Irish rider, Jack Wilson, has put pen to paper on a new one year deal with An Post Chain Reaction Sean Kelly Team. The talented 22-year old has committed to the Irish outfit for the 2016 season ahead and is joined by fellow Irishman Conor McConvey, who makes a return to the team having previously ridden for three seasons in 2010. Kiwi rider Aaron Gate and Australian Jordan Stannus have also both penned new one year deals.

After a tough season strewn with injuries, Wilson is more than ready to get back in the saddle and show why he is so highly regarded. The Antrim native impressed many in his first season with An Post, with excellent performances in the European Championships in Nyon, Switzerland and finishing fourth overall and second in the youth classification at Kreiz Breizh Elites (2.2) in France.

This year however, the young rider struggled for consistency, sustaining injuries at critical times throughout the season, including a severe collarbone break in advance of the Tour of Britain. Wilson though, is optimistic about the year ahead and feels fitter than he has ever been.

“I’m delighted to stay with An Post. It’s been a tough year with a few unfortunate injuries and I haven’t shown the consistency that I’ve wanted but I’m really happy Kurt (Bogaerts) has kept faith in me and I’m really looking forward to proving my worth to the team. I still feel I have more to learn but I feel energised and excited about the coming season. I can’t wait to get going now.”

It is an exciting new chapter for An Post that sees the Irish outfit make a total of eleven new signings so far for the new season. One familiar face will be that of Connor McConvey.

The 27- year old Irishman returns to the team, bringing a wealth of experience after stints with Synergy Baku Cycling Project and most recently, Team3M. McConvey has a string of impressive results to his name including a second place finish in general classification at the 2013 An Post Rás (2.2).

An Post has also retained the services of former Omnium World Champion, Aaron Gate. The New Zealander will look to build on some incredible results last season including two stage wins at An Post Rás. Gate has a huge desire to improve, with his eyes set firmly on the 2016 Olympics in Rio where he hopes to compete in the team and individual pursuit events for his country.

An Post directeur sportif, Kurt Bogaerts, also expects big strides to be made by highly rated Australian rider Jordan Stannus. The 19-year old sprinter now has a year’s valuable experience riding under An Post’s demanding race programme and is hungry for success under the tutelage of Bogaerts.

David Montgomery and Daniel Stewart make up the rest of the Irish recruits who have signed on the dotted line for the 2016 season. Montgomery is a former Irish National Cyclo-Cross champion while Stewart previously raced in France with Hennebont team. The duo come with bags of energy and enthusiasm and Montgomery is thrilled about the new chapter in his career.

“It’s an honour for me to sign with An Post team. I’ve followed their progress closely over the last couple of years and their race programme is a great fit for me. I’m really looking forward to the season ahead.”

Other significant signings for An Post include that of Dutch rider, Jasper Bovenhuis, a former trainee for WorldTour team Cannondale-Garmin last year along with exciting Belgian sprinter Emiel Wastyn, who won the sprint jersey at Belgium’s most prestigious pro-kermesse, Izegem Koers.

Wastyn’s attacking mentality is sure to be a good fit with the team’s style of racing. Australian duo Oliver Spark Kent and Calvin Watson – who has just finished a three-year spell with pro tour team, Trek Factory – also look like huge prospects.

The remaining contingent who have committed to the 2016 season include that of Belgian rider, Nicolas Vereecken who was formerly with An Post in 2013, American Sean Bennet, an ex-mountain biker with a bright road racing future ahead of him and finally Englishman, Jacob Scott.

Bogaerts is excited by the new signings and believes he has a great mix of youth and experience.

“I think the squad we’ve assembled is exciting and full of promise. The new signings will certainly energise the team and I’m really looking forward to working with them. They are a talented bunch who have achieved some brilliant results in their own right. It’s also very important to us to retain the skills and experience of Jack, Aaron and Jordan and to have Conor come back in the mix is a real bonus. I think this season coming will be a big year for those riders.”

4 COMMENTS

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here