Disappointment for defending champion Gallagher

Benny De Schrooder

The An Post Sean Kelly Team is back on home soil ahead of next week’s FBD Insurance Rás, which gets underway in Kilcullen, Co. Kildare next Sunday. Four of the five members of the Belgian based team have been confirmed, including two Irish riders, David O’Loughlin and Paidi O’Brien, but last year’s Rás champion Stephen Gallagher, will not be back to defend his title due to personal reasons.

World Track bronze medalist and recent Olympian David O’Loughlin, who will be competing in the Rás for the first time as part of the An Post team, will be joined by Irish compatriot Paidi O’Brien. The two Irish riders will be joined by Belgian duo Nicko Eeckhout and Benny De Schrooder, with one final team member to be confirmed on Monday.

“Defending champion Stephen Gallagher will not be part of our Rás team this year,” Manager Kurt Bogaerts confirmed. “Stephen will not compete due to personal reasons and we are disappointed as he won the race last year, so it would have been good for him to have the chance to defend his title as part of the An Post team.

Nico Eeckhout

Bogaerts has named four team members for next week’s Rás, but explained that he needs a few more days, and a race this weekend specifically, before he decides on who will take the fifth position in his Rás team. Bogaerts has three riders in reserve for this final place, with Irish rider Mark Cassidy, who wore the yellow jersey at last year’s Rás before being forced to pull out due to injury, in strong contention for the final place.

“This is a very big race so we need to have our best team ready, with every rider in shape and fully fit. I have three riders in mind, Mark Cassidy, Jef Peeters and Steven Van Vooren, but I want to wait to see what happens at this weekend’s race the Omloop Der Kempen in Holland, before making my final decision.”

The final An Post Sean Kelly team for the 2009 FBD Rás will be announced on Monday, 11^th May.

The An Post Cycle Series gets underway this weekend with the first of five national events this summer taking place in Sligo on Sunday.  Sligo’s event will be followed by An Post Series races in Clare, Meath, Waterford and Cork. For more information please log onto www.anpost.ie/cycling.

An Post Sean Kelly Team - FBD Insurance Rás (Uci 2.2)

David O’Loughlin (IRL)
Páidi O Brien (IRL)
Niko Eeckhout (BEL)
Benny De Schrooder (BEL)

Fifth rider TBC – one from:
Mark Cassidy (IRL)
Jef Peeters (BEL)
Steven Van Vooren (BEL)

For further information please contact:
Greg Keane, WHPR (An Post Sean Kelly Team Press Office)
016690136 / Greg.keane@ogilvy.com