CYCLING:IRISH DUO Daniel Martin and national road-race champion Matt Brammeier had good news this week when it was confirmed their teams for 2012, Garmin-Cervelo and Omega Pharma-Quick Step, are both looking good to secure WorldTour licences.
On Tuesday cycling’s world governing body, the UCI, released the identities of 15 teams which had satisfied the sporting criteria, the first cut-off point in the process to be approved for the top level.
Both teams essentially have enough ranking riders to be deemed worthy of a place in the WorldTour, although the squads still need to satisfy the ethical, financial and administrative requirements. It would be a big surprise if either fell down on this aspect.
The situation is a little less clear for Nicolas Roche’s Ag2r La Mondiale team which, like last year, must battle it out for one of the remaining slots. It was ranked 16th, just ahead of AG2R La Mondiale, Geox-TMC, FDJ, Euskaltel-Euskadi and Team Europcar. Under UCI rules, the five teams between 16th and 20th will battle for three ProTeam licences. The approved ProTeams will have guaranteed invitations to cycling’s WorldTour events, including the Tour de France.
Philip Deignan will compete with the Pro Continental UnitedHealthcare squad, which must rely on these invitations.
Irish under-23 champion Sam Bennett’s good first season with the An Post Grant Thornton M Donnelly Seán Kelly team has led to him being offered a new contract. The Carrick-on-Suir rider has signed up for an additional year with the team, which has mainly Irish sponsors and is based in Belgium.
Bennett is regarded as one of the most talented young Irish riders and is one of the youngest-ever stage winners in the An Post Rás. Team manager Kurt Bogaerts is pleased he will be part of the squad in 2012.
“I am delighted that Sam has signed for another season with us,” he said. “He had a difficult start coming back from an injury from the previous year, which took time to sort out. During the second half of the season everything came together for him and he produced some great results, the highlight of which was his win at the 1.2-ranked GP van de Stad Geel.
“Next season I’m sure we will have him fully fit from the start of the year and I really expect him to be one of the most important members of the team.”
Four new riders were also announced yesterday, including Commonwealth Games track bronze medallist Mark Christian from the Isle of Man and the Australian rider Scott Law (20). Two young Belgian riders have come on board, namely Ronde van Noord Holland winner Nils Wytinck and Joren Segers.
