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| Rob Partridge NFTO |
Two strong British squads have confirmed they will compete in An Post Rás 2015. Teams NFTO and JLT Condor, both UCI Continental squads aim to have a major influence on the outcome of this year’s race.
The NFTO squad will feature top young Irish talent Eddie Dunbar, who has impressed greatly at home and abroad in the junior ranks. The first-ever double winner of the Junior Tour of Ireland also won the Junior Tour of Wales in 2014 and international races such as the Trofeo Karlsberg.
Dunbar is hugely motivated for success and will be determined to make a strong impression in his first An Post Rás. Dunbar is likely be joined by Ian Bibby, Rob Partridge, Sam Harrison and James Lowsley-Williams.
Bibby finished second on stage five and placed fourth overall in last year’s An Post Rás, and his experience will be a big asset to the team. Likewise Rob Partridge, who took third place in 2008, sixth place in 2010 and 14th overall last year.
Sam Harrison and James Lowsley-Williams also have past history in the race. Harrison led the Irish Sports Council, Under23 competition early on during the 2013 edition and had several strong stages.
Lowsley-Williams, too has valuable An Post Rás experience. He played a vital role in the 2013 overall classification, helping then-team-mate Marcin Bialoblocki to his Yellow Jersey success.
Two other riders in the running for the five-man squad are former Garmin Sharpe team rider, Steele VonHoff, winner of stage four of the Santos Tour Down Under and teammate Johnny McEvoy.
“The team’s goals and the leaders will be determined closer to the time,” states Povall. “But, given that we won with Alex Wetterhall and Marcin Bialoblocki previously, the team will be structured, professional and hopefully, competitive!”
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| Ed Laverack JLT Condor |
The team will do the British Cycling Elite Road Series as part of its build-up, as well as the new Tour de Yorkshire.
John Herety is manager of the JLT Condor team and has a glittering background in the Rás. He has guided several riders to overall victory in the past, including 2009 winner Simon Richardson.
The team line up includes 2014 British National Under23 Road Race Champion Ed Laverack, 2014 Stafford GP winner Luke Grivell Mellor, strong climber Dante Carpenter, Joe Moses and young Irishman David McCarthy.
“The whole team is under 23 and there will be no pre designated leader,” states Herety, explaining the structure of the squad plus its approach. “All will be encouraged to get into breakaways in the first few days and to go for stage wins. They will have a free hand to show me their talents without having to work on behalf of more senior guys in a support role.”
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| Dante Carpenter JLT Condor |
The group has a solid programme of Irish racing in 2015, riding Rás Mumhan and the Tour of Ulster prior to An Post Rás and the Suir Valley Three Day this summer. Herety says: “While An Post Rás is challenging, I think all of these races are good achievable targets for ambitious U23 riders.”
The two teams will join Team Hrinkow Advarics CYcleanG of Austria, Sweden’s Tre Berg – Bianchi and the Australian outfit Subaru Albion.
“The teams announced are all very strong,” says race director Tony Campbell, “and will help make the 2015 edition a really competitive and dramatic one”.
The 2015 An Post Rás will begin in Dunboyne on May 17th and will feature stage finishes in Carlow, Tipperary, Bearna, Newport, Ballina, Ballinamore, Drogheda and Skerries. The route is almost 1200 kilometres in length and will include 21 categorised climbs.
