The season rolls on for An Post Chain Reaction squad as they prepare for the Dutch one day race, Volta Limburg Classic (UCI 1.1) this Saturday, 2nd of April.
Irish duo Jack Wilson and David Montgomery are both named as part of a strong An Post contingent with Jacob Scott (GB), Calvin Watson (AUS), Jasper Bovenhuis (NED) and Belgian duo Nicholas Vereecken and Emiel Wastyn forming the rest of the team.
The 43rd edition of the race takes place in the Limburg region in the south of the Netherlands and is set to be a stern test for the Irish based outfit. The route is renowned for its challenging terrain which is littered with tough climbs and fast descents.
In 2015, in a bid to shake things up, the race has been altered from three loops of 60km to two loops of 90 kilometres. The adjustment is to ensure a more open and competitive race, increasing the number of contenders for victory.
An Post Team Manager, Kurt Bogaerts, is aware of the prospect that lies ahead for his team;
“We are fully aware of Saturday’s challenge as it is one of the hardest races of the year. There is barely any flats to recover, it is all short climbs, one after another so it is an extremely tiring race. There is a really good field involved too with world renowned teams competing at the highest level so it’s a great opportunity for the team to face them.”
Morale in the An Post camp is sky high at the moment after some encouraging results in last week’s Tour de Normandie (2.2) which saw Belgian bullet, Nicholas Vereecken, secure an eight place finish overall in the general classification.
Irishman Connor McConvey also put in a strong performance in the final stage finishing just nine seconds off the eventual stage winner.
Bogaerts’ team selection is hampered due to the unavailability of two of his Irish riders. Westmeath man, Damian Shaw and Belfast native, Connor McConvey have come down with a flu virus. Oliver Kent-Spark has returned to full training after an ongoing knee issue but the Australian is still unavailable for this weekend coming.
Team Line-Up
Jack Wilson (IRE)
David Montgomery (IRE)
Calvin Watson (AUS)
Nicholas Vereecken (BEL)
Emiel Wastyn (BEL)
Jasper Bovenhuis (NED)
Jacob Scott (GB)
