Ghyllebert in first long break of race, will hold sprints jersey
Although there are many bigger teams taking part in the race, the An Post Grant Thornton M. Donnelly Sean Kelly team manager Kurt Bogaerts has said that he expects that his riders will perform aggressively in the Tour of Britain, and will set a high target.
The race begins today and already the team has started as it means to continue, with Pieter Ghyllebert joining up with Sigma Sport – Specialized rider Russell Hampton in an early attack. They are currently clear heading towards the finish and while it seems almost certain they will be caught, Ghyllebert will wear the sprints jersey at the end of the day.
Bogaerts said that the Irish-sponsored, Belgium-based team will fight all the way to London next Sunday. “The Tour of Britain will be a very tough and highly competitive race again this year. There are a lot of big teams and quality riders taking part,” he said. “We will be one of the youngest teams in the race, but this season we have proved we can compete and win races against top opposition. Our aim is to win a stage and I have an idea of a couple of stages that will suit us.”
The lineup is Ghyllebert, Mi Aout en Bretagne winner Mark McNally, Andy Fenn, An Post Rás winner Gediminas Bagdonas, plus the Irish duo Ronan McLaughlin and Mark Cassidy.
Two of the team’s promising young riders are missing from the lineup, with Bogaerts choosing to rest Sam Bennett and Philip Lavery. “Bennett and Lavery have been riding well recently, but they’ve looked a little tired in the last couple of races,” he said. “I thought if they rode the Tour of Britain it would not help their chances at the World Championships, which has been a target for them all season. It’s better that they get some rest in now.”
The team is currently racing as a Continental-level team but former world number one Kelly’s involvement plus that of Belgian hardman Niko Eeckhout has helped secure it invites to many of Europe’s top events.