Tour of Britain 11 > 18-09-2011
"Stage 8" Ireland’s Ronan
McLaughlin has rounded off a great week for his An Post-Sean Kelly team, going
on an impressive attacking ride in the London criterium that marked the end of
the Tour of Britain. The Donegal man spent most of the stage out front in a
two-man breakaway with former British national champion Kristian House (Rapha
Condor Sharp). McLaughlin not only took all three hot spot sprints but also the
day’s award for the most aggressive rider, after initiating the breakaway from
the gun. Read more...
Tour of Britain 11 > 18-09-2011
"Stage 7" The An Post-Sean
Kelly team landed the biggest win of its season in the Tour of Britain today,
with its most successful rider Gediminas Bagdonas taking the stage in a tight
sprint into Sandringham. Bagdonas took the biggest win of his career in some
style today, going clear in a six-man breakaway just after the start of the
200km stage and beating his fellow escapees in the tightest of sprints at the
finish. Read more...
Tour of Britain 11 > 18-09-2011
"Stage 6" An Post-Sean Kelly
teamwork safeguards sprint classification lead. Tour of Britain Rabobank’s
Lars Boom is looking good for overall honours. Stage... Read more...
Tour of Britain 11 > 18-09-2011
"Stage 5" Better
day for the Irish at Tour of Britain. Tour of Britain An Post’s Andrew Fenn
Stage 5: Exeter – Exmouth 112miles After... Read more...
Tour of Britain 11 > 18-09-2011
"Stage 4" An Post’s consolidate
sprint lead, but Fenn pays the price. An Post-Sean Kelly’s Andrew Fenn Stage 4
Welshpool – Caerphilly 114miles The An Post-Sean...
Read more...
Tour of Britain 11 > 18-09-2011
"Stage 3" An
Post’s on the attack again in windswept. Tour of Britain Pieter Ghyllebert (An
Post-Sean Kelly) retains his sprint jersey Tour of Britain Stage 3...
Read more...
Tour of Britain 11 > 18-09-2011
"Stage 1"
An Post start well in
Tour of Britain to take sprint jersey The An Post-Sean Kelly team has gotten off
to a great start in the Tour... Read more...
Tour of Britain 11 > 18-09-2011
Irish duo Mark Cassidy and Ronan McLaughlin have been confirmed in the An
Post-Sean Kelly line-up for the Tour of Britain, with team management targeting
a stage win in the event. National U23 champion Sam Bennett, who had been
included in the provisional starting team, has been excluded in order to give
him time to rest for the World Championships in Copenhagen in two weeks, where
he will lead the U23 Irish team. Cassidy and McLaughlin have been named among
the starters, alongside An Post Ras winner Gediminas Bagdonas. British
strong-man Andrew Fenn is also in the team, ahead of his planned departure to
the pro ranks for next season with Omega Pharma-Quick Step. Also named on the
team are the experienced duo of Pieter Ghyllebert and Mark McNally; the Briton
who won the La Mi-Août en Bretagne four-day stage race in France last month. An
Post-Sean Kelly team manager, Kurt Bogearts said the team has big goals and
feels it can win a stage. “The Tour of Britain will be a very tough and highly
competitive race again this year. There are a lot of big teams and quality
riders taking part. We will be one of the youngest teams in the race, but this
season we have proved we can compete and win races against top opposition. Our
aim is to win a stage and I have an idea of a couple of stages that will suit us.”
He said he did not pick Bennett or Philip Lavery because he felt that they both
needed a rest before the World Championships. “Bennett and Lavery have been
riding well recently, but they’ve looked a little tired in the last couple of
races. I thought if they rode the Tour of Britain it would not help their
chances at the World Championships, which has been a target for them all season.
It’s better that they get some rest in now.” Adding to the Irish interest in the
race is the presence of Matt Brammeier. The national road race and time trial
champion will undoubtedly be trying to help his HTC-Highroad team leader Mark
Cavendish take some stage wins. Brammeier is also using the event as preparation
for the Worlds, where he is hoping to put in a good time trial and possibly
qualify Ireland for the Olympic time trial in London next year. The nine-stage
1,250km Tour of Britain begins in the Scottish Borders and Dumfries & Galloway
on Sunday. It will visit England’s Northwest, Stoke-on-Trent and the
Staffordshire Moorlands.
Two stages in the South West, in Devon and Somerset, are followed by a return to
East Anglia, with a stage from Suffolk to Norfolk. The final two stages may well
attract some Irish fans in that they take place in central London on Sunday
week, 18th September; with an individual 10km time trial passing many of
London’s well known landmarks followed by of a two-hour circuit race on the
streets of Whitehall and Westminster.
Andy Fenn riding next
year in a Pro Tour Team
Congratulations to An Post rider Andy Fenn as it has just been announced he will
join the Pharma - Quick Step next season. Andy had a great year with An Post
having won a stage on the Tour of Bretagne, while he also took the Memorial Van
Coningsloo. Everyone at An Post wishes Andy all the best for the future.
Sam Bennett claims
superb victory in Belgium Sam
Bennett of the An Post Sean Kelly team claimed a superb victory in today's high
profile one-day GP van de stad Geel in Belgium. The 20-year-old saw off a strong
field to claim his first win of the year to the delight of team manager Kurt
Bogaerts. 'This is a huge result', Bogaerts said.
Sam was amazing today and the win will bring him real confidence. The team went
for the win from the start and we were involved in many breaks throughout the
day. Towards the end four riders had gone clear and we had Mark McNally in that
group. They were caught about one kilometre from home and then the team led Sam
out for the sprint. Sam has been getting stronger and stronger recently and he
has probably put a bit of pressure on himself, so I think the win will now take
that off his shoulders. I'm delighted for him. The victory follows up a
successful few weeks for the young Waterford man, as he also took the Under-23
category at the Irish Nationals in Monaghan. Next up for him is the Under-23
European Championships in Italy at the weekend where he will be joined in the
race by teammates Philip Lavery, Andy Fenn and Darijus Dzervus.
Stage win and yellow
jersey Stage
win and yellow jersey for An Post's Gediminas Bagdonas at Ronde de l'Oise
stage two today. Teammate Niko Eeckhout 2nd on stage.
An Post Sean Kelly
Team announced for the RAS Squad in great form
ahead of return to Ireland
An Post Sean Kelly team manager Kurt Bogaerts today named his team for the 59th
edition of the Rás, which starts in Dunboyne this Sunday. Three Irishmen have
been named in the side; Sam Bennett, Mark Cassidy and Ronan McLaughlin, while
Mark McNally and Gediminas Bagdonas complete the squad.
The Belgian based side are in excellent form going into the eight day stage race
following two wins last weekend. Lithuanian Bagdonas won the Verrebroek -
Beveren on Sunday, with Bennett taking fourth place, while Belgian veteran Niko
Eeckhout won the Houthalen-Helchteren the previous day.
Team manager Kurt Bogaerts maintained it was a very difficult decision to pick
the team, though he was happy this was the case.
“It was hard to pick the squad for the Rás, but it is a good problem for me to
have. I am lucky that the guys have been racing well recently and they all
wanted to be part of the team” Bogaerts said.
“It was an especially tough decision to leave Philip Lavery out, but at the
moment I feel I have picked the strongest five for this race. Bennett and
Cassidy are both previous stage winners of the race, while Ronan (McLaughlin)
has been one of our strongest riders recently. Mark McNally also has good
experience of the race, while Gediminas (Bagdonas) won at the weekend and looks
in top shape” he added.
Bogaerts was delighted with the team’s two wins at the weekend, which he thinks
will bring confidence ahead of the side’s return to Ireland.
“To win twice at the weekend will be great for everyone’s confidence. We haven’t
been racing a lot recently because I wanted the guys to be well rested before
they reached Ireland. The weekend’s results proved that the rest has been good
for the team and I feel we are in peak condition coming up to the Rás. I’m
certain we will be fighting for every jersey on the race.”
An Post Sean Kelly team for Rás ;
Mark Cassidy (IRL) Sam Bennett (IRL) Ronan McLaughlin (IRL) Mark McNally (UK)
Gediminas Bagdonas (LTU)
IrishCycling.com
Two vicory's for
the team this weekend
Two victory's for the team in this weekend with on Saturday Maxim
Debusschere (Wevelgem) and Kevin Claeys on Sunday (Reningelst). Well done lads.
The An Post Sean
Kelly teamwill
be aiming to maintain their excellent early season form at two races in Belgium
this week, starting with the Dwars door Vlaanderen (1.1) tomorrow and followed
by the E3 Prijs Vlaanderen – Harelbeke (1.HC) on Sunday.
Veteran rider Niko Eeckhout, who will be partaking in both races, has shown no
signs of his advancing years by delivering some excellent results of late.
Already this month the 40-year old won the final stage at the Driedaagse Van
Vlaanderen, followed by a 4th place finish at the Omloop van het Waasland and a
fine 3rd place at last Friday’s Handzame Classic.
He will be joined by Irishmen Philip Lavery and Mark Cassidy in Wednesday’s team
line up. Lavery is also fresh off a good result, where he finished 34th at the
Handzame Classic, having put in the hard work to allow Eeckhout to sprint for
the race win.
Team manager Kurt Bogaerts is positive Eeckhout and the team can keep chasing
stage wins.
“Niko’s form has been exceptional recently and last Friday he just missed out on
the stage win. His fitness is spot on, so if he manages to avoid injuries and
gets good rest in between races I don’t see why the good results won’t
continue.”
“However, it’s a team sport and even though Niko has been getting the podium
finishes, it is the other guys’ performances that have allowed him to be
involved in the sprints at the end.”
“At the moment the conditioning amongst the squad is excellent, and as a result
we are involved in most of the breakaways, which in turn allows us to set up and
prepare for the sprints. Then all we need is a little luck to win the race.”
Bogaerts added.
Niko Eeckhout
sprint to third place in rainy Handzame Classic
Kess Heytens was whole the day in the leading group. The Handzame Classic ended
with a bang, with Steve Schets handing the Donckers Koffie-Jelly Belly team its
first win of the season, but also a massive crash at the line. Kenny van Hummel
(Skil-Shimano) was heading up next to the barriers in the final sprint when he
was hit by an inattentive spectator who was leaning out over the barriers to
take a photo. Van Hummel was on the ground in a second, falling into Schets and
causing a chain-reaction pile-up behind. After a rainy 199.5km, Schets was too
happy with his victory to worry about the fall. "It must have looked very
strange, but I am so happy with that win that I really wanted to cry. That I was
laying on the ground was a side issue," Schets said.
Brustem Sint- Truiden
Dries Hollanders following his second place yesterday in the Beverbeek Classic,
today the first victory in Brustem Sint-Truiden, congratulations Dries.
Day
2 Tour of Oman Really long day,
travel of 250 km to start stage, staff by car, riders by speedboot also longest
stage today, 210km, agan we had the good moral from the start and Kevin Claeys
was in the move of the day. The 5 man leadgroup stayed in the front for
195km..... Finally we had an other bunch sprint and Niko was well up. 8th
...Mark Cassidy moved up to 13place in general, tomorrow mountaint op finish,
average of 13, 14 procent.
Day
2 Tour of Oman Our team just
continue there agressive style of racing, from the start Mark Cassidy attacked
and formed the brake of the day with 5 riders. After 80 km there was a big climb
of 4km 10% average. The peloton split in different groups. The team had Pieter,
Sam in the first group. Mark was still up front an took second p...lace on the
top of the hill and 2 sec bonification. Sam was unlucky in the feed and lost his
place in the first group.
Pieter finished as first rider on the 19th place, Mark Cassidy is now 14th in
the general classement. Kurt Bogaerts
Day
5 Tour of Qatar Again
our team did everything to be in racing from the start. We had a brake away
group of 11 with Niko and Andy in, they took maximum lead of 1min 20, a lot of
big teams where in but Katusha decide to chase and bring back the big peloton.
After that there was going a group up the road of about 20 riders with Irish,
Mark Cassidy. Different teams chase this group and we got a new bunch sprint of
a select group. Hopefully today a brake away succes or someone close up in the
sprint.
Good luck guys
Day
4 Tour of Qatar
What a day again, i am quit sure
there are no easy days in qatar today cross tail wind from the start, with the
field in different parts after a few km we had Niko, Gediminas and Andy in front
of the race, but after 30 km all the field came back together. After 35 km there
was a brake away group of 6, with Andy Fenn they took more than 12 min, but with
wind changing of direction the peloton was very active and split in different
parts, in the chasing group was Gediminas Bagdonas. With 40 km to go all
together in the front of the race. We got an attack of Gediminas and he made a
group of 8 man, they got maximum of 50 sec.
Finally he fall back and end at 28th place also fenn was in front of the big
peloton of about 75 riders with all the other riders of team in and safe
home.....
Day
3 Tour of Qatar "135
km" tailwind from the start, so was gone be a fast start again the team was very
focused to be in the brake away of the day... So happend also with Niko in a
group of 5 riders. ...Visconti, Ignatiev, Quinzato and Ghyselinck. They got a
maximum lead of 6 min, but a lot of big team started to chase very soon.... But
they stayed away till 6km from the finish! Big effort of Niko. So bunch sprint
with all our guys in the first peloton, sprinting for the win. Best placed was
Geminidas Bagdonas 20th and Kevin Claeys 22th and young Irish espoir champion
Sam Bennett 27th well done guys keep moving up!!!!!
Second
day in Tour of Qatar "145
km" Really hard day with cross winds from the start.... it was a fight from the
start with the peloton split in different groups, a group of 18 riders in the
front, with all the big classic names ...We had 2 riders in the chasing group,
the young Andy Fenn and Gediminas Bagdonas both had not the luck of the day and
end up in the final in the first big peloton with also Maxim and Niko everybody
came good to the finish after a really hard day of racing, first hour of racing
54,8 km, we did 146km in less than 3hours..... talk 2morrow again and hopefully
with some better news and some luck..... Manager Kurt Bogaerts.
First day of the Tour of Qatar
behind us.....Today we had a short prologue of 2,5 km. Al the boys did well in
this really strong field, we are the only! continental team between all these
pro tour teams, HTC, GARMIN, Quick step, BMC, Katucha... Big riders like Boonen,
Cavendish, Cancellara,...... Are Best finisher was Geminidas Bagdonas o...n a
19th place 52. Andy Fenn 60. Maxim Debusschere 62. Sam Bennett 75. Kevin Claeys
86. Niko Eeckhout 89. Mark Cassidy 92. Mark Mc Nally Team. 12th Winner of stage
was Lars Boom of Rabobank and Second Fabian Cancellara. Tommorow next stage
about 150km in the cross winds !!!!!! Manager Kurt Bogaerts.
An Post new boys face early test in top level races
Quartet of Irish riders in line to face top quality opposition with races in
France, Qatar and Oman
A challenging start to the 2011 season awaits the An Post team as they take two
different teams to compete in Europe and the Middle East at the same time over
the coming weeks. Races in France, Qatar and Oman present a great opportunity
for the Belgian based side to showcase their talent on the world stage at the
beginning of the cycling calendar year.
The upcoming races will see exciting young Irish prospect, Sam Bennett, take on
elite level Pro Tour opposition in the Tours of Qatar and Oman. While fellow
countryman, Philip Lavery, will start the season in France at this Sunday’s
Grand Prix Cysliste la Marseillaise in France.
He starts the one-day race alongside Donegal native, Ronan McLaughlin and
Belgians, Pieter Ghyllebert and Bjorn Brems. Completing the team are new
members, Darijus Dzervus, Dries Hollanders, Kess Heytens and Kenny Terweduwe,
who will all be making their debuts in Southern France.
The same squad will then take part in the first stage race of the season, the
Etoile de Bességes, which takes place between the 3rd and 7th of February, also
in France.
On the day before the Etoile de Bességes finishes a separate eight man team will
be in another continent, lining up to take part in the Tour of Qatar (6th Feb –
11th Feb). Here they will line up against some of the top ProTeams and riders
including Astana, Quick Step Cycling Team and Garmin-Cervélo.
The race will see Carrick-On-Suir native, Bennett, make his first start for the
side. He joins team leader, Niko Eeckhout, together with Mark Cassidy, Mark
McNally and Maxim De Busschere, as well as fellow debutants Andy Fenn, Kevin
Claeys and Gediminas Begdonas.
Completing a busy opening few weeks for the team will be the second race in the
gulf, the Tour of Oman, which runs from the 15th – 20th February. The only
change to the side from the team that takes part in Qatar is Pieter Ghyllebert,
who comes in for Lithuanian rider Gediminas Begdonas.
A good showing at either of the tours in the gulf will bode well for the team’s
prospects at being invited to similar higher ranked events during the year. As
such team manager, Kurt Bogaerts, has set some high targets for the races.
“It is important to get a good start to the season, not only for team morale,
but because it will set us up for the rest of the season. At the GP Marseilles I
hope to see a top ten finish, while in our first stage race race, the Etoile de
Bességes, we are targeting a high placement in the general classification and a
stage win. Niko achieved this last year in the same race and I don’t see any
reason why we can’t do the same again.”
“Oman and Qatar will be difficult races, but this is exactly where we want to
be, so we are determined to show everybody what we are capable of. We will be
targeting high placings in different stages during both races. Of course we
would love to get a stage win - everything is possible but we need a bit of luck
as it’s the highest level of competition. The two races in the gulf will be the
biggest field of class riders the team has ever faced.”
Bogaerts also outlined his overall goals for the year.
“Overall this year we are targeting some big wins and a ‘standout’ international
result. We have put together a really strong squad for this season and as such
we have great quality in the team and a mixture of youth of experience. For
example we have Niko (Eeckhout) who has raced and won at the top level. He has
had injuries recently but looking at him in the training camp he looks the
sharpest I have seen him in a long time.
“As for the younger guys, like Bennett and Lavery, its all about how they adapt
and hopefully it is sooner rather than later, because I know they have the
quality.”
By
Tommy Campbell Irish Independent, Evening Herald, Sunday Independent
Jan 27, 2011,
Happy New Year !!! The
management, sponsors, riders and cyclists wish all supporters a happy and
healthy 2011 with good athletic performance. We look all forward to the season
2011.
The An Post Seán Kelly team’s first big race of 2011
The An Post Seán Kelly team’s first big race of 2011 is set to be the Tour of
Qatar and the Tour of Oman in February.Team Manager Kurt Bogaerts today confirmed that the
team has received an invitation to take part. The Tour of Qatar takes place from
the 6th to the 11th of February, while the second edition of the six-stage Tour
of Oman is a week later (15th-20th)
9 new riders for next season !!!
An
Post is delighted to announce nine new signings for the coming 2011 season...
Philip Lavery has signed after impressing as a stagiaire. In addition to Sam
Bennett, young British rider Andrew Fenn (winner of Paris Roubaix as a Jnr) and
two Lithuanians; Gediminas Bagdonas and Darijus Dzervus as well as 4
Belgians;Kenny Terweduwe, Kess Heytens, Kevin Claeys and Dries Hollanders have
all been signed!
Exciting times!!
AN POST takes over title sponsorship of Rás
By Shane Stokes
After
years being known as the FBD Insurance Rás, it has been announced today that An
Post will take over the title sponsorship of Ireland’s prestigious stage race,
starting 2011.
The race will be known as the An Post Rás for at least the next three years, and
will run from 22nd to 29th May next season.
The 2011 An Post Rás will again feature the usual mix of pro, international and
county teams, and race director Dermot Dignam has said that the new backing
would enable it to evolve and grow.
“I am sure today will prove to be a most significant day in the development of
both the Rás and Irish cycling,” he said at a press conference held in Dublin’s
GPO. “I am delighted to join in a partnership with An Post with the Rás and in
the overall scheme of Irish cycling. We hope that the race will grow from
strength to strength, and An Post’s business will do likewise.
He thanked the previous backer for its long association with the race, and said
that it helped to build it into the event it is now. “FBD Insurance has to be
thanked for its long contribution,” he stated. “It came on board in 1984…back in
those days, we might have had one or two teams from France or Holland. In the 27
years they have been sponsoring the race, it has grown into a worldwide-known
event. We now have eight, nine or ten overseas teams in the race each year, and
have had turn down requests for invitations. We owe them a great deal of thanks.”
He also thanked the Irish Sports Council and Cycling Ireland for its support.
In addition to backing the eight day, 2.2-ranked event, An Post will continue to
sponsor the Sean Kelly cycling team, which is based in Belgium and has the goal
of helping Irish riders to develop their talent and aim for top-level pro
careers.
It will also keep backing the very popular An Post Series of leisure cycles.
There were over 10,000 participants in the latter this year, and the assocation
with the Rás is likely to lead to a general raising of awareness of the
company’s backing of the sport.
An Post’s chief executive Donal Connell said that its association with cycling
has been a very positive one, both for the sport and for the company itself.
An Post Team for Tour of Britain
By Tommy Campbell Irish Independent, Evening Herald, Sunday Independent
Matt
Brammeier the Irish National Road Race Champion and a member of the highly
successful An Post/Sean Kelly team had reason for a celebration yesterday when
it was announced that he would be the leader for the Tour of Britain which
starts next Saturday in Greater Manchester. Only last week it was confirmed that
Matt would be a member of the national team that will race in the World
Championships in Australia at the end of the month.
Along with Brammeier will be his three Irish team mates, Ronan McLoughlin, Mark
Cassidy and Philip Lavery. Plus the Belgian Pieter Ghyllebert and Mark McNally
who is destined to join a ProTour team later in the year.
The Sean Kelly outfit completed their penultimate tune up race before to the
Tour last Sunday and team manager Kurt Bogaerts was happy with the performance,
as three riders – Brammeier, Lavery and Ghyllebert, all finished within 18
seconds of the winner.
“I’m pleased with how our preparations have gone over the last few weeks.
Sunday’s race (Grand Prix Jef Scherens) was really hard and it was exactly the
type of event we needed to be involved in coming into a stage race this weekend.
We have one more race (Memorial Rik Van Steenbergen) on Wednesday, which most of
the side will take part in, and straight after that we fly to England.”
Bogaerts has high hopes for the side going into the team’s last big stage race
of the season. “We are targeting a stage win at the Tour of Britain. Even though
we are one of the smallest team’s taking part and the calibre of competition is
very high, I am convinced we can take a stage win over the week. We have nothing
to lose.”
Roche, Brammeier and McCann confirmed for worlds
By Shane Stokes
One
day after he was named by the likely Italian team leader Filippo Pozzato as
being one of the danger men for the world road race championships, Nicolas Roche
has been confirmed as the leader of the Irish team for the event. He will be
joined by David McCann and national road race champion Matt Brammeier in the
Elite road race exactly one month from now, while McCann will also compete in
the time trial. The Belfast rider was tenth last year in Mendrisio, Switzerland.
Cycling Ireland confirmed the team selection today, saying that Roche will be
backed by the other two riders in the 259.9 kilometre event.
“The worlds can sometimes be a lottery and not always the strongest rider wins,”
said Cycling Ireland’s High Performance director Phil Leigh today. “Nicholas is
riding better this year than in any of his previous seasons as a pro and if he
can get his preparation right he can be right there in the final mix.”
Roche is using the Vuelta as preparation, while the other two riders will
compete in different races prior to flying out to Australian.
“McCann, who finished an excellent 10th in the World Time Trial Championship
last year, is aiming to finish higher this year and is preparing by riding the
10 day Tour of China,” Leigh continued. “National track champion Brammeier is
fine-tuning his preparation via a series of UCI 1.1 races in Belgium, a track
camp and the 8 day Tour of Britain.”
The Tour of China runs from September 11-20, while the Tour of Britain begins on
the same day and ends on the 18th.
Roche has had an excellent season, with the peak being his fifteenth place in
the Tour de France. He was also third in the GP dell’Insubria, fourth in the GP
Canton d’Argovie, fifth overall in the Volta a Catalunya, eighth in the Cláscia
San Sebastián and eleventh in Paris-Nice. He has picked up numerous top-ten
placings on stages, including sixth, eighth and tenth this week in the Vuelta a
España, and is currently eleventh overall in the latter event.
McCann is racing with the Giant Asia team this season and has clocked up ten
victories, including the Tour of the Philippines, the Tour of Taiwan and the
Jelajah Malaysia.
Brammeier was born in Liverpool but declared for Ireland in 2009. He competes
with the An Post Grand Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly team.
Two obvious omissions from the team are Daniel Martin and Philip Deignan. Martin
won three races last month, netting a stage plus the overall classification in
the ProTour-ranked Tour of Poland, as well as victory in the 1.HC Tre Valli
Varesine. He was also the strongest rider in the finale of the GP Ouest France
in Plouay but was caught with one kilometre to go.
However the profile of the worlds does not suit his abilities as well as the
Tour of Lombardy does and, having placed eighth there last year, he prefers to
focus his full attention on the prestigious Italian Classic.
Deignan has been below-par this season and has had a quiet Vuelta thus far.
However if he rides into strong form, Leigh has confirmed that the worlds team
might yet be changed to accommodate him.
McLaughlin finishes 4th overall in France, McConvey 8th on final stage
Ronan
McLaughlin took a superb fourth place in the final overall classification of the
Mi Aout Bretonne in France today, finishing alongside his rivals in the main
bunch and maintaining his high overnight position. An Post Grant Thornton M.
Donnelly Sean Kelly team-mates Matt Brammeier and Pieter Ghyllebert also rode
strongly and ended the four stage, 2.2 ranked event in eighth and 13th overall,
respectively. Connor McConvey was best placed of the team on the concluding 176
kilometre stage to Guerlesquin, finishing eighth. He crossed the line in a small
chase group two seconds behind the day’s victor Vincent Ragot (AC Lanester 56)
and five others. Brammeier, Ghyllebert, McLaughlin plus Mark McNally and Philip
Lavery all came home in the peloton, 22 seconds back. The French event saw
strong performances from the Irish-sponsored, Belgium-based team. Irish road
race champion Brammeier was sixth on Thursday’s opening stage, then McLaughlin
jumped up to fourth overall when he placed seventh on Friday’s leg. Ghyllebert
and Brammeier were eleventh and thirteenth respectively on Saturday.
McLaughlin fourth overall in France, An Post Team riding well
By Shane Stokes
Irishman Ronan McLaughlin is an excellent fourth overall after today’s second
stage of the Mi Aout Bretonne in France. The An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly
Sean Kelly rider placed seventh on the race to Poullaouen, crossing the line six
seconds behind a breakaway quartet led home by Maxime Renault (Sojasun Espoirs
Noyal Chatillon). The main bunch sprinted in 55 seconds after Renault, going for
twelfth place. Belgian rider Pieter Ghyllebert was next of the An Post team in
21st, with Matt Brammeier (27th), Philip Lavery (56th), Mark McNally (59th),
Connor McConvey (85th) also finishing in the peloton. Irish road race champion
Brammeier was previously best of the team on yesterday’s 170 kilometre opening
stage to Pontrieux, finishing nine seconds behind the solo victor Guillaume
Boivin (Spidertech powered by Planet Energy). Ghyllebert and McLaughlin were 34
and 40 seconds back respectively, finishing 13th and 22nd. Stagiaire rider
Lavery was a solid 38th, although over ten minutes back, while McNally and
McConvey were further down. Aside from McLaughlin’s fourth overall, Brammeier
(9th) and Ghyllebert (13th) are also in the top 15, while Lavery is 31st. He is
on a trial with the team and is performing solidly thus far. The 2.2-ranked
event continues tomorrow with the penultimate stage, a 180 kilometre leg from
Pont Scorff to Quéven-Gestel-Cléguer. The An Post team is using the race as part
of its build-up towards the Tour of Britain.
Four Irish riders, a Belgian and a Britonwill
line out in France tomorrow for the An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean
Kelly team, taking part in the four-day Mi-Aout Bretonne event. National
champion Matt Brammeier will aim to make the most of his good form, and will be
joined by Connor McConvey, Ronan McLaughlin and the stagiaire Philip Lavery. The
Liverpudlian Mark McNally and the Belgian Pieter Ghyllebert compete the six man
squad for the 2.2 race.
The 26 teams will include Cofidis, Joker Bianchi, Rapha Condor Sharp, Sojasun
and Bretagne-Schuller. All four stages are between 170 and 180 kilometres, with
the first of those taking the riders from Plouec du Trieux to Pontrieux.
Aside from being a goal in itself, the race will also help build form and
determine the lineup for the team’s big end of season goal, which begins on
September 11th.
“I still haven’t finalised my team for the Tour of Britain so everyone is still
competing for places,” said team manager Kurt Bogaerts. “This is the last stage
race before we reach the UK so it is very important preparation for the guys. I
have been really impressed with how everyone is racing at the moment so it is
going to be a difficult decision on the final six.
“Tomorrow’s race in France will be tough; the stages are long and cover a lot of
kilometres, so it’s a good test for us. After that there are five or six high
quality one day races so it’s important everybody stays focused.”
Brammeier, McLaughlin and Ghyllebert will also form part of the larger ten-man
squad that will dispute the Belgian GP Stad Zottegem, which takes place next
Tuesday (17th August).
Also riding will be the Belgians Niko Eeckhout, Kenny Lisabeth, Pieter
Ghyllebert, Benny De Schrooder, Gil Suray, Maxim Debusschere and Kim Borry.
Lavery and fellow stagiaire Stephen Halpin are listed as reserves, along with
Mark McNally and Stijn Minne.
Martin wins Suir Valley 3 Day, Gallagher scoops final stage Mark Cassidy
was King of the Mountain
By Shane Stokes
Thomas Martin (Eurocycles) grabbed a dramatic overall victory in the Suir Valley
3 Day today, racing clear in a late breakaway and building enough time to
overhaul race leader Andy Roche (Isle of Man). Stephen Gallagher (Sigma Sport)
proved quickest of the break at the finish in Clonmel, grabbing the victory
ahead of Ronan McLaughlin (An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly),
Stephen Barrett (Planet X) and Martin.
Conor O’Shea (Killorglin/Cahirciveen) had also been part of the break and came
in six seconds later, while McLaughlin’s team-mate Mark McNally led home the
main bunch 41 seconds later.
Roche’s Isle of Man team had done its utmost to control a very aggressive final
stage, bringing back several dangerous breaks, and the former FBD Rás winner was
still looking good until the hot spot sprint in Ardfinnan, twelve kilometres
from the end.
However the final break clipped away there and the elastic snapped. Martin ended
up with a 26 second advantage over Gallagher in the overall standings, with
Barrett and Roche four and five seconds further back, respectively.
“This is my biggest win thus far,” said the delighted Ulster rider. “This
morning three on our team were still capable of winning it – myself, Conor
Murphy and Adam Armstrong, and so the plan was to attack and put the pressure on
from the word go. Things worked out very well.”
Mark Cassidy (An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly) held onto the lead
in the King of the Mountains classification, despite an inopportune puncture
plus a determined push by Tighernach Murphy. Martyn Irvine (Planet X) beat
Gallagher in the points classification, while Joe Kelly (Isle of Man) and Art
McManus (On Your Bike.ie) won the second category and third category prizes.
Eurocycles Eurotrek edged out An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly in
the teams classification.
Lavery and Halpin to begin trails with An Post Sean Kelly
Team
With the stagiaire season about to begin, the An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly
Sean Kelly team has announced that two talented, Belgium-based Irish riders will
compete for the remainder of the season with the squad.
Philip Lavery and Stephen Halpin will soon don the green jersey of the team,
with Halpin getting things underway in this weekend’s Suir Valley Three Day race
in Clonmel. He will join up with existing An Post riders
Mark Cassidy, Connor McConvey, Ronan McLaughlin and Mark McNally.
“It’s great that the two guys have joined us until October,” said team manager
Kurt Bogaerts. “We have been monitoring their progress closely for quite a while
now and they both have serious potential. The trail period gives us the chance
to look at them even closer and then we can sit down and talk at the end of the
season.
“Starting this weekend Stephen (Halpin) has a good chance to show us what he can
do. I have picked a strong team and the guys are all looking forward to racing
in Ireland again after the success we had during the Rás.”
Halpin has been racing with the SDC Rogelli team in Belgium this season, netting
five top-ten finishes. The 22 year old has represented Ireland abroad on several
occasions, riding with the national side in races such as the Cote de Picardie,
the Giro della Regioni and ZLM Tour World Cups.
Lavery has had an excellent season, winning the Tour of the North, taking a
stage in the Tour of Ulster (plus the under 23 classification), and winning
several other events including the Wervik, Ramsdonk (Elite U23) and Lanskouter
(Elite U23) races abroad. He had a very aggressive FBD Rás and wore the leader’s
jersey in the best county rider classification.
Riding with the An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly team will enable
both riders to take part in high-level competition and compare themselves
against pro riders. If they perform strongly, it will greatly increase their
chances of getting a pro deal for 2011.
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.
Fresh from their FBD Insurance Rás heroics the An Post Sean Kelly team are back
in actionat
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.
An Post Sean Kelly team rider Ronan McLaughlin won King of
the Mountainsat
yesterday’s Circuit de Wallonie in Belgium. The Donegal man produced a series of
strong rides on the climbs to win the title. It was a good day out for
McLaughlin as he finished 8th overall, only 36 seconds back from overall winner
Thomas Degand from Belgium.
Fellow Irishman Matt Brammeier also produced a impressive performance, finishing
32nd overall, while Maxim Debusschere was best placed of the Belgian contingent
back in 58th.
Team manager Kurt Bogaerts was very pleased with McLaughlin’s performance.
“Ronan has been riding well this season and I’m delighted to see him win King of
the Mountains today. He was consistent on all the climbs and produced a
brilliant performance over the whole race. It is great that he is coming into
good form just ahead of the Rás.”
Next up for the An Post team is the Bavatus Prorace in the Netherlands.
McLaughlin is again named in the team, alongside Brammeier and Meath man Mark
Cassidy. Bogaerts is hoping for another good showing.
“The (three week) break was good for the team and we looked fresh on Sunday. We
have this race and one more next week before the Rás. I’m looking for strong
performances in both races, so we are in good shape when we arrive in Ireland.”
This weekend sees the An Post team
return to action at Sunday’s Circuit de Wallonie in Belgium. The Sean Kelly
outfit are fresh from a three week break from racing and team manager Kurt
Bogaerts has named a seven man team to compete in the race. Included in the line
up are Irishmen Ronan McLaughlin, Mark Cassidy and Matt Brammeier.
Bogaerts admitted the team needed a break and he is looking ahead to the Rás in
just over two weeks time. “The team were looking very tired a few weeks ago, so
the break was exactly what we needed. I expect a good performance at the Circuit
de Wallonie as everyone will be fresh.”
“I have a team in mind for the Rás, but it’s still not completely decided so
this weekend is a chance for a couple of the guys to put themselves in the
picture” he added.
On the injury front, Bogaerts had this to say. “Paidi had his first training
session after his operation today, but it was only for half an hour. We have to
be careful with him, and just ease him back. As for Niko, he has been training
for the past week, but only slow rides with no intensity whatsoever. We expect
him back in full training in two weeks time.”
Elsewhere, the 2010 An Post Cycle Series gets underway with the opening Tour of
Sligo on Sunday May 9th. So far over 1,000 entries for the event have been
registered for the combined 10k, 60k and 160k routes. Former world number one
cyclist Sean Kelly will also be taking part in what promises to be a great day
out in the west! For more info log onto www.anpost.ie/cycling
Niko Eeckhout is facing
a few weeks on the sidelines after a scan yesterday showed that he had broken a
rib and bent another. The fracture is believed to have been caused by his crash
at the GP Denain last week. He faces a few weeks out. In other (good!) news
fellow Belgian Kenny Lisabeth finished 16th in yesterday's GP de Denain in
France, next up for the team is Sunday's Zellik Galmaarden. Good Luck lads!
Kenny Lisabeth was a fine 16th in GP Denain
Frenchman Denis Flahaut (ISD Continental Team) sprinted to victory in the GP de
Denain Porte du Hainaut race today, beating Florian Vachon (Bretagne - Schuller),
Enrico Rossi (Ceramica Flaminia) and a bunch of 39 other riders to the line.
An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly team rider Kenny Lisabeth was a
fine 16th, while Pieter Ghyllebert was 22nd. Maxim de Busschere was also in the
front group, placing 41st.
Connor McConvey was the sole Irish rider listed as finishing the 1.1-ranked
French event. He came home in a group just behind the main bunch, placing 58th.
He was 14 seconds behind Flahaut.
After today’s gruelling race in Belgium the team head to
France tonight.
Niko
Eeckhout of the An Post Sean Kelly team was again heavily involved in the action
at today’s De Brabantse Pijl in Belgium. The veteran sprinter, who recovered
from a recent head injury to take part, was one of a six man group which broke
away from the Peloton and at one stage had built up a healthy 8:30 lead over the
mountainous course.
Eeckhout was eventually the architect of his own downfall as the blistering pace
he and the breakaway group had set wasn’t sustainable and he ultimately dropped
out of the race with 50k to go.
It was a bad day for the An Post outfit as no member of the team completed the
race, this included Irishmen; Mark Cassidy, Ronan McLaughlin, Connor McConvey
and Matt Brammeier.
Team manager Kurt Bogaerts was disappointed with the showing, but he conceded
the team looked tired after a hectic schedule recently.
“I was a bit disappointed with how a few of the guys raced today, although I
think this was down to a couple of reasons. It was a difficult race at a high
level and it looked like some of the guys were quite tired. We are coming to the
end of a long bunch of races, whilst many of the other teams had guys out there
who hadn’t raced much recently and looked a lot fresher.”
Luckily the team have a chance to bounce back immediately, at the Grand Prix de
Denain in France tomorrow.
“Although the team is almost the same for tomorrow, the actual style of the race
will suit us a lot better (than today’s race). Today was very mountainous and
demanding, whilst tomorrow isn’t as hilly.” Bogaerts added.
Both Niko Eeckout and Paidi O'Brien
are and will be in hospital over the next 24hrs. Eeckhout had a horrific crash @
today's GP Pino Cerami. He split his helmet into 4 pieces, but thankfully got up
and is now having a scan as a precaution. O'Brien must undergo an operation to
remove loose cartilidge around his knee tomorrow. This will keep him out for 2
months and means he misses next month's Ras. Get well soon lads
Niko Eeckout was in an 8 man breakaway group,
which at one stage had a 6 minute lead at today's Scheldeprijs. The peloton
eventually caught up & Mark Cassidy was again best placed of the An Post team,
coming in 42nd. Kenny Lisabeth (62nd) Maxim De Busschere (95th) Matt Brammeier
(137th) Eeckhout (146th) Pieter Ghyllebe...rt (157th) while Mark McNally and
Ronan McLaughlin DNF. Next up the Grand Prix Pino Cerami tomorrow!
The
An Post team are back on'home
turf' (Belgium) this week and will contest in tomorrow’s Scheldeprijs, then the
following day (Thurs) they will take part in Grand Prix Pino Cerami. Irishmen
Mark Cassidy and Ronan McLaughlin will take part in both races. Manager Kurt
Bogaerts said "Tomorrow’s race is on flat road for... almost all of the way. I
expect there to be another big bunch finish, provided it doesn’t rain.”
In
a mass bunch
finish today at today's Rund Um Koln in Germany Mark Cassidy was best placed of
the An Post team in 28th. Ronan McLaughlin was 38th, Benny de Schrooder 56th and
Kim Borry 61st and all of them finished within 10 seconds of the winner Juan
José Haedo (Saxo Bank). Meanwhile Kim Borry was also the sole fin...isher of the
An Post team (27th) in last Saturday's Hel Van Het Mergelland in the Netherlands.
Perhaps trying to prove
a point after the Skil-Shimano team’s non-selection for the Tour de France, Yann
Huguet won the Hel van het Mergelland today. The Frenchman outsprinted breakaway
companion Jos Van Emden (Rabobank) at the end of the 195 kilometre, 1.1-ranked
race, with seven chasers coming home nine seconds later.
An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly Team rider Kim Borry was a solid
27th, three minutes and 53 seconds back.
Only 48 riders finished the race, with 102 being listed as DNF’s. This
substantial chunk of the peloton included the rest of the An Post team,
including Irishmen Connor McConvey and Ronan McLaughlin.
The team is next due to compete in Monday’s Rund um Köln. Borry, McConvey,
McLaughlin, Mark Cassidy, Maxim Debusschere, Pieter Ghyllebert, Matt Brammeier
and Benny de Schrooder are the riders listed for that.
Look out for the An Post Gorey 3 day cycle raceover
the weekend. There was a huge demand for entries which reached capacity in
February! 180 cyclists take part in the 44th running of the event and we are
looking forward to a competitive race. Have a Happy Easter to all our fans!
Niko Eeckhoutwas
at the forefront of everything in today's final stage but was just unable to
hold off the chasing peloton. Best placed of the An Post team today was
Liverpudlian Mark McNally in 35th. Overall Pieter Ghyllebert was best placed in
34th, followed by Eeckhout in 51st and Mark McNally in 68th. Next up is t...he
Hel van het Mergelland in Holland (3rd April).
Niko Eeckhout of the An Post team finished in eight placeat
today's 3 day race, the KBC-Driedaagse De Panne-Koksijde in Belgium. He lies 55
seconds behind race leader Steve Chainel (BBOX Bouygues Telecom). The race
starts a hectic schedule of 3 races in a week for the Sean Kelly outfit. They
will also race in the Neth...erlands and Germany and Belfast man Connor McConvey
will take part in all three.
Pieter Ghyllebert of the An Post Sean kelly team
finished 25th in today's classic - the E3 Prijs Vlaanderen. The young Belgian
rode excellently throughout and finished only 3 minutes behind race winner
Fabian Cancellara (Saxo Bank) with Tom Boonen (Quick Step) in 2nd and Juan
Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Sky) in 3rd.
Pieter Ghyllebert was the sole finisherfrom
the An Post team in 77th place yesterday, in what was a disappointing race for
the Sean Kelly outfit. Team manager Kurt Bogaerts is understandably looking to
put the result aside and concentrate on the second classic on Sunday. "We have
to forget about this result and focus ...on the weekend where I am sure we will
put in a positive showing."
The
An Post team are hoping to go one better than Niko Eeckhout’s second place
finish last Sunday with a victory in either of the two Belgian classics this
week. First up is tomorrow’s 1 day road race the Dwars door Vlaanderen. In the
team are Irishmen Mark Cassidy and Conor McConvey. On Saturday (27th) the team
will c...ontest in the E3 Prijs Vlaanderen with Cassidy and McConvey joined on
the team by Ronan McLaughlin.
Niko Eeckhout was just beaten into 2nd place
by Vacansoleil's Jens Mouris in this afternoon's Eneco Ronde van het Groene Hart
in The Netherlands. The Dutch rider staged an audacious late-race attack to win,
finishing
11 seconds ahead of Niko. Ronan McLaughlin finished best of the Irish pair, in
71st.
Pieter Ghyllebert 12th
Belgian rider Pieter Ghyllebert was best placed of the An Post Grant Thornton M.
Donnelly Sean Kelly team in today’s Nokere-Koerse, taking a fine 12th place in
the semi-Classic.
The 192.9 kilometre race was won by Jens Keukeleire (Cofidis), who beat Kris
Boeckmans (Topsport Vlaanderen-Colnago), Bobbie Traksel (Vacansoleil Pro
Cyclingteam) and 88 other riders in a big bunch gallop.
Ghyllebert’s team-mate Mark McNally also finished in the peloton, placing 67th,
while Ronan McLaughlin came in 25 seconds back in 83rd place.
Team sprinter Niko Eeckhout had hoped to make a successful return after recent
injury but hit the deck ten kilometres from the finish. He was not listed as
finishing the race.
Niko Eeckhout in crash the Nokere Koerse
Niko
& Pieter were involved in a high speed crash 10km from the end of the Nokere
Koerse (Bel. 1.1.) today. Pieter managed to recover and finish 12th. 21 year-old
Belgian neo-pro Jens Keukeleire (Cofidis) was the overall winner in a hectic
sprint finish, his third win of the season after just two months of racing as a
professional.
A
mixed weekend for the An Post team last weekend Niko
Eeckout was in fine form again but his race was curtailed by a knee injury on
the final day. Pieter Ghyllebert finished best of the An Post team in 21st after
an 8th placed finish on Sun. Matt Brammeier also finished 25th in Sunday's one
day race. Paidi O'Brien al...so reaggravated a knee injury and wasn't able to
take part.
Matt Brammeier 2th
Mark Cassidy 8th Second place for Matt
Brammeier in Vollezele, Mark Cassidy he was eight the Lierde.
The team’s great start
to the season continues as Niko Eeckhout was just edged out in today's 2nd
stage. He was pushed by fellow competitor Van Hummel (Skil) which ruined his
chance of winning the stage, however he did manage to hold onto 5th place. He
remains 9th in the overall standings. The An Post team was also in...volved in
another one day race, the Vlaamse Pijl, in Belgium today - Connor McConvey
finished 25th.
Eeckhout takes
another fine result for An Post Sean Kelly Team
The An Post Grand Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly team clocked up another
excellent result today when Niko Eeckhout finished a fine seventh in the Omloop
Het Nieuwsblad semi-Classic, previously known as Het Volk.
The race was won in a solo breakaway move by Team Sky’s Juan Antonio Flecha, who
hit the line 17 seconds ahead of a small group led in by Heinrich Haussler (Cervelo
Test Team) and Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Transitions).
Eeckhout was also in this chasing bunch, the Belgian proving that even at 39
years of age, he is still able to mix it with the top Classic riders in the
sport.
The Sean Kelly team is backed by Irish companies An Post, Grant Thornton and M.
Donnelly, and features several Irish riders. David O’Loughlin, Paidi O’Brien and
Connor McConvey were due to start the race; O’Brien was listed as finishing
102nd. Belgian riders Pieter Ghyllebert and Kim Borry were 37th and 106th
respectively.
The riders will ride Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne tomorrow, another prestigious
early-season event.
Pictures of the parcours reconnaissance Omloop het
Nieuwsblad, sie here
>>>
"The preparation is over"
Team Manager Kurt Bogaerts sums up the end another fine week in the saddle for
the An Post team after a great overall performance in the Volta. Pieter
Ghyllebert ended a great week finishing 46th overall. Alberto Contador was the
overall winner. "Now we can look forward to some classic races i...n Belgium"
added Kurt before the team began the long drive back to the base in Belgium.
Pieter Ghyllebert had another good day in the saddle, he was to the front of the peloton again, finishing 24th in today stage, which
was won by Belgian Sebastien Rosseler ( RadioShack team). Ghyllebert remains the
highest ranked An Post rider in the GC, lying in 39th going into the final
stage,01:57 off leader Conta...dor. Ronan McLaughling is best of the Irish, in
111th spot
Tour de France champion Alberto Contador clocked up his
first victory of the season today at the Tour of the Algarve, breaking clear on
the final climb up to the finish at Malhão and winning stage three.
The 27 year old Astana rider hit the line eleven seconds clear of his closest
rival Tiago Machado (Team RadioShack) and took over the race lead. He is 15
seconds ahead of Machado in the general classification, with another RadioShack
rider Levi Leipheimer a further 13 seconds back in third. Overnight race leader
André Greipel struggled on the climb and finished over five minutes back.
Belgian rider Pieter Ghyllebert was best of the An Post Grant Thornton M.
Donnelly Sean Kelly team, coming home one minute 26 seconds behind Contador for
53rd on the stage.
Irish riders David O'Loughlin and Ronan McLaughlin had solid performances,
placing 72nd and 75th respectively out of 159 finishers.
Ghyllebert’s ride was commendable, given that he was part of the day’s breakaway
group since ten kilometres into the 173.7 kilometre stage. He went away with
Wouter Weylandt (Quick Step), Edward King (Cervélo TestTeam), Gonzalo Rabuñal
and Nelson Oliveira (Xacobeo Galicia), Thomas de Gendt (Topsport
Mercator-Vlaanderen) and Bruno Saraiva (CC Loulé Quarteira).
This group broke up in the second half of the stage. Oliveira was last to resist
the chase from behind, but everything was back together before the final climb.
The Astana team had been leading the peloton for much of the day and ramped up
the pace to set up Contador for the win.
Ghyllebert is 40th overall, less than two minutes behind Spaniard, while the two
Irish riders are 112th and 120th. They are riding their first race of the season
and are likely to take several more weeks before approaching full racing form.
The 2.1-ranked race continues tomorrow with a lumpy 169 kilometre stage from
Cacela to Tavira. It concludes on Sunday with a flat 17.2 kilometre time trial.
Contador won the overall classification last year and appears in a strong
position to do so again, despite statements beforehand that he would not have
sufficient fitness to do so.
VOLTA
AO ALGARVE: CASSIDY AND O’LOUGHLIN FINISH IN MAIN BUNCH
Irish riders Mark
Cassidy and David O’Loughlin both finished in the main bunch on their first day
of racing in 2010, crossing the line five seconds behind winner Benoît
Vaugrenard (Francaise Des Jeux) on stage one of the Volta ao Algarve.
Joan Horrach (Team Katusha) was second, three seconds back, while André Greipel
(Team HTC - Columbia) led home the peloton for third place.
Neither Cassidy nor O’Loughlin sprinted for the line, being content to roll in
as part of that main bunch. Their Belgian team-mate Pieter Ghyllebert also
finished in the same time, while the third Irishman in the race, Ronan
McLaughlin, was a further 11 seconds back, as was the Belgian Kim Borry.
McLaughlin is also riding his first event of the season.
The remaining riders on the team, Belgians Benny De Schrooder (An Post Grant
Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly) and Niko Eeckhout (An Post Grant Thornton M.
Donnelly Sean Kelly) were further back.
The race also marked the season debut of Tour de France champion Alberto
Contador. While he has not done any serious racing since last year’s Tour, he
had enough form to clip away inside the final two kilometres. He was hauled back
and then Vaugrenard made his move, jumping hard and holding on to the line.
An
Post-Sean Kelly awarded final Omloop Het Nieuwsblad wildcard spot
An
Post-Sean Kelly has been awarded the final wildcard slot for the Omloop Het
Nieuwsblad. In addition, Team Vorarlberg-Corratec has been replaced by Verandas
Willems in the opening race of the Belgian season on February 27.
The race
will feature 25 teams, including 13 ProTour teams, 10 Professional Continental,
and the two Continental teams.
Race
organiser Wm Van Herreweghe announced the final team line-up, saying that An
Post-Sean Kelly's recent performances, “have managed to totally convince me.
Niko Eeckhout and his team are clearly starting the season very ambitiously and
deserved a place in the first Belgian race of the season,” he told the
Belga news
agency.
At the
recent Etoile de Besseges, Eeckhout and Pieter Ghyllebert each brought in a
third place and second place, before Eeckhout won the final stage.
The
Belgian-based Continental team is happy to be in the race. “We had only a
commitment for Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne in the opening weekend at home,” said sport
manager Kurt Bogearts. “Now there is the Omloop. We certainly won't be lacking
in motivation to ride these two races.”
Van
Herreweghe also said that the Austrian Professional Continental Team
Vorarlberg-Corratec had told him it would not ride the race, to which it had
received a wildcard invitation. Its place was given to the Belgian Continental
team Verandas Willems.
First
win of the season for An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly Team
After racking up top-four places on each of the
previous stages, the Irish-sponsored An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly team hit
the jackpot this afternoon when it won the final stage of the Etoile de Bessèges
in France.
Belgian sprinter Niko Eeckhout followed up on earlier placings of second, third
and fourth when he hit the line first, beating Valentin Iglinsky (Astana) and
Hans Dekkers (Landbouwkrediet) plus the rest of the peloton.
Another Belgian on the team, Pieter Ghyllebert,
finished an excellent third overall.
Pieter Ghyllebert today on place 3 in the 4rd stage
Niko
Eeckhout in the tirth stage a 4rd place
An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly team rider Niko Eeckhout has moved back up to
an excellent second overall in the Etoile de Bessèges in France, taking fourth
place on today’s 148 kilometre stage to Ceze.
Samuel Dumoulin (Cofidis) was first to the line,
leading home the ongoing race leader Borut Bozic (Vacansoleil) plus the rest of
the main field.
Eeckhout sprinted in fourth, following up on his
second place on Wednesday and his third place yesterday.
Once the time bonuses were taken into account, the Belgian rider moved up a
place to second overall. He’s now 16 seconds behind Bozic, who is growing in
confidence each day.
Dumoulin and Arnaud
Molmy (Robaix Lille Metropole) are also 16 seconds back, sitting third and
fourth in the general classification.
The three Irishmen in the race did not sprint today,
with Eeckhout’s team-mates Connor McConvey and Paídi O’Brien all saving their
energies for the final two stages.
The 2.1-ranked race continues tomorrow with a 148-kilometre
stage to Ales.
2nd stage l'Etoile de Bessèges
Niko Eeckhout 3rd place
The Irish-sponsored pro team An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly had another
strong showing on yesterday’s second stage of the Etoile de Bessèges, with
Belgian sprinter Niko Eeckhout placing third in the big bunch gallop into St.
Ambroix.
The 141 kilometre stage was won by Wednesday’s victor,
Borut Bozic (Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team), after a 61 kilometre breakaway
containing Frenchmen Laurent Lefevre (Bbox Bouygues Telecom) and Benoît
Vaugrenard (Francaise Des Jeux) was hauled back.
Former Belgian champion Eeckhout crossed the line
just behind Bozic and Arnaud Molmy (Roubaix Lille Metropole).
Irish road race champion Nicolas Roche (Ag2r La
Mondiale) rolled in 34th, while compatriots Connor McConvey and Paídi O’Brien
plus the remainder of the An Post Grant Thornton Sean Kelly team also came home
in the main bunch.
Team manager Kurt Bogaerts was encouraged by
Eeckhout’s strong finish, which followed up from his second place on Wednesday.
The
squad has had a good start to the season and he is hoping that they can land a
stage win before the race ends on Sunday.
“The team did their job perfectly again and all we
need now is a little bit of luck,” he stated after the 141 kilometre race to St.
Ambroix. “Tomorrow’s stage is very similar to today’s with two climbs and
another local stage finish around the town, so I’m hoping for more of the same.”
Bozic is now ten seconds clear of Molmy and Eeckhout
in the general classification. Most of the other riders in the race are a
further ten seconds back.
The Etoile de Bessèges
continues today with a 148 kilometre race from Gran Prix du CC Rhone to Ceze-Languedoc.
Niko
Eeckhout second in the 1st stage l'Etoile de Bessèges
Niko
Eeckhout almost grabbed victory in the 1st stage of the Tour Etoile de Bessèges
today. He just lost out in the final sprint to Borut Bozic (Vacansoleil Pro
Cycling Team). Team manager Kurt Bogaerts was delighted. “The result sets us up
nicely for the rest of the week and Niko is no stranger to winning he...re,
having done so in 2001. I hope he will be celebrating again on Sunday!”
G.P. Marseillaise
Good start to the season with Nicko taking 11th place in today's Grand Prix
Cysliste la Marseillaise in France, and Kenny hot on his wheels in 12th. Both
were in a sprint for the finish, and looked like they had secured a top ten
placing before the final classement. Also in the finishing pack were Paidi
O'Brien and new... signings Pieter and Conor. Two days to rest up now before the
Etoile de Besseges on Wed.
