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| David Boily 2nd Tour de I'Avenir 2011 |
Slightly
under two months before the start of the race, the first of many foreign teams
to compete in this year’s An Post Rás has been announced, with the Canadian
national team set to make the trip to Ireland for the eight day contest.
Cycling
Canada development coach and team manager Luc Arseneau has said that his riders
will aim to have a very strong race. “We are really looking forward to
participating in the As Post Rás for the first time. We’ve heard good things
about the event, and we are confident it will fit our riders well,” he stated.
While
the final selection will be determined closer to the event, Arseneau has narrowed
down the list of potential riders. These include Stuart Wight, the winner of
the 2010 Irish international Junior Tour, Canadian national track team rider
Rémi Pelletier-Roy, 2012 Tour de Banff winner Kristofer Dahl, former under 23
Canadian criterium champion Garrett McLeod, national individual pursuit record
holder Alex Cataford plus the 2011 Tour de l’Avenir runner-up David Boily.
With
this being the first year after the Olympic Games, it is a time of transition
for many national teams. Some riders will retire while others will begin
working towards Rio 2016.
“The
main objective of Cycling Canada this summer will be to turn the page on 2012
Games and look forward to a long term development path as well as to align our
road program with our track one,” Arseneau explained. “For the An Post Rás, we
will be aligning a good young team for our first time at this great event.
“Our
riders will be riding for their respective teams before the selection is
completed. Some could also come from our U23 squad who will be shortly heading
to Europe to compete in the U23 Nation Cup (Flanders, Côte Picarde) as well as
the U23 Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Others will be preparing using the America Tour
calendar.”
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| Rémi Roy Pelletier 2012 Tour de Banff Winner |
Canada
has developed well in recent years as a force in world cycling. Last year Ryder
Hesjedal became the first ever rider from that country to win the prestigious
Giro d’Italia, cycling’s second-biggest stage race. That victory will have
inspired many younger riders from their country, sharpening their resolve to excel
in the sport.
The
An Post Rás has built up a strong reputation as a race where future stars first
become known, with its past winners including the current world time trial
champion Tony Martin and also former Tour de France winner Stephen Roche.
The
Canadian team to be announced could well include riders who go on to the top of
the professional ranks.
Once
the riders for the Canadian team for the An Post Rás are determined, Arseneau
explains that the actual leaders of that selection will be appointed a little
closer again to the event. Those who are in particuarly good form will have the
chance to head the five man squad.
As
regards goals, he prefers not to name specific targets at this stage, but
rather to speak in generalities. “The objective will be to gain more experience
and to give it a good battle,” he said. “As it will be a National team program,
we have to wait a little bit more to know who will be the riders to watch, but
we are confident we will be able to put a strong team together.”
An
Post Rás race director Tony Campbell is looking forward to seeing the team in
action. “We expect another very good lineup this year, with many international
teams set to take part. We are confident that the Canadian national team will
have some strong riders on board, and that they will add a lot to this year’s
race,” he said.
The
2013 An Post Rás will begin in Dunboyne on Sunday 19th May, the fourth
consecutive year it has started there. It will then move counter-clockwise
around the country, and includes stage finishes in Longford, Nenagh, Listowel,
Killarney, Glengarriff, Mitchelstown, Carlow and Naas, before concluding on
Sunday 26th May with the customary finale in Skerries, North County Dublin.
For more information contact.
Tony Campbell tonycampbell@anpostras.com
Eddie Dawson eddiedawson@anpostras.com
