WITH SOME NEW signings to the Seán Kelly An Post team, Seán Kelly believes that the team has the perfect blend of youth and experience to deliver on the big stage and hopes his team can retain the An Post Rás later this year.
The line-up for the 2012 An Post sponsored Sean Kelly Cycling team was revealed in Brussels last week, with an 18-man team announced, including 10 new signings.
Yesterday, Kelly made a number of last-minute changes to the team before the Volta ao Algarve. Sam Bennett and Mark McNally have both been pulled out of the team after failing to recover from a bout of the flu with Ronan McLaughlin and Joren Segers drafted in.
Belfast native Connor McConvey will also line up for the 151 kilometre first stage from Dunas Douradas (Loulé) to Albufiera tomorrow. He is joined in the team by Belgians Niko Eeckhout, Pieter Ghyllebert, Nils Wytinck alongside Gediminas Bagdonas and Mark Christian.
Team manager Kurt Bogaerts is looking forward to the first major test of the season against some of the world’s top teams and riders. “The Volta ao Algarve is always a tough test at the start of the season as we race against some big teams like Omega Pharma – Quick Step, Saxo Bank and SKY. We will look to attack and ride from the front, and I’m sure we can get some good results in the race.”
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