The organisers of the Vuelta a Espana have announced the four teams who have received wildcard entries for this year’s race and amongst the teams invited are the Pro Continental team Aqua Blue Sport. It will be the first time that an Irish team will take part in a Grand Tour.
The other teams who will line up alongside the 18 WorldTour teams are Cofidis, Solutions Crédits, Caja Rural-Seguros RGA and Manzana Postobon Team.
The invite for Aqua Blue Sport is a reflection of the strong performances and aggressive approach that the team have taken in their debut season. The team have animated many of the races that they have taken part in, and have nabbed a number of podium finishes including second place for Adam Blythe at both Handzame Classic and Danilith – Nokere Koerse (1.HC).
Aqua Blue Sport founder, Irish businessman Rick Delaney has hailed the invite as huge news for his young team.
He said: “We spoke in the team presentation at the start of the year about winning on and off the bike. We dreamed about trying to perform at the highest level and we hoped that we might achieve a world tour start at some point in the future.
“It is an emotional moment. I dreamed of a grand tour start and now it has been realised. Three months in to our first season we have a Grand Tour invite. I believe it is very important to dream and this is evidence that dreams do come true.
“We are delighted and humbled to have received this incredible honour so early in our time. The Vuelta is a fantastic and historic event – for Aqua Blue Sport to be there is a fantastic achievement for such a young team.
“I want to extend my gratitude to the organisers for placing their faith in our team – we are all looking forward to getting there to the start line in Nimes.”
General Manager Stephen Moore welcomed the invitation and said that the team are ready to take the big leap into Grand Tour racing.
He said: “Aqua Blue Sport has been working hard to show that we deserve this place. That hard work is already paying off.
“We will be putting together a strategy to give our Irish and international fans a lot to cheer about when the race begins. Before that we will continue to compete and hunt for that coveted first win.
“Everyone working with the team, the riders and backroom staff, and those working on our www.aquabluesport.com ecommerce project at home in Ireland, are delighted to hear of this invite. We are going to continue with the enthusiasm we have shown so far this season and bring our fighting Irish spirit to the Vuelta this August.”
Running from Saturday August 19th to Sunday September 10th 2017, the Vuelta will be made up of 21 stages and will cover a total distance of 3,297.7 kilometres. The 72nd edition of the Vuelta will depart from the French city of Nîmes.
WorldTour Teams
AG2R La Mondiale (FRA)
Astana Pro Team (KAZ)
Bahrain – Merida (BRN)
BMC Racing Team (USA)
Bora – Hansgrohe (GER)
Cannondale Drapac Professional Cycling Team (USA)
FDJ (FRA)
Lotto Soudal (BEL)
Movistar Team (ESP)
Orica – Scott (AUS)
Quick-Step Floors (BEL)
Team Dimension Data (RSA)
Team Katusha – Alpecin (SUI)
Team Lotto NL – Jumbo (HOL)
Team Sky (GBR)
Team Sunweb (GER)
Trek – Segafredo (USA)
UAE Abu Dhabi (UAE)
Wildcard Entries
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits (FRA)
Caja Rural-Seguros RGA (ESP)
Aqua Blue Sport (IRL)
Manzana Postobon Team (COL)
Just wondering, didn’t a few teams register as Irish a few years back to avail of a lower registration costs or something?
If so wouldn’t they have been the first???
This is just for fun lads I’m not taking away from Agua Blue or The Bike Comes First just throwing it out there
and before CSF Bardiani, LPR Brakes were registered in Ireland and rode the Giro in 2008 and 2009.
Ya, knew there were others. Not really Irish though like Aqua Blue