on the Saturday night.
The Halfords Tour Series Belfast takes place at 19.30 on Friday 18th June, with support events from earlier in the day including the Travelwise Commuter Relay at 19.00. The main race starts at the front of City Hall and is based upon a one kilometre circuit taking in many central Belfast streets including Donegall Square South, May Street, Seymour Street and Chichester Street.
The Halfords Tour Series Dublin takes place at 18.00 on Saturday 19th June, with a circuit based in the Temple Bar area of the city, beginning on Lord Edward Street at 18:00 and including Dame Street and Eustace Street. © Copyright 2010 IrishCycling.com


Fresh from their FBD Insurance Rás heroics the An Post Sean Kelly team are back in action at the Wavre-Rijmenam this weekend. The team returned to their ‘home from home’ base in Belgium earlier this week and face their first race back in the country on Sunday.
Rás stagewinner and King of the Mountains victor Mark Cassidy is one of two Irishmen in the team, Matt Brammeier being the other. Liverpudlian Mark McNally and Belgians Kim Borry, Stijn Minne and Maxim Debusschere complete the line up.
Team manager Kurt Bogaerts was looking to build on last weeks great results to ensure the side keeps their momentum going.
“I was especially delighted for Cassidy when he won stage seven, (of the Rás) as it meant so much to him. He is full of confidence at the moment so I expect a big performance from him again this weekend.”
“Last week was great for everyone, but it’s in the past. We want to keep improving for the second half of the season and it starts from Sunday.” Bogaerts added.


Latest results  
18-07-2010 BK Malmedy Mountainbike
  • 3e Pascal Hossay
  • 4e Bjorn Brems
11-07-2010 GP Stad Geel (Bel. Topcompetition)
  • 3e Matt Brammeier
  • 34e Mark McNally a 15"
  • 40e Maxim Debusschere a 15"
  • 41e Stijn Minne a 15"
  • 98e Mark Cassidy a 30"
04-07-2010 Dwars door het Hageland (Bel. 1.2.)
  • 19e Kenny Lisabeth
  • 22e Maxim Debusschere
  • 29e Pieter Ghyllebert
  • 35e Benny De Schrooder
  • 51e Matt Brammeier
  • 107e Connor McConvey
03-07-2010 Omloop het Nieuwsblad (Bel. Topcompetition)
  • 10e Kim Borry a 49"
  • 57e Matt Brammeier a 01'33"
  • 80e Maxim Debusschere a 10'19"
  • 95e Stijn Minne a 12'05"
  • DNF Connor McConvey
  • DNF Mark McNally
  • DNF Mark Cassidy