With the countdown to the 2016 An Post Rás drawing ever closer, the New Zealand national team have today confirmed their entry in to this year’s race. The squad will join the dozen foreign outfits already announced in what looks to be one of the strongest editions of the race to date.
The riders selected as part of the Kiwi squad will form part of a serious push for success at the track events at this summer’s Olympic Games. They include Hayden Roulston, a multiple national champion who raced as a pro on the Cervélo Test Team, HTC Highroad, Radioshack Nissan and Trek Factory Racing squads. The experienced 35 year-old is a past Tour of Poland stage winner and took silver and bronze medals on the track at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
His An Post Rás team-mates include Regan Gough, Dylan Kennett and Pieter Bulling, who were part of the gold medal-winning team pursuit at the 2015 world track championships. Gough also won the points and madison races at the 2014 World Junior Track Championships. The fifth member of the team is Nick Kergozou, who previously raced in Ireland at the 2015 An Post Rás and who also won the omnium event at last year’s Dublin Track Cycling International.
“2016 is a key year for Cycling New Zealand with the Rio Olympics as it is an important pinnacle event for the New Zealand program,” said national men’s track endurance coach Tim Carswell.
“The An Post Rás is a key race for the male track endurance squad in this preparation phase for the Games. We are looking forward to competing at this edition and appreciate the invite from the sponsors.”
Carswell is excited about what the team could do in the event.
“On paper, we have one of the strongest teams that New Zealand have ever fielded at the An Post Rás. We look forward to building on the success we have had in past editions. We see that the course is quite challenging this year but we hope to target stages and evaluate opportunities as the race unfolds.”
The national track team normally also includes Aaron Gate, a double stage winner and the green jersey at last year’s An Post Rás, and Alex Frame. The latter was eighth overall in the 2015 race and finished second on stages two and three. Gate and Frame will not be part of the New Zealand selection for the An Post Rás due to obligations with their road teams, An Post Chain Reaction and JLT Condor.
This year’s An Post Rás will comprise a very strong international field. Thus far, thirteen foreign teams have been announced for the event, with squads coming from Australia, Austria, Britain, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands and the USA.
“The New Zealand national team will add to the high quality of riders for this year’s race,” said An Post Rás director Tony Campbell. “Being part of the national track team, the riders will have a rapid turn of speed and will play a big part in both how the race unfolds and on the results.”
This year’s An Post Rás will total almost 1240 kilometres, and will include 25 categorised climbs. The race will roll out from Dublin Castle on Sunday May 22nd, with the venue chosen to mark the 2016 Easter Rising commemorations.
The world-ranked event will feature stage finishes in Multyfarnham, Charleville, Dingle, Sneem, Clonakilty, Dungarvan and Baltinglass before concluding in Skerries on May 29th.
Elsewhere, the An Post Chain Reaction Sean Kelly team are currently competing in the 2016 Flèche du Sud (2.2). The 67th edition of the five stage race got underway yesterday and will conclude on Sunday, 8th May.
Irish duo Damian Shaw and Connor McConvey are competing alongside Australian pair, Oliver Kent-Spark and Jordan Stannus and Dutch rider, Jasper Bovenhuis, while Kiwi Aaron Gate also makes a welcome return to the squad.
Shaw and McConvey are looking to build up some good momentum ahead of An Post Rás which is just under three weeks away and An Post team manager, Kurt Bogaerts, is hoping that they can peak just at the right time.
“Damian and Connor have been missing these past couple of weeks so Fleche (du Sud) is vital for them to get some miles into their legs. Both riders have great potential so if they can improve their conditioning with a couple of intense races, they will be in a great position for the Rás.”
Aaron Gate returns to the squad after a spell with the New Zealand national team. The Auckland native, whom was a stage winner in last year’s Rás on two occasions, was competing in the UCI World Track Championships in London and has since returned to the Irish based outfit.
“It is great to have Aaron back with the guys again as he is an extremely important part of the team. Sometimes it can be difficult to switch your focus as a rider from track to road racing but I’m sure Aaron will adapt quickly back and be able to transition well. We know the Rás is a race that he looks forward to and he’ll be chomping at the bit to get some road racing done in the run up to it.”
A challenging terrain is expected with plenty of climbs and sharp descents. Adverse weather conditions could be a factor also with Luxembourg having one of their coldest Aprils in 30 years. Bogaerts maintains that this will stand to them in good stead in terms of preparations for An Post Rás and its famous tough conditions.
“We’re hoping for some good conditions in Luxembourg so the team can get the most out of it and improve their conditioning. We also know that if we have to face some tough conditions that it will stand to us come Rás time. A stage win would be a great achievement and it would do so much for team morale.”
An Post Chain Reaction Sean Kelly Racing Team in action at 2016 Flèche du Sud in Luxembourg, 4th May – 8th May.
Damian Shaw (IRE)
Connor McConvey (IRE)
Aaron Gate (NZ)
Jasper Bovenhuis (NED)
Jordan Stannus (AUS)
Oliver Kent-Spark (AUS)