An Post Chain Reaction Sean Kelly rider Conor Dunne will look to build on recent impressive displays as the team visit Belgium this weekend to compete in Dwars door de Vlaamse Ardennen (1.2), Sunday 19th of July.
The 23 year old Irish rider has been in fine form recently after securing a third place finish in the Irish Road Race National Championships in Omagh. Team manager Kurt Bogaerts believes there is a lot more to come from Dunne.
“This is Conor’s first race since the nationals and he has just finished a tough training block so he’s riding really well and he’s ready for this race. When it is your first race back you never know how you will go but he has been working extremely hard so hopefully this will translate into results. I think it’s just a matter of time and confidence.”
Aidis Kruopis will also feature this weekend alongside fellow team mates Alistair Slater, Xandro Meurisse, Alexander Maes, Jens Vandenbogaerde and Paulius Siskevicius. The Lithuanian rider secured victory in his home country’s National Championships and Bogaerts continues to be impressed with the former ORICA GreenEdge rider.
“Aidis is definitely one of the guys in peak condition at the moment so it should be a good race for him. Having won a couple of stages in An Post Rás and his own National Road Race, he is brimming with confidence at the moment. When a rider of his quality has that belief, he can be very hard to beat.”
Bogaerts will be without Jack Wilson and Aaron Gate due to injury while Irish Time Trial champion Ryan Mullen and Josh Edmondson are in the middle of a ten-day training camp in Majorca. They will re-join the team following the conclusion of the camp.
The Belgian race will begin in Erpe-Nere located in the Belgian province of East Flanders and will navigate through the Flemish Ardennes. The race spans a total of 178 kilometres with a total climb of 5,525 feet, which will prove to be a testing challenge for the field. An Post Chain Reaction Sean Kelly team is one of fifteen other UCI teams competing and Bogaerts is confident about securing a result.
“This race is a very hard race. It is a typical Belgian race with the small cobble climbs and small narrow roads. I’m certainly confident as the team, at this stage, know the roads very well. After taking a well-earned break the guys should be coming back fresh and ready to work so I’m really looking forward to the next few races ahead.”
After Dwars door de Vlaamse Ardennen the team’s strength and depth will be tested as they compete in Kreiz Breizh Elite (2.2) in France between the 1st and 3rd of August and in the Prudential Ride London & Surrey Classic (1HC) on the 2nd of August.
An Post Chain Reaction Sean Kelly Racing Team in action this weekend at Dwars door de Vlaamse Ardennen, Sunday 19th of July.
Conor Dunne (IRL)
Alistair Slater (GB)
Xandro Meurisse (BEL)
Alexander Maes (BEL)
Jens Vandenbogaerde (BEL)
Aidis Kruopis (LTH)
Paulius Siskevicius (LTH)
