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Defending Champion Bialobiocki And 2013 Race Leader Hawkins Confirmed For An Post Rás
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| Marcin Bialobocki Champion 2013 With The George Plant Trophy |
Twelve months after he took a nail-biting victory in the An Post Rás over Irishman Connor McConvey, winning the race by virtue of better accumulated stage placings, Marcin Bialoblocki will return to the event once again in a bid to make it two victories in a row.
The powerful Polish rider will spearhead an ambitious Velosure Giordana squad next month, with that outfit being one of three British teams announced today by the An Post Rás race organisers. Bialoblocki is likely to be joined by the 2012 Tour of the North winner James Moss plus Steve Lampier, who was a top twenty finisher last year in the Tour of Britain. The final two places on the team will be finalised closer to the event.
“The big goal is clearly for Marcin to repeat last year’s overall victory,” says team manager Malcolm Elliot, a former top pro who won stages and the points jersey at the Vuelta a España in the past. After returning to the sport in his forties he also took stages in the An Post Rás
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Norwegian And Canadian Teams Boost Impressive Line-Up For 2014 An Post Rás
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| Remi Pelletier-Roy Canada |
An Post Rás organisers have today confirmed two more international teams for this year’s edition, adding to the already formidable line-up in place for the world-ranked race.
The Norwegian Continental team Motiv3 Pro Cycling and the Canadian national team will join four previously announced international squads in the eight day event, which begins in Dunboyne on Sunday May 18th.
The Canadian team includes Rémi Pelletier-Roy, who last year finished second on stage four and a superb fourth overall. Having ended up just forty seconds off the top of the podium, he will be determined to push for the winner’s yellow jersey this time round.
Pelletier-Roy will be joined by former Junior Tour of Ireland winner Stuart Wight, current Canadian Under-23 champion Alex Cataford, 2013 Canada Games medallist Matteo Dal Cin and the experienced Nic Hamilton.
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| Sondre Linstad Hurum Norway |
According to team manager Luc Arseneau, the riders are building up for the Commonwealth Games later this year but regard An Post Rás as a major objective. “Following last year’s performances at the Rás, we will be looking for some stage wins as well as getting on that final podium.”
He said the riders have already started producing some solid results this year and will have a good build-up. “Rémi Pelletier-Roy just won the season opening Delray Twilight Crit in Florida and Matteo won a stage at the Tucson Bicycle Classic.
“The riders for the An Post Rás will have two programmes in April. Some will be racing in Belgium, while others will stay in America to race the Tour of Gila. Early May, they all will meet in California to ride the Los Angeles Velodrome before going across the ocean to Ireland.” More>>>
Austrian And German Continental Teams Ambitious About Chasing An Post Rás Success
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| Gregor Muhlberger Austria |
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| Clemen Fankhauser Austria |
With less than two months to go to the start of the 2014 An Post Rás, two more strong international teams have been confirmed as talking part in this year’s event.
Tirol Cycling from Austria and the Kuota Pro Team from Germany will join the Belgian and New Zealand squads announced last week, and look more than capable of shaping the final outcome of the race.
Tirol Cycling will feature what its Chief Operating Officer Norbert Dürauer describes as “the best under-23 riders from Austria” on its roster. The team previously helped three others to develop and to go on to World Tour level, namely Katusha’s Marco Haller, Cannondale’s Matthias Krizek and Argos Shimano’s Georg Preidler, and aims to do the same with the next wave of riders.
“This is what our team is about,” states Dürauer. “We want to provide them the perfect platform on their way to one of the big teams in our sport. Top resources, scientific-assisted training and an international race schedule are the main contributions to achieve this goal.”
One of the team’s biggest goals this season is the 2.HC Tour of Austria in July, while An Post Rás is another. More>>>
Top Track Racing Talent Confirm For Belgium And New Zealand Teams In 2014 An Post Rás
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| Jasper de Buyst Belgium |
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| Kenny de Ketele Belgium |
Some of the world’s top track racing riders will draw on their velodrome-honed speed to chase success in this year’s An Post Rás.
Belgium and New Zealand have today been named as the first two teams confirmed for the May 2014 event, and both squads will include riders who have been very successful in track competition.
The Belgian squad will comprise five riders from the Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise team, including the former European and world madison champion Kenny de Ketele. The 28-year old rider will be joined by Jasper de Buyst, who was the winner of the Gent Six last November.
Belgium omnium champion Moreno De Pauw will also feature, returning to the race one year after he won stage five into Mitchelstown. He knows what to expect on Irish roads and will be looking to add to his strong performance in 2013.
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An Post Rås Chief Commissaire 2014
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| Madis Lepajoe Estonia |
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