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Yesterday in the GPO, Dublin there was a welcome relief when An Post revealed that they would be sponsoring the Sean Kelly Team which will be based in Mertchem, Belgium.

The withdrawal of the Murphy & Gunn/Newlyn Group team in the Autumn certainly sent shockwaves throughtout the cycling community. But thankfully cycling in Ireland found an excellent replacement through the good offices of Sean Kelly.

They will be registerd as a Union Cycliste Internationale ‘Continental Team.’

So there is light at the end of the tunnel for aspiring cyclists here in Ireland.

The opportunity is there now for the six Irish team members to aspire to making the grade with a ProTour team. But, first they’ll have a programme of top international races at a much higher level than they can here in Ireland.

”An Post’s sponsorship of the Sean Kelly Team is the start of what we hope will be a significient investment in cycling. The team is now a benchmark for youngsters getting into the sport in Ireland. It is something to aim for and it’s important for the development of the sport here,” said CEO Donal Connell of An Post.

Sponsors, An Post got involved with cycling for the first time in 2007 as sponsors of the green points jersey in the inaugural Tour of Ireland and support for the Sean Kelly team in 2008 is set to be the first in a number of national and local cycling sponsorship initiatives this year.

”An Post’s sponsorship of the Sean Kelly Team is the start of what we hope will be a significient investment in cycling. The team is now a benchmark for youngsters getting into the sport in Ireland. It is something to aim for and it’s important for the development of the sport here,” said CEO Donal Connell of An Post.

And! When can we expect to see the team in action in Ireland?

According to the man himself, Sean Kelly, ”they’ll back in Ireland for the first time om May 18th for the ‘FBD Insurance Ras.”

The roster for 2008:

Paidi O’Brien (Cork); Mark Cassidy Meath); Stephen Gallagher (Armagh); Ronan McLouglin (Donegal); Isaac Speirs (Meath); Denis Dunworth (Kerry); Benny Deschrooder, Kenny Lisabett, Frank van Kurk, Reno Stofferis (all Belgium); Christian Muller (Germany); Victor Folkeran (Sweden); Daniel Lloyd. Daniel Feeman, (England).

Manager: Kurt Bogaerts.